SECOND DI VI SI ON

A NDREWS, P. J.

, M C F A D DEN and RA

Y, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s /

October 9, 2014



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 4 A0 99 9

. PENNINGTON et al

. v. GW INN E T T COUNTY,

GEORGIA.

M C F A D D E N , J u d g e.

St ev e an d B r en d a Pen n i n g t o n ap p eal t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s g ran t of s u m m ary

ju d g m en t t o Gwi n n et t Co u n t y i n t h e Pen n i n g t o ns ’ act i o n s eek i n g co m p en sat i o n fo r

t h e l o s s o f a b u s in es s o pp o rt u n i t y

. Th e Pen ni n g t o n s arg u e t h at t h e co u n t y ’ s

i n t erferen ce scu tt l ed t h ei r deal wi t h T-M o b i l e So ut h L LC u n d er wh i ch T-M o b i l e

i n t en d ed t o l eas e a p ort i o n o f t h ei r p ro p ert y fo r t h e i n s t al l at io n o f a cel l p h o n e t o wer.

Th ey arg u e t h a t t h i s i n terferen ce res u lt ed i n a t ak i n g an d am o u n t ed t o an i n v ers e

co n dem n at i o n

. Bu t b ecau s e t h e ev i d en ce i s u n d i s p u t ed t h at t he Pen n i n g to n s m erel y

h ad an o p t i o n co n t ract w i t h T-M o b i l e an d t h at T-M o b il e d eci d ed n o t t o ex erci s e t h ato p t i o n , as was i t s ri gh t

, t h e P e n n i n g t o ns h av e n ot sh o w n a t ak i n g o r an i n v ers e

co n dem n at i o n . W e t h erefo re affi rm

.

A t ri al co u rt m ay

g ran t s u m

m ary ju dg m en t wh en t h ere i s n o g en u in e i s s u e as

t o an y m at eri al fact an d th e m o v i n g p art y i s en t i t l ed to a ju d g m en t as a m at t er o f l aw.

OCGA § 9 -1 1 -5 6 (c). “ W e rev i ew t h e g ran t o r d e n i a l o f a m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary

ju d g m en t d e n o v o , an d w e m u s t v i ew t h e ev i d en ce, an d al l reas o n ab l e i n feren ces

d rawn t h erefro m , i n t h e l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e n o n m o v an t .” Ci t y of Tyb ee Is l a n d

v. Li ve Oa k Gr o u

p

, LLC

, 3 2 4 Ga. Ap p

. 47 6

, 4 77 (7 5 1 SE2 d 1 2 3 ) (2 0 1 3 ) ( c i t at i o n

o m it t ed ).

1

. Fa ct s

.

Vi ewed i n t h e l ig h t m o s t fav o r a b l e t o t h e Pen ni n g t o n s as n o nm o van t s , t h e

reco r d s h o ws t h at o n May 2 1

, 2 0 0 8

, t h e Pen n i n g to n s en tered a co nt ract wi t h TM o b il e g ran t i ng T-M o b il e t h e o p t i o n t o l eas e a p o rt i o n of th e Pen n i n g t o n s ’ p ro p ert y

fo r t h e i n s t al l at i o n o f a cel l p h o n e t o wer. Th e co n t ract was en t i tl ed “ Si t e L eas e wi th

Op t io n .” Th e co n t ract s p eci fi ed t h at i n ex ch an g e fo r T -M o b i le’ s p ay m en t o f $ 1 ,0 0 0,

t h e Pen n i n gt o n s g ran t ed T-M ob i l e “ an o p t i o n t o l eas e” a p o rt i o n o f t h e i r p ro p ert y ,

t h at t h i s o p t i o n wa s “ fo r an i ni t i al t erm o f t w el v e (1 2 ) m o nt h s,” an d th at T-M o b i l e

co u ld ex t en d t h e o p t i on p eri o d b y an ad d i t i o n al t wel v e m o n th s “ u p o n wri t ten n o t i ce

2an d p ay m en t ” o f an ad d i t io nal $ 1 ,0 00 . It p ro v i ded t h at T-M o b i l e “ m ay ex erci s e t h e

Op t io n ” b y n o t i fy i n g t h e Pen ni ng t o n s in wri t in g an d th at “ [i ] f [T-M o b il e] ex erci s e[d ]

t h e Op t io n , t h en [t h e Pen n i n g to n s ] [t ] h ereb y l eas e[d ] t o [T-M o b il e] t h at p o rt i o n o f t h e

Pro p ert y s u ffi ci en t fo r pl acem en t o f t h e A n t en n a Faci l it i es

. . . . ” A sep arat e d o cu m en t

,

en t i t l ed “ Own er Au t h o ri zat io n Ag reem en t ,” wa s s i g ned by Bren d a Pen n i n g t o n,

g ran t ed T-M o b i le t h e r i g h t t o en t er t h e Pen n i n g to ns ’ p ro p ert y , an d pro v id ed t h at

“ EACH PARTY A CKNOW LEDGES THAT THE OTHER H A S M ADE NO

REPRESENTATIONS OR COM M ITM ENTS THAT A LEASE AGREEM ENT

CONCERNING THE PROPERTY W ILL BE ENTERED INTO IN THE FUTURE.”

(Cap i t al izat i o n i n o ri g i n al .) T-M o b i le ex ten d ed t he o p ti o n fo r a t ot al o f t h ree y ears ,

each t i m e p ay i n g ad d i t i o n al co m p en s at io n t o t h e Pen ni n gt o n s

.

W i t h i n a m on t h o f en t eri n g t h e Si t e L eas e wi t h Op t i o n , T-M o b il e fi l ed wi t h t h e

Gwi n n et t Co un t y Dep art m en t o f Pl an n i n g an d Dev el o p m en t an ap p li cat i o n t o p l ace

t h e cel l t o wer o n t h e Pen n in g t o n s ’ p ro p ert y

. At T-M ob i l e’ s req u es t

, co ns i d erat i o n o f

t h e ap pl i cat i o n was t ab l ed m o re t han 2 0 ti m es , u n t i l Ap r i l 2 6

, 2 0 1 1, wh en t h e

ap p li cat io n was d en i ed

, al s o at T-M o b i le’ s req ues t . In t h e m ean t i m e, i n Ap ri l 2 0 0 9,

t h e co u nt y am en d ed i t s po li cy t o al lo w th e p lacem en t o f cel l p h o n e t o wers o n co u n t y

p ro p ert y , an d o n N o vem b er 2

, 2 0 0 9

, T

- M o b i le fo rm al l y req u es t ed t h at Gwi n n et t

3Co u n t y co n s i der en t eri n g i n t o a l eas e fo r p l acem en t o f t h e t o wer at a co u n t y p ark n ear

t h e Pen n i n g t o n s ’ p ro p ert y

. T-M o b i l e a n d Gwi n n et t Co u n ty en t ered s u ch l eas e o n

J an u ary 2 5 , 2 0 1 1.

Th e Pen n i n g t o ns fi led t h is l aws ui t

, al l eg i n g t h at Gwi n n et t Co u n t y co n fi s cat ed

t h e v al u e o f t h ei r l e a s e wi t h T-M o b i l e, wh i ch co n s t i t u t ed an i m p ro per t ak i n g by

i n v ers e co n d em

n at i o n. Th ey al so al l eg ed t h at Gwi n net t Co u nt y t o rt i o u s l y i n t erfered

i n t hei r d eal i n g s wi t h T-M ob il e.

Th e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed t h e co un t y ’ s m o t i o n fo r s um m ary ju d g m en t

. Th e co u rt

ru l ed t h at s o v erei g n i m

m un i t y b arred t h e Pen n i n g t o ns ’ t o rt i o u s in t erferen ce cl ai m

ag ai n s t t h e co u n t y ; t h at t h e Pen n i n g t o n s ’ in v ers e co n d em na t i o n cl ai m fai l ed o n t h e

m eri t s b e cau s e t h ey h ad n o co m p en s ab l e i n t eres t i n t h e l eas e p art o f t he o p t i o n

co n tract

, s i n ce i t was w i t hi n T- M o b i l e ’s d i s cret io n w h et h er o r n o t t o ex erci s e t h e

o p t i o n ; t h at b ecau se T-M o b i l e ch o s e n o t t o ex erci se t h e op t i o n , t h e Pen ni ng t on s co u ld

n o t s h o w t h at th ey h ad s u s t ai n ed a l o ss co m p en s ab l e u n d er th ei r t h eo r y of i n v ers e

co n dem n at i o n ; an d t hat t he Pen n i n g t o n s ’ cl ai m s were t i m e b arred

.

Th e Pen n i n g to n s ap p eal o n ly t h e g ran t o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t o n t h ei r i n v ers e

co n dem n at i o n cl ai m

. Th ey arg u e t hat t h e tri al co u rt erred b y fai li n g t o ack n o wl ed g e

t h ey were p u rs u i n g an in v ers e co n d em n at io n c l a i m ; b y co n cl u d i ng t h ey h ad n o

4p ro p ert y i n t eres t t h at was t ak en , g i v en t h e n at u re o f an op t i o n co n tract ; b y fi n d i n g t h at

t h ei r d am ag es were t o o sp ecu l at i v e; an d b y d et erm i n i ng t h at t h ei r cl ai m s were t i m e

b arred

.

2

. Th e Pen n i ng t o n s h a d n o p r o p er ty i n t er es t

t h a t wa s t a ken

.

Th e Pen n i n gt o n s arg u e t h at t h e t ri al co urt erred b y h o l d i n g t h at t h ey co u l d n ot

p u rs u e t h ei r i n v ers e co n d em n at i o n cl ai m b ecau s e T-M o b il e h ad s o l e d i s cret i o n

wh et h er t o ex erci s e t h e o p t i o n. W e d i s ag ree.

In v ers e co n d em

n at io n “ i s n o t l i m i t ed t o a t ak i n g o f real p ro p ert y , bu t i t ap p li es

o n l y i f t h e co m

p l ai ni n g p a r t y h a s a v al i d p ro p ert y i n teres t i n t h at wh i ch i s t ak en .”

Br o wn v. Pen l a n d Co n s t. Co

. , 2 7 6 Ga. Ap p

. 5 2 2, 5 2 5 (1 ) (6 2 3 SE2 d 7 1 7 ) (2 0 0 5 ),

rev ers ed i n p art o n ot her g ro u n d s , 2 8 1 Ga. 6 2 5 (6 4 1 SE2 d 5 2 2 ) (2 0 0 7 ). Th e

Pen ni n g t o n s h av e n o t s h o w n t h at t h ey h ad a v al i d pro p ert y i n t eres t i n t hat wh i ch was

al l eg ed l y t ak en

. Th ey d es cri b e t h e t h in g t ak en as t h e “ b us i n es s op p o rt u n it y o f l eas i n g

a p o rt io n o f t h ei r p ro p ert y to T-M ob i l e fo r erect i o n o f an d u s e of a cel l p h o n e t o wer; ”

“ t h e b us i n es s o p po rt u ni t y o f p l aci n g a c e l l t o wer” o n t h ei r l o t ; an d “ t h e b u s i n es s

o p p o rt u ni t y

. . . of d ev el op i n g th ei r p ro p ert y .” Bu t t h e Pen n i n g to n s n ev er h ad a l eas e

wi t h T-M o b i le. Th ey

m erel y h ad an ex p ect at i o n o f a leas e, wh i ch was ex t i n g u i s h ed

wh en T-M o b i l e ch o s e n o t to ex erci s e i t s o p t i o n, as was i t s ri g h t

. In t h e t ri al co u rt

, t h e

5Pen ni n g t o n s s t i p u l at ed t h at t h e ag reem en t was an o p t i o n co n t ract t h at g ran t ed TM o b il e co m

p l et e d i s cret i o n wh et h er o r n ot t o l eas e t he Pen n in g t o n s ’ p ro p ert y . An d

t h e y a ck n o wl ed ge t h at th ey recei v ed co m p en s at io n fo r g ran t in g t h e o p t i on an d i t s

ren ewal

.

A co n t r a c t i s no t co m

p en s ab l e wh en it m erel y co n fers a co n t in g en t

, fu t u re

ri gh t

. Co a s t a l W

at er & S ewer ag e Co

. v. Ef

f i n gh a m Co u n t

y In d u s

. Dev. Au t h

. , 2 8 8 Ga.

Ap p

. 4 2 2

, 4 2 4 (6 5 4 SE2 d 2 3 6 ) (2 0 0 7). “ [Th e Pen n in g t on s hav e] do n e n o m o re t h an

p ro v e th at a p ro sp ect i v e b u si n es s o p p o rt u n it y was l o s t

. M ore t h an t h at i s n eces s ary

t o co n s t i tu t e a co m

pen s ab l e t ak i n g

. ” Id

. at 4 2 8 (p u nct u at i o n o m i tt ed ) (ci t i n g Un i t ed

S t a t es v. Gr a n d Ri ve r Da m A u t h

. , 3 6 0 U

. S. 2 29

, 2 3 6 (8 0 SCt 1 1 3 4

, 4 LE2 d 1 1 8 6 )

(1 9 6 0)). See al s o S ta t e Bd

. o f E d u c

. v. Dr u ry , 2 6 3 Ga. 4 29 (4 3 7 SE2 d 2 9 0) (1 9 9 3 )

(t each ers wh o were d en i ed ren ewab l e t each i n g cert i fi cat es u n d er i n v al i d l y

p ro m u l gat ed reg u l at io n s w ere n o t en ti t l ed t o re co v er d am ag es u n der t h e t ak i n g

p ro v is i o n o f t he s t at e Co n s t i t u t i o n , s i n ce t h ey d i d no t hav e a p ro p ert y i n t eres t in

ren ewab l e t each i n g cert i fi cat es t h at were n ev er i s s u ed t o t h em ).

3

. Rema in i n g

en u mer a t i o n s o

f er r o r

.

6Gi v en o u r h o l di ng t h at t he Pen n in g t o n s h ad n o p ro p ert y ri g h t t h at was t ak en ,

we d o n ot reach t h ei r rem ai n i n g en u m erat i o n s o f erro r. See Jen ki n s v. Dep t

. of

Co r r ect io n s , 2 3 8 Ga. Ap p . 3 3 6 , 3 4 0 (2 ) (5 1 8 SE2 d 7 3 0 ) (1 9 99 ).

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . An d

r ews , P. J., a n d

Ra y, J., co n cu r

.

7