SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, DOYLE and REESE, 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 l s .us /r ule s

October 27, 2017



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 7 A1 10 9

. W HITE v. D EPARTM ENT OF TRANSPORTATION DO-0 4 4

D O Y LE , J u d g e.

Th i s ap peal ari s es fro m a d ecl arat i o n o f t a k i n g an d p et i t i o n t o co n d em n

p ro p ert y b y t h e Dep art m en t o f Tran sp o rt at i o n (“ DOT”) fo r co n s tru ct i o n o f a ret ai n i n g

wal l rel at ed t o St at e Ro u t e 1 6

. Th e p et i t i on was fi led as to l an d k n own as Parcel 3 2,

wh i ch co n s i st s o f a s h o p p i n g cen t er wi t h m u l t i p l e, s ep arat el y

o wn ed b ut co n n ect ed

b u i l d i n g s

, o n e o f wh i ch i s o wn ed b y ap p el lan t , J am es W h i te, J r., wh o al s o o wn s an

eas em en t i n t h e s h o p p in g cen t er p ar k in g lo t an d i n g res s / eg res s eas em en t s fro m t h e

rear o f h i s b u i l d i n g t o th e p ark i n g l o t an d fro m t h e p ark i n g l o t t o t he ro ad

. W h i t e

ap p eal ed D O T ’s d ecl arat i o n o f t ak i ng

, d i s p u t i n g t h at t he co m p en s at i o n o ffered byDOT was ju s t

. 1 DOT fi l ed a m o t i o n fo r p art i al su m m ary ju d g m en t. W h i t e ap peal s t h e

t ri al co u rt ’ s g ran t of DOT’ s m o t i on

, arg u i n g t h a t ( 1 ) t here i s a fact u al d i s p u t e

reg ard i n g wh et h er hi s pro pert y was i n cl ud ed as part o f t h e co n d em n ed p ro p ert y

, an d

(2 ) s u m m ary ju d g m en t was i m

p ro p er b ecau se h i s acces s eas em en t ri g h t s were al t ered

cau s i n g co n seq u en t i al d am ag es . Fo r t h e reas o n s t hat fo l lo w, we affi rm

.

“ Gen eral l y

, t h e is s u e o f wh et her co m p en s at i o n i s ju s t an d ad eq u at e i s a ju ry

q u es ti o n

, n o t s u scep t i b l e t o s u m m ary ju d g m en t [, an d t ] h e b u rd en o f p ro vi n g ju s t an d

ad eq uat e co m

p en s at i on i s o n t h e co n d em n o r[.] ” 2 Nev ert h el es s

, i f i t ap p ears fro m t h e

p l ead i n g s an d ev i d en ce th at t h ere i s n o i s s u e o f m at eri al fact

, t hen a p art y m o v i n g fo r

s u m m ary ju d g m en t “ i s en t i t l ed t o s u m m ary ju d g m en t as a m at t er o f l aw.” 3

So v i ewed

, t h e ev i den ce s h o ws t h at o n March 2 2, 20 1 3, DOT co n d em n ed a

p o rt i on o f Parcel 3 2

, in cl u d in g

. 0 4 0 a cres o f l an d fo r ad d i t i o n al ri g h t o f way fo r

wi d en i ng St at e Ro u t e 1 6 i n M on t i cel l o

, Geo rg i a;

. 0 9 4 acres o f perm an en t eas em en t ;

an d 2 t em p o rary d ri v eway eas em en t s

. Parcel 3 2 i s en t i rel y o w n ed b y M ary Pat ri ck

,

1 W h i t e al s o fi l ed an i n v ers e co n d em n at i on cas e t o p r e s erv e h i s ri gh t s t o ju s t

co m p en s at i o n ; h o wev er, t h at act i o n i s n o t b efo re t h i s Co u rt at t h i s t i m e.

2 (Ci t at i o ns o m i t t ed .) Lee v. Ci t y of At l a n t a

, 2 1 9 Ga. A pp

. 2 6 4

, 26 7 (4 ) (4 6 4

SE2 d 8 7 9) (1 9 9 5).

3 Id . at 2 6 5 (2 ).

2as t he Tru s t ee u n d er t h e Las t W il l an d Tes t am en t o f W al t er Fred Arm i s t ead

, d eceas ed

.

DOT n am ed M ary Pat ri ck

, W h i t e, an d a nu m b er o f o t h er rel at ed o wn ers

, l eas ees

, an d

i n t eres t ed p ers on s i n i t s p et i ti o n t o co n d em n

.

O u t o f al l t h e n am ed o wn ers

, W h i t e was t h e o n l y on e t o fi le an ap peal

. It i s

u n d i s p u t ed t h at Parcel 3 2 co nt ai n s a s h o p p in g cen t er an d p ark i n g l o t, an d W hi t e o wn s

an 8 ,1 2 5 s q u are fo o t tract o f l an d (“ Tract A”) co v ered b y a co m m erci al b u i l d i n g (al s o

o wn ed b y W h it e) w i t h i n t h e s ho p p in g cen t er an d b o u n ded on th e no rt h

, so u t h

, an d

wes t b y Parcel 3 2

. 4 A b u il d i n g o wn ed b y a t h i rd p art y fl an k s t h e rem ai n i n g eas t s i d e

o f Tract A. W h i t e al s o own s a p ark in g an d acces s eas em en t o n Parcel 3 2 t h at p ro v i d es

fo r W h it e, h i s t en an t s

, an d h i s cu s t o m ers : n o n-ex cl u s iv e p ark i ng i n t h e sh o p p i n g

cen t er p ark i ng l o t

, i n g res s an d eg res s fro m St at e Ro u t e 1 6 o v e r Parcel 3 2

, an d an

ad d it i o n al 2 0 -fo o t wi d e eas em en t fo r acces s fro m t h e s h ared p ark i n g l o t aro u n d t h e

s h o p pi n g cen t er t o t h e rear o f W h i t e’ s b u i l di n g fo r l o ad i n g d o ck acces s

. Th e p o rt i o n

o f Parcel 3 2 t ak en b y D OT co n s i s t s o f t h e n o rt h ern m o s t p o rt io n o f Parcel 3 2 fro n t i n g

St at e Ro ut e 1 6

.

4 W h i t e leas ed t h e p ro p ert y t o a di s co un t ret ai l ch ai n s t o re, b ut t h e l eas e en d ed

an d t h e s t o re m o v ed o u t o f t h e p ro p ert y aro u nd t h e sam e t im e as t he co n d em n at i o n.

3Li cen s ed p ro fes s i on al en g i n eer W i l li am Pri ce av erred t h at n o p o rt i o n o f Tract

A i s p art o f t h e co nd em

n ed p ro p ert y

. Th e dep o s i t i o n o f real es tat e ap p rai s er M i ch ael

Bi g gers was p res en t ed b y W h i t e, an d Bi g g ers d ep o s ed t h at W h i t e w as o wed

co m p en s at i o n in t h e am o u nt o f $ 2

, 4 4 5 f o r t h e co n d em

n at i o n’ s i m

p act s o l el y t o h i s

p ark i n g eas em en t on Parcel 3 2

. Ad d i t io n al l y

, Bi g g ers t es ti fi ed th at h e cal cu l at ed

co n seq u en t i al dam ag es t o b e a 5 0 p ercen t red u ct i on i n t h e es t i m at ed v al u e o f Tract

A d u e t o t h e t ak i n g o f a p o rt i o n of Parcel 32 (fro m $ 1 2 2,4 0 0 t o ab o ut $6 0 ,0 0 0), wh i ch

h e b as ed o n t h e ad d i t i o n of a wal l an d g u ar d r a i l th at affect b ui l d i n g v i s i b i l i t y

, t h e

s t eep g rad i n g on t h e d ri v eway t h at affect s acces s ab i l i t y

, t h e t ak i n g o f a si g n

, an d

p o t en t i al i n creas ed wat er fl ow fro m t h e s t eep g rad in g

. Bi g gers t es t i fi ed t h at W h i t e’ s

p ro p ert y co n s i st ed o f a b u i l d in g an d an eas em en t

, n ei t h er of wh i ch wo u ld b e wo rt h

m u ch wi t h ou t t h e ot her. Pri ce av erred t h at t h e o ri g i nal acc e s s p o i n t s t o t h e s h ared

p ark i n g lo t were reco nn ect ed t o St at e Ro u t e 1 6 aft er w i d en i n g an d co n s t ru ct i o n o f t h e

ret ai n i n g wal l s was co m

p l et ed

. Bi g g ers

, h o w ev er, t es t i fi ed th at t h e wes t ern d ri v eway

was m o r e s t eep l y g rad ed t h an b efo re, wh i ch m ad e t h e p ro p ert y les s acces s i b l e fo r

m an y o f t h e v eh i cl es co m m on i n a ru ral area s u ch as t h i s

.

Th e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed D OT’ s m o t i on fo r p art i al su m m ary ju dg m en t

, fi n d i n g

t h at wh i l e W h i t e m ay s eek co m p en s at i on fo r h i s eas em en t i n t eres t in t h e l an d fo r

4w h i ch i t award ed W h i t e $ 2 ,4 4 5

, h e co u l d n o t reco ver d am ag es to h i s co n t i g u o u s

p ro p ert y in t h e co n d em

n at io n p ro ceed i ng i t s el f, fi n d i n g i n st ead t h at W h i t e need ed to

p u rs u e t h o s e cl ai m s i n an i n v ers e co n d em nat i o n act io n

.

W h i t e co nt en d s t h at t h e r e i s a q u es t i o n o f fact as t o wh et h er Tract A was

co n si d ere d p art o f Parcel 3 2 fo r o wn ers h i p p u rp o s es

, o r al t ern at iv el y

, h e co n t en d s t h at

t h e t ri al co urt s h o u l d h av e ad d res s ed h i s cl ai m s fo r co ns eq u en t i al d am ag es t o Tract

A b as ed o n t he t ak i n g o f h is eas em en t ri g h t s i n Parcel 3 2

. W e ag ree wi th t h e t ri al

co u rt

, h o wev er, t h at W h i te’ s co n s eq u en ti al da m a g es cl ai m t o Tract A m u s t b e p u rs u ed

i n h i s i n v ers e co n d em

nat i o n act i o n.

It is ax i o m at i c t h at

i n o rd er fo r a co nd em

n ee t o reco ver co n s eq u en t i al d am ag es t o t he

rem ai nd er o f h i s p ro p ert y wh en o n l y a p art i s t ak en

, i t m u s t ap p ear t hat

t h e d am ag es t o t h e rem ai n d er p ro x im at el y an d n at u ral l y aro s e fro m th e

co n d em n at io n an d t ak i n g o f t h e c o n d e m n ee’s o wn p r o per t y

.

Co n seq u en t i al d am ag es t o a co n ti g u o u s tract o f lan d h av i n g a d ifferen t

o wn ers h i p fro m t h at i n wh i ch t h e t ak i n g o ccu rs m ay b e real an d m ay i n

fact ex i s t

, bu t a s ep a ra t e o wn er ’s cl a i m f o r co ns eq u en t i a l d

a m a g es t o

h i s l a n d co n ti

g u o u s t o t h e t r a ct wh er e t h e t a ki n g o ccu r s ca n n o t be

a s s er t ed in a co n d

emn at i o n a ct i o n

. Co n s eq uen ti al d am ag es t o ‘ th e

rem ai nd er o f t h e t ract i n wh i ch t h e tak i n g o ccu rs ’ are t h e o n l y

5co n s eq u en t i al d am ag e s t h at m ay b e reco v ered i n t h e co n dem nat i o n

act i o n

. 5

Des p i t e h i s arg u m en t s ot h erwi s e, W h i t e pres en t ed n o ev i den ce o f co m m o n

o wn ers hi p o f Tract A an d Parcel 32

. Tract A, al t h o u gh l an d l o ck ed

, is a co nt i g u ou s

p arcel fo r t h e pu rp o s es o f co n d em n at i o n

. 6 W h i t e d o e s n o t a r gu e o n ap p eal t h at t h e

t ri al co u rt ’ s award o f $ 2,4 4 5 w as no t a s u ffi ci en t award fo r t h e d am ag es h e s u s t ai n ed

t o h is eas em en t o v er Parcel 3 2

, 7 an d t he rem ai n der o f hi s cl ai m

— t h e co ns eq u en t i al

d am ag es as t es t i fi ed t o b y Bi g gers t h at d i m i ni s h ed t h e v al u e o f Tract A as a res u l t o f

5 (Pu n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed ; em p h as i s i n o ri g i n al .) D ep t

. o f Tr a ns p

. v. S i mo n , 1 5 1

Ga. Ap p . 8 0 7 , 8 1 0 (1 ) (2 6 1 SE2 d 7 1 0 ) (1 9 7 9 ), q u o t in g Ga

. Po wer Co . v. Br a

y , 2 3 2

Ga. 55 8

, 5 60 (2 0 7 SE2 d 4 4 2 ) (1 9 7 4 ), an d ci t in g S o u th wi r e Co

. v. Dep t

. o

f Tr a n sp

. , 1 4 7 Ga. Ap p . 6 0 6 , 6 0 7 (1 ) (2 49 SE2 d 6 5 0 ) (1 9 7 8).

6 See, e.g

, Br a

y , 2 3 2 Ga. at 5 6 0 ; S i mo n , 1 5 1 Ga. Ap p . at 8 1 1 (1 ).

7 See D ep t

. o

f Tr a n s p. v. W h i t eh ea d

, 2 5 3 Ga. 1 5 0

, 1 52 (2 ) (3 1 7 S E 2 d 5 4 2 )

(1 9 8 4 )

. S e e a l s o Lee

, 2 1 9 Ga. Ap p

. at 2 6 6 (3 ) (ex p lai n in g t h at an own er o f an

eas em en t i s en t i t l ed t o co m p en s at i o n m eas u red b y t h e v al u e o f th e eas em en t wh en t h e

eas em en t i s ex t i ng u i s hed b y em i n en t d o m ai n ). An d w e n o t e t h at wh i l e DOT co n ced ed

W h i t e co u l d “ reco v er co n s eq u en t i al d a m a g es i n t h i s co n d em n at io n act i o n fo r t h e

red u ct i o n i n t h e val u e of h i s eas em en t i n teres t

, i f an y

, i n t h e rem ai n d er o f t h e s u b ject

p ro p ert y (Parcel 3 2 ) p ro x i m at el y cau s ed b y t h e n o rm al an d pro p er m ai n t en an ce an d

o p erat i o n of t h e p u b l i c i m p ro v em en t o n t h e p art o f t h e p ro p ert y t h a t w as t ak en ,”

W h i t e h as p u t fo rt h n o ev i d en ce o r ar g u m en t t h at h e i n en t it l ed to s u ch d am ag es

b ey o n d t he $ 2 ,4 45 award ed b y t h e t ri al co u rt

.

6DOT’ s co n d em n at i o n o f Parcel 3 2 an d ch an g es t o t h at p ro p ert y

— m u s t be ad d res s ed

i n h i s i n v ers e co n d em n a t i o n act i o n

. 8 W h i l e t h i s creat es t h e n eed fo r two cas es to

ad d res s v ery

s im i lar s u b

ject m at t er, t h i s i s t he ru l e i n Geo rg i a. 9

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Mi l l er

, P. J., a n d

Rees e, J., co n cu r

.

8 See Br a y

, 23 2 Ga. at 5 60

. W h i t e’ s arg u m en ts th at th e es ti m at ed v al ue o f Tract

A h as b een red uced d u e t o t h e t ak i n g o f a po rt i o n o f Parcel 3 2, th e ad d i t i o n o f a wal l

an d g u ard rai l

, th e s t e e p g rad i n g o n t h e d ri v eway

, a t ak i ng o f a s i g n

, an d in creas ed

wat er fl o w are ap p ro p ri at el y ad d res sed v i a h i s i n v ers e co n d em n at i o n cl ai m

.

9 See S i mo n v. Dep t

. o

f Tr a n s p

. , 2 45 G a

. 4 7 8

, 4 7 9 (2 6 5 SE2 d 7 7 7 ) (1 9 8 0 )

(“ Th o u g h t h e l aw g en eral l y fav o rs t h e p rev en ti o n o f a m u lt i pl i ci t y o f act i o n s

, i t

ap p ears t hat co n dem n at i on law i n Geo rg i a rat h er s t ri ct l y l i m i t s th e rel ev an t ev i d en ce

i n co n d em

n at i o n cas es an d th erefo re s ep arat e s u i t s fo r di fferen t ki n d s o f d am ag es are

n o t u n co m

m o n .”).

7