SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, HODGES and PI PKI N, 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.

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. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s

D E A D LIN E S A R E N O LO N G E R TO LLE D IN T

H I S

C O U R T. A LL FILIN G S M U ST B E S U B M I TTE D WITH IN

TH E TIM E S S E T B Y

O U R C O U R T R U LE S

.

M ay 17, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A0 46 6 . CITY OF ATLANTA v . CARLISLE et al

.

P I P K I N , J u d g e.

A ppe llees Lo l a Carl is l e an d To m e Bei s e l ( c olle c tive ly “ H o m e ow n e r s” ) br ought

s u i t ag ai n s t th e Ci t y o f At l an t a (t h e “ Ci t y ”) fo r t res p as s , n u is an ce, a “ p er s e” t ak i n g,

i n v ers e co n d em

n at i o n, an d at t o rn ey fees aft er t h ey d i s co v ered u n d erg ro u n d s an it ary

s ewer an d s t o rm wat er li n es t rav ers i n g th ei r p ro p ert y

. Bo th t he Ho m eo wn ers an d t h e

Ci t y fi led m o t i o ns fo r s um m ary ju d gm en t

. Fo l lo wi n g a h eari n g , th e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed

p art i al s u m

m ary ju d g m en t t o t h e Ho m eo wn ers o n t h e i s s u e o f l i ab i l i t y 1 an d d en i ed t h e

Ci t y ’ s m ot i o n

. Th e Ci t y ap p eal s , arg u in g am o n g ot h er t h i n g s t h at t h e Ho m eo wn ers ’

cl ai m s are t i m e b arred . W e ag ree an d rev ers e.

1 T h e t ri al co urt res erv ed t h e am o u n t o f d am ag es an d at t o rn ey fees f o r d et erm i n at i o n b y

a ju ry

.Th e fact s s h o w t h at t h e Ho m eo wn ers p u rch as ed t h e p ro pert y , wh i ch i s l o cat ed

at 1 0 3 0 No rt h Vi rg i ni a A ve nue in At l an t a, Geo rg i a, in 1 9 9 3. Th e Ho m eo w n ers s o u g ht

a p erm i t fro m

t h e Ci ty i n 2 0 1 4 s o t h at th ey co u l d u n dert ak e cert ai n ren ov at i o n s an d

ad d it i o n s t o t h e p r o pert y

. Th e Ci t y refu s ed to i s s u e a b u i l d in g p erm i t u n l es s t h e

Ho m eo wn ers s i g n ed an in d em n i t y ag reem en t as t o t h e s t o rm an d s ewer l in es , wh i ch

acco rd i n g t o t h e H o m eo w n ers , w o u l d h a v e , in effect

, g ran t ed t h e Ci t y an eas em en t

an d al lo wed t h e Ci t y t o t a k e a n y act i o n n eces s ary o n t h e p ro p ert y t o m ai n t ai n t h e

l i nes

. Th e H o m eo wn ers h i red a s u rv ey o r t o co n fi rm t he ex i s t e n c e o f t h e li n es ; t h e

s u rv ey o r’ s rep o rt

, d at ed Oct o b er 1

, 2 0 1 4

, co nfi rm ed t h e ex is t en ce o f b o t h t h e s t o rm

wat er l i n e, wh i ch ru n s u nd er on e co rn er o f t h e ho u s e l o cat ed on t h e pro p ert y , an d t h e

s an i t ary s ewer l i n e, wh i ch ru ns acro s s t h e b ack o r rear p art o f t h e p ro p ert y

. 2

Th e Ho m eo wn ers fi l ed th ei r co m p l ai n t o n No v em

b er 27

, 20 1 8, al l eg i n g t h at

t h e Ci t y ’ s p l acem en t an d co n ti n u ed u s e o f t he s t orm an d sewer l i n e s c o n s t i t u t es a

2 Th e ev i d en ce s u gg es t s t h at t h e s ewer li n e was i n s tal l ed aro u n d 1 9 1 4 b y o r o n b eh al f o f t h e Ci t y , an d t h e Ci t y cl ai m s t h e ri g h t t o o p erat e an d m ai n t ai n th e s ewer l i n e

u n d er a 1 9 14 ri g h t o f way d o cu m en t

, wh i ch t h e Ci t y co n t en ds creat es an eas em en t

. Th e ci rcu m s tan ces co n cern i n g th e p l acem en t o f t h e s t o rm w at er l i n e are un k n o wn b ut
i t i s u n d i s p u t ed t h at t he li n e was i n ex i s t en ce at t h e t i m e t h e Ho m eo wn ers p u rch as ed

t h e h o m e i n 1 9 9 3 an d t h at t h ey were u n aware o f ei t h er t h e sewer o r st o rm wat er l i n es wh en t h ey p u rch as ed t h e p ro p ert y

.

2t res pas s an d a n ui s an ce am ou n t i n g t o a t ak i n g o f t he p ro p ert y ; t h ey al s o al leg ed t h at

i t am o u n t ed t o a “ p er s e” t ak i n g an d in v ers e co n dem n at i o n o f th e p ro pert y fo r p u b l i c

wo rk s wi t h o u t ju s t an d ad eq u at e co m p en s at i o n

. T h e Ci t y co n ten d s , am o n g o t h er

t h i n g s , t h at t h e Ho m eo wn ers ’ cl ai m s are t im e b arred , an d t h at t he t ri al co u rt s h o u ld

h av e g ran t ed t h ei r m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary ju dg m en t o n t h at b as i s.

O u r l a w i s cl ear t hat “ [i ] n v ers e co n dem n at i o n cl ai m s b as ed o n t res p as s o r

n u i s an ce are s u b

ject t o a fo u r-y ear s t at u t e o f l im it at i o n. OCGA § 9 -3 -3 0 (a); Ben t o n

v. S ava n n a h Ai r

p o r t Co mm. , 2 4 1 Ga. Ap p

. 5 3 6

, 5 3 9 (3 ) (5 2 5 SE2 d 3 8 3 ) (1 9 9 9 ).”

Li b er t y Co u n t y v. El l er , 32 7 Ga. Ap p

. 7 7 0, 7 72 (2 ) (7 6 1 SE2 d 1 6 4 ) (2 0 1 4 ). H o wev er,

wh en t h e s t at u t e b eg in s t o ru n d ep en d s o n t he n at u re o f t h e n u i san ce o r t res p as s

. As

we ex p l ai n ed i n El ler

, “ [t ] h e cl as s i fi cat i o n of a n ui s an ce as co n t i n u i n g o r p erm an en t

d i rect l y co n t ro l s t he m an n er in wh i ch t h e s t at u t e o f l i m i t at i o ns wi ll b e ap p l i ed t o t h e

u n d erl y i n g cl ai m

. ” Id

. at 7 72 (2 ). Ci t y of At l a nt a v. Kl eb er , 2 8 5 Ga. 4 1 3

, 4 1 6 (1 ) (6 7 7

SE2 d 1 3 4 ) (2 0 09 ); see al s o Og let h o r p e Po wer Co r

p. v. F o r r i s t er , 2 8 9 Ga. 33 1

, 3 3 3

( 2 ) (7 1 1 SE2 d 6 4 1 ) (2 0 1 1 ). In Kl eb er , o u r Su p rem e Co urt cl ari fi ed h o w t h a t

cl as s ifi cat i o n s h o u l d b e m ad e:

A nu i s a n c e , p erm an en t an d co n t i n u i n g i n i t s ch aract er, t h e d es t ru ct i o n

o r d am ag e bei n g at on ce co m p l et e u p o n t h e co m

p let i o n o f t h e act b y

3wh i ch t h e n ui s an ce i s creat ed

, g i v e s b u t o n e ri g ht o f act i o n, wh ich

accru es i m

m ed i at el y u p o n t h e creat i o n o f t h e n u i s an ce, an d ag ai n s t

wh i ch th e s tat u t e o f l i m i t at i o n s b eg i n s , fro m t h at t i m e, t o ru n

. W h ere a

n u i s an ce i s n o t p erm an en t i n i t s ch aract er, b u t i s o n e wh i ch can an d

s h o u l d b e ab at ed b y t h e p ers o n erect i ng or m ai n t ai n i n g i t

, ev e ry

co n t in u an ce of t h e n u i s an ce i s a fres h nu i s an ce fo r wh i ch a fres h act i o n

wi l l l i e.

(Ci t at i o n o m i t t ed .) Kl eb er , 2 8 5 Ga. at 4 1 6 (1 ).

St at ed s om ewh at d i fferen t l y ,

[i ] f a n u i s an ce i s n o t ab at ab l e, i t i s co ns i d ered p erm an en t ; i f i t can an d

s h o u l d b e ab at ed

, i t i s n o t p erm an en t

. If a n u is an ce is creat ed b y s o m e

s u b s t an t i al an d rel at i v el y en d u ri n g feat u re o f th e p l an of co n st ru ct io n o r

fro m an es s en t i al m et h od o f o p erat i o n o f s om e in fras t ru ct u re em p l o y ed

i n n eces s ary p u b l i c s erv i ce, t h en i t wi l l u s u a l l y n o t b e ab at ab l e b y

i n ju n ct i o n

.

(Ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at io n o m i tt ed .) S t r o u d v. Ha l l Co u n t y , 3 3 9 Ga. A pp . 3 7 , 4 2 (3 )

(7 9 3 SE2 d 1 04 ) (2 0 1 6 ). T h es e co n s i d era t i o n s h o l d t ru e fo r i n v ers e co n dem n at i o n

cl ai m s b as ed o n t res p as s o r nu i s an ce s u ch as t h o s e al l eg ed h ere. E l l er , 3 2 7 G a. Ap p.

7 7 2 (2 ).

Ap p ly i n g t h o s e p ri n ci p l es h ere, i t i s cl ear t h at th e t res p as s occu rred an d t h e

n u i s an ce was creat ed wh en t h e s ewer an d st o rm l i n e s w e r e f i r s t i n s tal l ed o n t h e

4Ho m eo wn er’ s p ro p ert y

. Th e d am ag e o r des t ru ct i o n al l e g ed t o hav e b een cau s ed by

t h e i n s t al l at i o n o f t h e l i n es was co m p l et e at th at t i m e, an d t h e i n s t a l l at i o n i s b o t h a

“ s u b s t an t i al an d rel at i vel y en d u ri n g feat u re o f t h e p l an o f co n s t ru ct i o n ” an d “ an

es s en t i al m et h od of o p erat i on of s om e i n fras t ru ct u re em p lo y ed i n neces s ary p u b l i c

s erv i ce”s u ch t h at i t w o ul d no t b e co n s i d ered ab at ab le. Th e l i n es were al read y i n p l ace

wh en th e Ho m eo wn ers p urch a s e d t h ei r p ro pert y i n 1 9 9 3

, an d al t h o u gh t h ey were

u n aware o f t h e ex is t en ce o f t he l i n e s a t t h a t t i m e, i t i s u nd i s pu t ed t h at t h ey b ecam e

aware o f t h e l i n es n o l at er t h an Oct o ber 1, 2 0 1 4

, wh i ch was m o re t h an fo u r y ears

b efo re t h ey fi l ed t h ei r co m p l ai n t

. Acco rd i n gl y , t h es e cl ai m s were barred b y t h e fo u r

y ear s t at u t e o f l i m i t at i on s et o u t i n OCGA § 9 -3 -3 0

.

Ci t i n g D eKa l b Co un t

y v. Da n i el

s , 1 7 4 Ga. Ap p . 3 1 9 (3 2 9 SE2 d 6 2 0 ) (1 9 8 5 )

an d G o rd y Co ns t r

. Co

. v. KHM Dev. Co

. , 1 28 Ga. Ap p. 6 4 8 (1 9 7 SE2 d 42 6 ) (1 9 7 3 ),

t h e Ho m eo w n ers arg u e t h at w h ere, as h ere, p ro p ert y h as been t ak en an d ap p ro p ri at ed

fo r p u b l i c p urp o s es wi t h o u t au t h o ri zat i o n 3 an d w i t ho u t co m p en sa ti o n h av in g b een

3 Th e Ci t y at t em

pt ed t o s h o w t hat th ey acq u i red an eas em en t i n 1 91 4 at t h e t i m e

t h e s an it ary s ewer l i n e was i n st al l ed an d t h at an u n i den t i fi ed en t i ty o r p ers on i n s t al l ed

t h e s t o rm w at er l in e. Th e Ho m eo wn ers d i s pu t e t h e ex i s t en c e o f th e eas em en t an d

m ai n t ai n t h at t h e Ci t y u s es bo th l i n es

. Ho wev er, t hes e q u es ti o n s need n o t b e res o l v ed

i n l ig h t of o u r h ol d i n g i n t h is cas e.

5p ai d

, t hei r “ cl ai m s rem ai n vi ab l e u n t i l s u ch t i m e as t h e o ffen d i n g l i nes are ei t h er

rem o v ed o r j u s t a n d ad eq u at e co m p en s at i o n i s p ai d .” Ho wev er, b ot h Go r d y an d

Da n i el s were p rem i s ed o n t h e fi n d i n g t h at a “ co n t i nu o u s t res p as s ” h ad b een creat ed

b y t he d efen d an t’ s act i on s

. See Go r d y , 12 8 Ga. Ap p

. at 6 52 (4 ) (h o l d in g th at cl ai m s

were n o t t i m e b a r r ed b ecau s e “ p l ead i n g s an d ev i d en ce h ere s h ow a co nt i n u ou s

t res pas s ”); Da n i el

s , 1 7 4 Ga. A p p

. at 3 2 0 (3 ) (q u o ti n g Go rd y ). Pret erm i t t i n g wh et h er

t h o s e cas es p ro p erl y cl as si fi ed t h e t res p as s as s u ch

, t h e t es t fo r m a k i n g t h at

cl as s ifi cat i o n h as n o w b een cl ari fi ed b y o u r Su p rem e Co u rt i n Kl eb er , an d

, as s t at ed

ab o ve, t h e t res p as s an d n u is an ce al l eg ed i n th i s cas e are p r o p erl y cl as s i fi ed as

p erm an en t an d n o nab at ab l e. Fu rt h er, co n t rary t o t h e Ho m eo wn er’ s as s ert i o n , a cl ai m

fo r in v ers e co nd em

n a t i o n b ro u g h t u n d er t h e em i n en t d o m ai n p ro v i s i o n s o f t h e

Geo rg i a Co n st i tu ti o n s eek i n g p ay m en t o f co m p en s at io n fo r t h e t ak i n g o r d am ag i n g

o f pri vat e p ro p ert y fo r pu b l i c wo rk s i s su b ject t o t h e fo u r y ear s t at u te o f l i m i t at i o n s et

o u t in OCGA § 9 -3 -3 0

. See Ad a ms v. Geo r

g i a Po wer Co

. , 2 9 9 Ga. Ap p

. 3 9 9

, 4 0 1 -4 0 2

(2 ) (7 8 2 SE2 d 65 0 ) (2 0 0 9 ); Ro b i n s on v. D ep t

. of Tr a ns p

. , 19 5 Ga. Ap p. 5 9 4, 5 9 4 (3 9 4

SE2 d 5 9 0 ) (1 9 9 0) (“ W h ere p ro p ert y h as b een tak en o r d am ag ed fo r p u b l i c p u rp o s es

b y p u bl i c au t ho ri t i es o r a q u as i -p u b l i c co rp orat i o n , t h e p art y i n j u red

, bei n g en t i t l ed

u n d er t he co n s t i t u t i on to ju s t an d ad eq u at e co m p en s at i o n , m ay b r i n g o n e act i o n

6t h erefo r, wi t h i n t h e t i m e req u i red b y [OCGA § 9 -3 -3 0 ] .”) (ci t at io n an d p u n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ). An i n vers e co nd em n at i o n act io n un d er t h i s t h eo ry “ accru ed i m m e d i at el y

u p o n t he i n s t al l at i o n of t h e pu b l i c wo rk s i n v o l v ed [.] ” Mi t ch el l v. Ci ty o f At l a n t a , 2 1 7

Ga. 2 0 2, 2 0 3 (1 ) (1 2 1 SE2 d 7 6 4 ) (1 9 6 1 ). Ro b i n s o n , 1 9 5 Ga

. A p p

. at 5 9 4 (s am e).

W h i l e t h e p reci se d at e o f t h e i n s t al lat i o n o f t he s ewer an d s t o r m l i n e s is s o m ewh at

u n cert ai n, we n eed n ot res o l v e t h at u n cert ai n t y ; t h ere is n o q ues t i o n t h at b o t h l i n es

were i n ex i s t en ce at t h e ti m e t h e Ho m eo wn ers p u rch as ed t h e p ro p ert y in 1 9 9 3

, an d,

as s t at ed ab o v e, t h e H o m e o w n ers were aware o f t h e l i n es n o l at er t h an Oct o b er 1,

2 0 1 4

, m o re th an fo u r y ears befo re t h ei r co m p l a i n t wa s fi l ed

. Acco rd i n g l y , t h e

Ho m eo wn ers ’ cl ai m s w ere t i m e b arred

, an d t h e t ri al co urt ’ s o rd er g ran t i n g s u m m ary

ju d g m en t t o t h e Ho m e o w n e r s an d den y i n g su m m ary j u d gm en t t o th e Ci t y m u s t b e

rev ers ed . See Ad

a ms , 2 99 Ga. Ap p . at 4 0 1 -4 0 2 (2 ).

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Mi l l er

, P. J., a nd

Ho dg es , J., co n cu r

.

7