Case Name: TEXAS GAS TRANSMISSION CORPORATION v. Lee Roy FONTENOT
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1961-04-17
Citations: 133 So. 2d 841
Docket Number: No. 220
Parties: TEXAS GAS TRANSMISSION CORPORATION v. Lee Roy FONTENOT.
Judges: Before SAVOY, HOOD and CULPEP-PER, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 133
Pages: 841–846

Head Matter:
TEXAS GAS TRANSMISSION CORPORATION v. Lee Roy FONTENOT.
No. 220.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana. Third Circuit.
April 17, 1961.
On Rehearing Nov. 7, 1961.
Shotwell & Brown, by Burt W. Sperry, Monroe, for plaintiff-appellant.
Fusilier, Pucheu & Soileau, by J. William Pucheu and L. O. Fusilier, Ville Platte, for defendant-appellee.
Before SAVOY, HOOD and CULPEP-PER, JJ.

Opinion:
SAVOY, Judge.
This is an expropriation suit by plaintiff against defendant for the purpose of obtaining a right-of-way or servitude over the land of defendant for the construction of a 30-inch pipeline across a portion of defendant's property. The only issue on appeal is the value of the property expropriated.
The district court allowed defendant the sum of $3,295 for the property expropriated by the plaintiff. The award is itemized as follows:
(1) Relevel--$ 270.00
(2) Loss of rice- 575.00
(3) Loss of pasture- 325.00
(4) Loss of shade trees- 375.00
(5) Loss of value of remaining land 1500.00
(6) Value of rights expropriated-- 250.00
The evidence disclosed that the right-of-way taken is 50 feet wide and is approximately two and one-fourth acres. The proposed pipeline will run 1,893.6 feet north and south across and approximately in the middle of defendant's tract of land.
Plaintiff appealed from the ruling of the trial judge. Defendant answered the appeal, asking for an increase in the award.
The law on the subject of compensation and damages is stated in the case of Louisiana Highway Commission v. Israel, 205 La. 669, 17 So.2d 914, 916, in the following language, namely:
"The law is well settled, and counsel for the respective litigants agree, that the amount due for private property expropriated for public purposes is its market value when taken. Louisiana Highway Commission v. Guidry, 176 La. 389, 146 So. 1. The market value of property is its fair value between one who wants to purchase and one who wants to sell, under ordinary and usual circumstances. Opelousas, G. & N. E. Railroad Company v. Bradford, 118 La. 506, 43 So. 79; Louisville & N. Railroad Company v. R. E. E. DeMontluzin Company, Inc., 166 La. 211, 116 So. 854; Harrison v. Louisiana Highway Commission, 191 La. 839, 186 So. 354. It does not mean speculative value. Louisiana Highway Commission v. Lasseigne, 177 La. 440, 148 So. 672. Furthermore, compensation is due to the owner not only for the value of the property actually taken but also for damage caused to his remaining portion after the taking. Louisiana Highway Commission v. Guidry, supra."
In deciding whether the award made to defendant was excessive, we will determine, first, the value of the right-of-way taken by plaintiff.
Plaintiff called as witnesses in its behalf Mr. Joseph W. Fontenot, Mr. Henry P. Gossen, Mr. E. J. Jandacek, Mr. Marvin Lyons and Mr. Gilbert H. Vidrine.
Mr. Fontenot, a registered real estate dealer, was qualified by the court as an expert. He appraised the property expropriated at between $200 and $250 an acre. He arrived at the estimate by comparing subject property with four other sales in the vicinity.
The next witness for plaintiff was Mr. Gilbert H. Vidrine. Mr. Vidrine was in the real estate business and was an abstractor. He arrived at the same conclusion that Mr. Fontenot did as to the value of the property involved in the right-of-way. He stated that the highest and best use of the property was for rice and cattle.
Mr. E. J. Jandacek was chief engineer for plaintiff corporation. His testimony dealt with the laying of the pipe and cost of the pipeline and other related matters.
Mr. Henry P. Gossen and Mr. Marvin Lyons, witnesses for plaintiff, were both farmers and testified generally as to the percentage loss of the crop on the expropriated right-of-way.
Defendant used in his behalf the following witnesses: Mr. Wallace J. Reed, Mr. Elwood Tate, Mr. J. D. Vidrine and himself.
Mr. Tate is an agriculture teacher and testified generally as to the yield per acre on the property in question, price per barrel, and the value of the property for pasturage possibilities. Pie testified that since the pasture consisted of rice stubbles after each harvest that said pasture would not have a great value for that purpose.
Mr. J. D. Vidrine testified that he was experienced in building crayfish lakes, and gave the approximate yield of 1,000 pounds of crayfish per acre and the price per pound.
Mr. Wallace J. Reed stated that he was a general farmer and cattle raiser. He said he had pipelines crossing his property and gave the estimate of releveling cost after the pipeline crossed the property in the instant case. He also stated that after a pipeline is laid, the property embracing the pipeline will not give the maximum yield of the specified crop thereon.
Defendant testified on his behalf and his testimony did not add anything to the record.
The defendant introduced in evidence a deed whereby Transcontinental Pipe Line Corporation purchased a tract of land in the vicinity for the sum of $2,500, said property contained 5.31 acres of land. The jurisprudence of this state has been established to the effect that a sale made to the condemning authority under the threat of expropriation is not a willing seller transaction and is therefore not controlling as a comparable sale, although it may be considered in determining value. State v. Dowling, 205 La. 1061, 18 So.2d 616; Orleans Parish School Board v. Paternostro, 236 La. 223, 107 So.2d 451; Parish of East Baton Rouge v. Edwards, La.App. 1 Cir., 119 So.2d 175.
Considering all of the evidence in the case, we believe that an award of $200 per acre for the two and one-fourth acres, or a total of $450, is adequate for the property taken herein.
The trial judge granted judgment in favor of plaintiff for $1,500 for loss of value of remaining land. We have examined the record and find there is insufficient evidence to make a determination of this item and in the interest of justice we will remand the case to the lower court for the restricted purpose of receiving additional evidence on this item.
We are of the opinion that the award of the trial judge to relevel the property, for loss of rice and loss of pasture should not be allowed separately from the value of the property taken by plaintiff. The item of shade trees is speculative, as the trees were wild growth, and this item is rejected.
For the reasons assigned, the judgment of the trial court is amended so as to increase the amount of the award for the servitude taken from $250 to $450, and by disallowing the award for loss of rice, loss of pasture, and loss of shade trees, and for releveling the property, and the case is remanded to the district court for the limited purpose of showing the loss of value to the remaining land.
Costs of court are to await final determination of the case.
Amended and affirmed in part, remanded in part.