Case Name: STATE of Louisiana, Through the DEPT. OF HIGHWAYS v. JEANERETTE LUMBER & SHINGLE CO., LTD.
Court: Louisiana Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1977-05-16
Citations: 350 So. 2d 847
Docket Number: Nos. 58437, 58438
Parties: STATE of Louisiana, Through the DEPT. OF HIGHWAYS v. JEANERETTE LUMBER & SHINGLE CO., LTD.
Judges: SANDERS, C. J., dissents with written reasons.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 350
Pages: 847–865

Head Matter:
STATE of Louisiana, Through the DEPT. OF HIGHWAYS v. JEANERETTE LUMBER & SHINGLE CO., LTD.
Nos. 58437, 58438.
Supreme Court of Louisiana.
May 16, 1977.
On Rehearing Sept. 19, 1977.
Walter J. Suthon, III, George Ann Hayne, Monroe & Lemann, New Orleans, for defendant-applicant.
William W. Irwin, Jr., Jerry F. Davis, Alva J. Jones, Johnie E. Branch, Jr., Baton Rouge, for plaintiff-respondent.

Opinion:
SUMMERS, Justice.
On November 19, 1969 the State of Louisiana, through the Department of Highways filed two suits against Jeanerette Lumber & Shingle Co., Ltd. to expropriate permanent rights of way across two separate tracts of land belonging to Jeanerette situated in Iberville Parish. One of the properties is owned entirely by Jeanerette, and it owns a fractional five-eighths interest in the other. The Department alleged the right of way was required in connection with the construction of a controlled-aecess twin trestle-type concrete bridge as a portion of State Route La. I — 10 in Iberville Parish. The segment of the highway in question to begin at the east bank of Whiskey Bay Pilot Channel and extend easterly across the Atchafalaya Floodway to Ramah, a distance of 7.485 miles.
Proceedings were instituted under the authority of Section 19.1 of Article VI of the Constitution of 1921 and Sections 441-460 of Title 48 of the Revised Statutes, the constitutional and statutory enactments in effect at the time of the taking and which are controlling in this case. Under certain conditions these constitutional and statutory enactments authorize the taking of property for highway purposes by orders rendered ex parte in expropriation suits. It is called the "quick taking" procedure.
A permanent servitude of right of way 400 feet wide across both tracts running in a north-south direction is sought from Jean-erette by the Department. The right of way to be used for the excavation of an access canal which would provide flotation for heavy equipment and material used in the construction of the Whiskey Bay Pilot Channel-Ramah segment of the 1-10 highway. Beginning at the Upper Grand River on the south, a branch of the Atchafalaya River, the access canal was to be excavated in a north-south direction traversing Jean-erette's land and other properties and terminating 10.2 miles to the north where it would connect with a construction canal running east and west along the center of the Whiskey Bay Pilot Channel-Ramah segment of the I — 10 highway. While it is not clear from the Department's petition that the servitude of right of way for the north-south canal was to be a controlled-aceess facility, the contention is made that such was the intent of the Department. No part of the property sought to be expropriated from Jeanerette lies within the I — 10 highway right of way.
On the basis of the Department's petition the trial judge signed an ex parte order on November 19, 1969 decreeing that the permanent servitude of right of way was expropriated and taken for highway purposes. Thus, upon the deposit of the amount of the estimated value of the property in the registry of court a permanent servitude of right of way became vested in the Department.
Within the time limit set by Section 447 of Title 48 of the Revised Statutes to contest the validity of the taking on the ground that the property was not expropriated for a public purpose, Jeanerette filed a motion to dismiss in which it sought to vacate and set aside the order of expropriation alleging that 1) the taking was for a private, not public, use to provide a contractor with private access to a public project; 2) the taking was beyond the powers of the Department because Jeanerette's property was outside the proposed highway right of way, will not be used for highway purposes, and the Department did not have the power to acquire property outside the highway right of way other than for borrow pits and drainage; 3) the Department's determination that the'taking was necessary reflects bad faith and abuse of discretion because other existing waterways are suitable for the stated purpose and the Department has made no effort to use those alternatives; 4) the taking is null and void because the location of the servitude cannot be determined from the Department's description or map; 5) the type of rights to be exercised on the servitude is not stated; 6) the Board of Highways resolution does not state that the servitude sought is necessary or useful for the highway project; 7) the width of the servitude is not properly fixed in the engineer's certificate; and 8) the certificate as to location and design does not relate to the servitude in question.
Alternatively the motion to dismiss sought a modification of the expropriation order 1) to confine the Department's rights to a temporary servitude for construction purposes and one not open to the general public; 2) to restrict the servitude area to the width of the canal proper and a limited spoil area with defendant's right of free access to the canal recognized; and 3) to eliminate the controlled-access features of the taking.
These Jeanerette contentions are alleged to be based upon the propositions that the servitude is sought for a private, not a public use; the Department is in bad faith in declaring this permanent servitude to be necessary; and in seeking this servitude the Department is exceeding its constitutional and statutory authority to acquire property for highway purposes.
Thereafter, while the motion to dismiss was pending, the Department excavated a 100-foot wide access canal within the 400-foot wide servitude connecting with the construction canal and it completed the construction of the 1-10 highway from Baton Rouge to Lafayette across the Atchafalaya Ploodway. Heavy equipment and material were floated on barges through the Atchaf-alaya River, the Upper Grand River, the access canal and into the construction canal. This latter canal, lying at the center of the highway right of way, served as a flotation base for barges bearing heavy equipment used in the construction and for unloading materials and prefabricated concrete sections for incorporation into the twin trestle-type concrete bridge.
When Jeanerette's motion to dismiss was finally set for trial and tried on January 14, 1975, the trial judge modified the order of expropriation. He decreed that the permanent servitude of right of way was to be for the exclusive use of the Department in constructing, maintaining and repairing the Whiskey Bay Pilot Channel-Ramah segment of the I — 10 highway; the access canal constructed on that servitude of right of way was not a general public way available for use by the public; the access canal was not to be considered as a controlled-access facility, Jeanerette to have full access to said access canal subject to the Department's limited rights; and the portion of the 400 foot width of the servitude of right of way not within the access canal to be used by the Department only for maintenance, repair or redredging of said canal.
Writs for review of the judgment of the trial court were applied for by the Department but the First Circuit denied the application, noting that the Department had a remedy by appeal. An appeal was then taken by the Department. Jeanerette answered the appeal seeking full restoration of its title, or, alternatively, restriction of the Department's rights to a temporary servitude; or, further in the alternative, limiting the servitude to the access canal itself. The First Circuit reversed on the authority of this Court's decision in State v. Guidry, 240 La. 516, 124 So.2d 531 (1960), holding that it was error for the trial judge to reduce the permanent servitude of right of way to a limited servitude for the construction, maintenance and repair, because the extent of the taking by the State is not subject to judicial review. In the Court's opinion the right of the public to use the access canal should be the subject of a separate suit. La.App., 335 So.2d 453, 456. One judge of the three-judge panel dissented from the refusal to grant a rehearing. He was of the opinion that the Department's attempt to use or permit use of the servitude of right of way for other than construction and maintenance was not a public use for which that agency of the State could validly acquire any rights. He asserted he would affirm the judgment of the trial court. La.App., 335 So.2d 549.
Jeanerette then applied to this Court for writs of review which were granted. La., 338 So.2d 291.
The record discloses that negotiations by the Department with Jeanerette were undertaken before the suit for expropriation was filed. In that connection Jeanerette offered to grant a 200-foot wide servitude for the construction of the access channel, one condition being that the canal would remain at all times private and at no time available for public use, except for the construction and maintenance of the highway. The proposal, however, was rejected, the Department stating that it wished "to open this canal to public use." It also insisted upon a permanent right of way 400 feet wide.
According to the testimony of the bridge design engineer of the Department, he was involved in the planning and design of the I — 10 highway across the Atchafalaya Flood-way. He testified that the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission was consulted and they fixed the alignment of the proposed access canal within a corridor from Upper Grand River North to the I — 10 right of way. It was also specified by the Commission that a low water dam or weir be installed at the south end of the access canal after construction of the highway to maintain a water level conducive to fishing and hunting in the area surrounding the 10.2 mile long access canal.
After completion of the highway construction, the Commission recommended establishment of boat launching ramps at either end of the construction canal to provide sportsmen and fishermen a convenience to navigate their boats through the construction canal, into the access canal and then into the adjoining fishing grounds. To make this route feasible, no dam or weir was installed at the north end of the access canal at its juncture with the construction canal. In compliance with the Commission recommendations, the Department established and maintains boat launching ramps, and, at the time of the hearing in January 1975, boatmen freely used the access canal for fishing and recreation, gaining entry by the use of the boat ramps and construction canal. The public was thereby encouraged by the Commission with the assistance of the Department to use this facility.
Because a low water weir or dam was constructed at the southern end of the access canal in keeping with the requirements of the Commission, it would be necessary to remove the weir each time the Department found it necessary to navigate the canal with barges to repair or maintain the highway bridge. Obviously, because of this weir or dam, it is improbable that the use of the canal for regular maintenance is either contemplated or considered necessary. Only major damage would warrant removal of the weir. As a matter of fact, the Department's position is made clear by its contention that the access canal was a costly undertaking with public funds and the canal should be made available to the public at large for recreational purposes.
From these facts it is evident that the access canal is devoted to public recreation purposes at this time. But the Department contends that this use is only a secondary use, and the primary purpose of the canal is for future maintenance and repair. Nevertheless, the Department resists the efforts of Jeanerette to dam the northern end of the access canal to prevent its public use for recreational purposes. This despite the testimony of the Department's own witness that a dam would not interfere with the Department's intended future use of the access canal for maintenance and repair. Such a dam or weir, the witness admitted, would be comparable to the one at the southern terminus of the access canal which could be removed if the canal were needed for repair or maintenance.
To support its position that a permanent servitude of right of way is required for maintenance and repair of the highway segment involved here, the Department argues that repairs would be necessary in the event of damage to the highway trestles or bridge by an atomic attack in time of war. When the Department's witness was questioned on this point by the trial judge, he readily conceded that an atomic attack was not a sound basis for its position that a permanent servitude was required, the inference being that an atomic attack would result in total destruction of the highway trestle, requiring a rebuilding from scratch of the entire facility.
In a further effort to support its position that repairs involving the use of the access canal would be required, the Department's witness referred to incidents involving damage to the causeway across Lake Pontchartrain. When asked if he was referring to sections of the causeway damaged by tugboats and barges running into it, he replied that the damage contemplated was that sustained by like structures when trucks spilled the contents of highly volatile substances such as gasoline. When fire occurred as a result, and damaged the structures, replacement of the affected span was required. The witness conceded that there was no danger of damage to this I — 10 bridge by tugboats or barges similar to the damage to the Pontchartrain Causeway since no traffic of tugs or barges could reach this segment of the I — 10. Thus, the only foreseeable damage the Department could substantiate in any respect would be that caused by fire. This contention, that a permanent servitude was required to provide access to repair fire damage, loses credibility in the light of testimony that the contractor was given an alternate set of plans by the Department for access to the construction canal in the bid specifications. This alternate choice involved a much shorter canal from the Whiskey Bay Pilot Channel on the west to the construction canal. A condition of this alternate access, however, was that it was to be permanently dammed when the construction was completed. Undoubtedly the Department was aware of the fact that if the contractor had selected the alternate route there would be no permanent water access for the passage of construction barges for maintenance or repair.
Since excavation of the access canal for construction of the I—10 highway was an accomplished fact at the time of the trial of Jeanerette's motion to dismiss, the servitude previously vested in the Department by the order of expropriation had not been modified or set aside. Jeanerette, by delaying the trial of the motion to dismiss, could not impair the rights conferred upon the Department by the expropriation order. The Department was therefore entitled to act upon that authority.
Appropriately, therefore, Jeanerette now makes no issue of the vagueness of the description set forth in the Department's petition, the complaint about the Resolution of the Board of Highways, the Chief Engineers' certificate or the certificate of the design engineer. While contending that its title should be declared unencumbered, Jeanerette does insist that it should be compensated for the period during which the property was in the Department's possession and the damages incurred thereby. La.Rev.Stat. 48:460. Whether that servitude should be considered permanent and limited or a temporary one which is no longer in effect since the completion of the highway construction are the remaining viable issues presented by the motion to dismiss.
A general requirement for all expropriations is set forth in Section 2 of Article I of the Constitution: "Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, private property shall not be taken or damaged except for a public purpose and after just and adequate compensation is paid." (emphasis added). See also La.Civil Code arts. 497, 2626-41. However, in any consideration of the rights of the Department to expropriate under the quick taking procedure employed in this case, the question is always whether the expropriation is for highway purposes. This is an expressed condition in the authorization conferred by Section 19.1 of Article VI of the Constitution of 1921: "The Legislature shall have authority to authorize the taking of property for highway purposes by orders rendered ex parte in expropriation suits prior to judgment therein . . . ." (emphasis added.). By Section 19.1 of Article VI the general public purpose of Section 2 of Article 1 of the Constitution is narrowed.
The condition found in Section 19.1 is again made explicit by the Legislature in Section 444 of Title 48 of the Revised Statutes, an enactment requiring that the petition for expropriation by a declaration of taking "shall conclude with a prayer that the property be declared taken for highway purposes." This same section also mandates that the order of court shall declare "that the property described in the petition has been taken for highway purposes." Thus, when the language of Section 460 of Title 48 provides that the Department "shall not be divested by court order of any title acquired under these provisions except where the court finds that the property was not taken for a public use," the public use contemplated is for the highway purposes authorized by the Constitution and referred to in the quoted language from Section 444. Both of these sections were enacted at the same time by Act 107 of 1954 and the intent to restrict the quick taking procedure to expropriation for highway purposes is evident. If it were the legislative intent to broaden the quick taking procedure to public use generally instead, such an intent would run counter to Section 19.1 of Title VI of the Constitution which only authorizes the Legislature to permit this quick taking procedure for highway purposes. When this authority is delegated by the constitution other authority is withheld.
The Department's authority under this quick taking procedure is therefore limited to expropriation for highway purposes. No authority is granted to employ this procedure for the broader, more comprehensive general "public purposes" considered prerequisite to any expropriation by Section 2 of Article I of the Constitution of 1921.
It is therefore necessary to determine whether, since completion of the highway construction, and in the future, the servitude of right of way for the access canal will serve a highway purpose. It is Jeaner-ette's principal contention that no perma nent servitude should be recognized in favor of the Department for any part of the servitude area described in the petition. As the contention is understood, since the construction is completed a permanent servitude will not be required by the Department for highway purposes.
To forestall any judicial review of the Department's determination that a permanent servitude is needed for a highway purpose, the Department relies upon this Court's decision in State v. Guidry, 240 La. 516, 124 So.2d 531 (1960). It was partially to reconsider the decision in Guidry that certiorari was granted in the case at bar. In Guidry the Department, proceeding under the constitutional and statutory authority invoked in this case, filed suit to expropriate a small lot of land owned by the defendant Guidry for use as a ferry landing. The issue was joined on defendant's allegation in his motion to dismiss that the Department needed only a servitude over his property and the taking of the land in full ownership would serve no public purpose.
Relying upon the language in Section 460 of Title 48 of the Revised Statutes, the Guidry court held that when the Department expropriates property under this quick taking procedure courts may only determine the adequacy of the compensation and whether the property was taken for a public purpose. It was within the Department's discretion, therefore, to determine whether there was a necessity to expropriate full ownership or merely a servitude affecting the land.
As our discussion of these enactments indicates, the Guidry Court was in error in relying upon the broad reference to public purpose in Section 460 to decide that courts could not review the determinations of the Department on the extent of the taking. The true intendment of that section was to refer to public use in the sense that it would be for highway purposes, a conclusion gained by referring to Section 444 of Title 48 of the Revised Statutes and Section 19.1 of Article VI of the 1921 Constitution. The distinction, of course, is significant. Public use generally has a broad and comprehensive meaning embracing use by a multitude of governmental departments, agencies and subdivisions, some totally unconnected with highway purposes. Highway purposes, on the other hand, are more limited and are unconnected with the multitude of other public uses. A highway purpose must reasonably and realistically serve to provide for the construction, maintenance and repair of highways and bridges, and the expropriating authority should be in a position to justify and support with cogent reasons the taking for that purpose. The taking must be in good faith. Greater Baton Rouge Port Comm. v. Watson, 224 La. 136, 68 So.2d 901 (1953). Anything less would constitute an abuse of the discretion allowed by law. New Orleans Pac. Ry. Co. v. Gay, 32 La.Ann. 471 (1880). Merely to conclude that the taking is for highway purposes is not sufficient. Such things as rights of way for highway construction, for highway drains and for borrow pits to build road beds are typical examples of takings for highway purposes.
And the intention of the constitutional and statutory authorization limiting the Department's quick taking rights for highway purposes is a logical and reasonable limitation to the Department's authority to expropriate. Because its business is building, maintaining and repairing highways and bridges, there is no reason why the Department should expropriate property for other purposes.
In construing constitutions or statutes granting the power of expropriation, even when the power has been expressly granted, the grant, itself, and the extent thereof will be construed strictly against the grantee. The latter will not be allowed to take the lands of another unless such right comes clearly and unmistakably within the limits of the authority granted. Whatever is not plainly given is to be construed as withheld. Nichols', The Law of Eminent Domain, Vol. 1, Sec. 3.213(1). Expropriation "is special and exceptional in character, in derogation of common right, and must be strictly construed." Orleans- Kenner Electric Ry. Co. v. Metairie Ridge Nursery Co., 136 La. 968, 68 So. 93 (1915).
No language in the Constitution or in the statutes has been found, and none is pointed out, which prohibits judicial review of a Department determination that property should be taken for highway purpose. To the contrary, it is stated in Section 447 that any defendant "desiring to contest the validity of the taking" may file a motion to dismiss the suit within ten days. This Section further provides that failure to file the motion within the time provided constitutes a waiver of "all defenses to the suit except claims for compensation." It is implicit in this Section that a contest of the validity of the taking is not only contemplated but permitted by law. Other defenses except claims for compensation are explicit in the Section. A concomitant right to this right of review is the right of the defendant not only to have the taking declared invalid but to have the order of expropriation modified in keeping with the authorization in Section 460 permitting the court to "enter such judgment as is necessary to compensate the defendant for the period during which the property was in the possession of the plaintiff."
To deny judicial review of the Department's disregard of these important constitutional and statutory limitations upon its authority would be contrary to a fundamental tenet of Louisiana justice that "[a]ll courts shall be open, and every person for injury done him in his rights, lands, goods, person or reputation shall have adequate remedy by due process of law and justice administered without denial, partiality or unreasonable delay." La.Const. art. I, § 6 (1921). A need for judicial review of the Department's determinations is of special significance for it exercises the power of expropriation, one of the attributes of sovereignty most fraught with the possibility of abuse and injustice.
On these principles the holding of the Guidry case cannot be approved. A proper regard for the constitutional footing of the quick taking procedure was not accorded to Guidry's contentions; nor was the Section 444 reference to highway purposes considered or the right to review contemplated by Sections 447 and 460. The assumption in Guidry to the effect that the Department, with the responsibility of expending huge sums of money, will employ competent engineers to certify that the property proposed to be taken is for public use is based upon the faulty premise that the broad and comprehensive meaning of public use and not the narrower more limited meaning of highway purposes is the standard. This assumption stands at the very heart of the rule established in the Guidry case. Without reflecting upon the competence of the Department's engineers, an assumption is never a proper basis for deciding cases. These errors should not be permitted to influence this decision or future litigation based upon the same constitutional and statutory authority. In that respect Guidry is overruled.
In considering the need for a permanent right of way a return to the facts established by the record and heretofore recited leads the Court to the conclusion that the State's primary interest in securing a permanent right of way was to provide access for the public to use the property of private individuals and companies as an access to the Atchafalaya Swamp for recreational purposes. This is obviously not a highway purpose and the Department is not authorized to take private property for that purpose. See Osceola City v. Triple E Development Co., 90 So.2d 600 (Fla.1956); Peavy-Wilson Lumber Co. v. Brevard County, 159 Fla. 311, 31 So.2d 483 (1947); Albright v. Sussex County Lake & Park Commission, 71 N.J.L. 303, 57 A. 398 (1904).
The notion of an atomic attack or collision by barges as the cause of future damage to the bridge has been dispelled. It is evident from this record that the sole basis for requiring a permanent servitude is the remote eventuality that a truck or other vehicle will spill highly volatile and inflammable liquids on the concrete bridge and cause a fire. On this single speculative showing the law will not sanction virtually divesting the landowner of the complete enjoyment of the property taken and, at the same time, provide access for the general public to trespass upon the landowner's surrounding property for recreational purposes. It is only the extraordinary circumstances and logistics involved in traversing the Atchafalaya Swamp which warrants a taking of this 10.2 mile canal right of way.
Making the 100-foot wide canal available to the Department on future occasions when maintenance or repairs are required, together with the right to dredge the canal periodically to maintain its navigable character, are the only rights which the Department requires or can claim on this record. Therefore, all property outside the canal property is returned to the possession and full enjoyment of Jeanerette, except for the Department's right to dump dredge spoil along the banks of the canal when its navigability is being maintained by dredging. Further, Jeanerette shall have full access to the canal subject to the foregoing rights of the Department. Jean-erette shall have the right to construct and maintain not more than two weirs or dams in the access canal on its property to obstruct boat passage. These weirs or dams shall be of similar construction and composition as the dam now established by the Department at the south end of the access canal so that their removal and replacement by the Department when passage is required will not create an undue burden.
Jeanerette has made no showing of the amount necessary to compensate it for the period during which the Department exercised the rights incident to a permanent servitude right of way as opposed to the limited servitude and rights herein recognized. Without record evidence to support an additional award of compensation and in the absence of a showing that it is entitled to a return, the amount deposited by the Department in the registry of court is deemed proper.
For the reasons assigned, the judgment of the Court of Appeal is reversed and set aside, and judgment is rendered herein in favor of Jeanerette and against the Department as set forth in this opinion.
SANDERS, C. J., dissents with written reasons.
TATE, J., dissents and assigns reasons.
CALOGERO, J., dissents for reasons assigned by SANDERS, C. J.