Opinion ID: 2362105
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Abuttors

Text: [¶ 4] Since 1928, members of the Fitanides family have owned the southern parcel on the west side of Tasker Lane. Predeceased by her husband roughly 20 years earlier, Viola Fitanides lived there until she died in early 1995. Mrs. Fitanides left the property to her sons, Fred and Theophilus Fitanides. Stickney, Mrs. Fitanides's daughter, purchased the property from her brothers, and, in June 1995, Stickney's daughter and Casavant moved into the Fitanides homestead. As of the date of the trial, they continued to reside there. [¶ 5] Title to the Casavant and DesJardins lots, located directly across from the Fitanides homestead on the east side of Tasker Lane, was derived from a common grantor, Rishworth Jordan Jr. By deed dated April 6, 1865, Jordan conveyed the property comprising those lots to Samuel F. Tasker. After Samuel's death, his wife  Nellie Tasker  lived there until she died in the early 1950s. [2] [¶ 6] In 1915, however, Nellie Tasker conveyed the northern portion of her property to Clarence Young. In 1927, Young sold the property to Howard Harry Cousens, who later sold it to Walter Cousens. Theophilus Fitanides, one of Stickney's brothers, bought the property in 1965, and conveyed it to John and Sharon Sevigny in 1972. The Sevignys conveyed the property to Energy Homes in 1989. In 1990, Energy Homes sold the property to its current owners, the DesJardinses. [¶ 7] Nellie Tasker lived on the remaining lot, intending to will it to George Conley, a second cousin who lived with and cared for her until she died. [3] Nellie Tasker lost title to the remaining parcel in 1927, however, having failed to pay the accrued property taxes; the City, the highest bidder, purchased the property for the amount of taxes then owing. The City allowed Nellie Tasker and George Conley to live there until both died. [4] In 1970, the City sold the remaining Tasker parcel to Charles and Germaine Trakas. Casavant then purchased the property in December 1996 from Germaine Trakas. [¶ 8] In 1867, Jordan conveyed to Elijah Young the property comprising the parcels currently owned by Garry Ribaudo and Carole Fortin. [5] Ribaudo's property abuts Hill Street and extends to both sides of Tasker Lane. A portion of his property is situated immediately north of Stickney's parcel on the west side of Tasker Lane. The other portion is situated to the northwest of the DesJardinses' property on the east side of the lane. Fortin's property is situated to the northwest of the DesJardinses' parcel and does not touch upon Tasker Lane. Although Ribaudo was a party defendant in this action, neither he nor Fortin are involved in this appeal and shall not be further mentioned herein. [¶ 9] The conveyances from Jordan to the Taskers and Elijah Young refer to a reserved street  Tasker Lane  along the southwesterly bounds of the parcels conveyed. Neither the plans nor descriptions, however, provide a width for the private way or reserved street. According to the undisputed testimony of Paul Ruopp, a licensed land surveyor hired by the plaintiffs, the width of Tasker Lane is 20.6 feet. The lane has been defined in the City's tax maps from 1938 to the present as a city street. In August 1995, the City formally took control of Tasker Lane. [¶ 10] In response, plaintiffs commenced this action against, inter alia, the City, Garry Ribaudo, and the DesJardinses, [6] alleging eight counts. Counts I  V are against the City, including an action for quiet title (Count I), action for easement by prescription (Count II), action for trespass (Count III), action for a taking without the payment of just compensation under the doctrine of reverse condemnation (Count IV), and an action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 [7] alleging procedural due process violations (Count V). [¶ 11] Count VI is an action to quiet title against the heirs of Rishworth Jordan and Joseph Hill. Count VII is a quiet title action against the DesJardinses and Sevignys. Count VIII is a quiet title action against Ribaudo. By an answer, the City denied the material allegations in the complaint and asserted four affirmative defenses, including the Maine Torts Claims Act and the failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. [¶ 12] On September 17, 1998, plaintiffs filed an amended complaint adding two counts. Count IX is a claim alleging that Casavant has an easement over the DesJardinses' property. Count X is a request for damages for trespass or nuisance arising out of the DesJardinses' obstruction of the easement. The trial court concluded that Tasker Lane was a public way and found for each of the defendants on Counts I, II, VII, and VIII. The court further found that plaintiffs' Count III trespass claim was not supported by evidence and that the claim also failed because plaintiffs did not comply with the requirements of the Maine Tort Claims Act prior to bringing suit. Similarly, the court found that [n]either Count IV for inverse condemnation nor Count V for a due process violation is supported by the legal requirements for the claim or on the facts. With respect to counts IX and X, the court found in favor of Casavant, concluding that there was no waiver of the easement and no loss of it through adverse obstruction. This appeal followed. [8]