Opinion ID: 2554806
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Parties and Properties

Text: [¶ 5] Muther and Woods, as trustees of the Buffett Coastal Trust, own oceanfront property in a subdivision in Cape Elizabeth; their property is designated as Lot J-46 on a recorded 1970 subdivision plan. They began renting Lot J-46 in 1999 before acquiring the property in 2004. The 1967 deed that conveyed Lot J-46 to Alan Balfour, the person who created the J-Lot subdivision, described Lot J-46 as extending to the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. As a consequence of that language, the court concluded that Muther and Woods's land extends only to the mean high watermark. [4] See Hodgdon v. Campbell, 411 A.2d 667, 672 (Me.1980). The record does not indicate who holds title to the intertidal land in front of Lot J-46. The 1970 plan also depicts nineteen [5] other lots designated J-27 through J-45 (the J-Lots) and a twenty-foot-wide easement over Lot J-46 that is labeled 20' Drainage & Walkway Easement. Each of the J-Lot deeds references the 1970 plan. [6] [¶ 6] The oceanfront property to the south of Lot J-46 is owned by William Holt; it is not part of the J-Lot subdivision and is not included on the 1970 plan. Holt owns the intertidal land in front of his property. Holt is not a party to this litigation. Collectively, the dry sand upland and the intertidal land that are part of Holt's property, the dry sand upland of Lot J-46, and the intertidal land in front of Lot J-46 are known locally as Secret Beach. [¶ 7] By virtue of their deed references to recorded subdivision plans, all of the J-Lot owners hold a twenty-foot-wide walkway easement by implication over Lot J-46 that extends to the mean high water mark of Secret Beach. The parties stipulated that all of the J-Lot owners have the same right to use the easement to access the intertidal area of Secret Beach. The 1970 plan does not specify any restrictions or conditions regarding uses of the easement or activities on Secret Beach. Nor does it address the use of a gate or surveillance equipment relative to the easement. [¶ 8] The Broad Cove Shore Association is a nonprofit corporation that comprises approximately 243 homeowners within seven subdivision plans in Cape Elizabeth, including the J-Lot subdivision plans. Some, but not all, of the J-Lot owners are Association members. [¶ 9] The Town of Cape Elizabeth also holds a deeded drainage easement over the same right-of-way. In 2006, for drainage purposes, the Town rearranged and placed large rocks where the easement meets the intertidal area of Secret Beach.