Opinion ID: 2221687
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Heading: Applicable legal principles. The legislature has defined a nuisance in Iowa Code chapter 657:

Text: Whatever is injurious to health, indecent, or unreasonably offensive to the senses, or an obstruction to the free use of property, so as essentially to unreasonably interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property, is a nuisance, and a civil action by ordinary proceedings may be brought to enjoin and abate the same and to recover damages sustained on account thereof. Iowa Code § 657.1. This statute is supplemented by common law principles governing private nuisances: A private nuisance is an actionable interference with a person's interest in the private use and enjoyment of the person's land. Parties must use their own property in such a manner that they will not unreasonably interfere with or disturb their neighbor's reasonable use and enjoyment of the neighbor's property. Whether a lawful business is a nuisance depends on the reasonableness of conducting the business in the manner, at the place, and under the circumstances in question. Thus the existence of a nuisance does not depend on the intention of the party who created it. Rather, it depends on the following three factors: priority of location, the nature of the neighborhood, and the wrong complained of. Weinhold, 555 N.W.2d at 459 (quoting Bates v. Quality Ready-Mix Co., 261 Iowa 696, 703, 154 N.W.2d 852, 857 (1967)) (citations omitted). In determining whether a property owner's use of his land is a nuisance, we use an objective, normal-person standard. See id. ; Patz v. Farmegg Prods., Inc., 196 N.W.2d 557, 561 (Iowa 1972). Thus, if `normal persons living in the community would regard the invasion in question as definitely offensive, seriously annoying or intolerable,' then the invasion is significant enough to constitute a nuisance. Weinhold, 555 N.W.2d at 459 (quoting Restatement (Second) of Torts § 821F, cmt. d, at 106 (1977)). B. Priority of location. The Association argues that the trial court was wrong in concluding that the plaintiffs had priority of location, because the fairgrounds was established prior to any of the plaintiffs purchasing their property. This contention gives rise to the following question: Does priority of location refer only to actual presence on the property, or does it specifically refer to priority with respect to the alleged nuisance? We think this factor envisions an examination of whether the complaining party moved to the nuisance. In those circumstances, a plaintiff has little basis to complain about conditions he elected to encounter by moving to a location where the nuisance already existed. See Schlotfelt v. Vinton Farmers' Supply Co., 252 Iowa 1102, 1109, 109 N.W.2d 695, 699 (1961) (one has a considerably greater right to protest against the conduct of a business in a residential area where the objector has established his home with no knowledge that such an invasion is contemplated or may be attempted in the future); Higgins v. Decorah Produce Co., 214 Iowa 276, 282, 242 N.W. 109, 112 (1932) (holding that complainant, who acquired property adjacent to a poultry plant that was subsequently enlarged to an extent that increased the offensive odors and noise, was not estopped from maintaining a nuisance action). But see 58 Am.Jur.2d Nuisances § 440, at 1013-15 (1989) (stating that even a plaintiff who purchased his property after establishment of the nuisance is not automatically barred from recovering damages, although that fact is a circumstance of considerable weight). Thus, we examine who had priority of location in reference to the challenged activity. When viewed from this perspective, we think the trial court was clearly correct. Although not all of the plaintiffs had purchased their land prior to establishment of the fairgrounds in 1948, all the plaintiffs had moved onto their land prior to construction of the racetrack and commencement of the figure-eight races. It is this use that gives rise to the plaintiffs' nuisance claim, not the operation of a fair or related fairgrounds activity. While the Association argues that its current use of the racetrack is not significantly different from its prior usage of the rodeo arena, we have already rejected this contention. In summary, the use of the fairgrounds that is claimed to constitute a nuisance did not begin until after the plaintiffs were already on their properties. Therefore, the plaintiffs have priority of location, a fact that weigh[s] heavily in favor of the plaintiffs on the nuisance issue. Weinhold, 555 N.W.2d at 460; accord Bates, 261 Iowa at 704, 154 N.W.2d at 858 (Priority of occupation is a circumstance of considerable weight....). C. Nature of the neighborhood. The trial court also held that this factorthe nature of the neighborhoodsupported the plaintiffs' claim that the racetrack and figure-eight races are a nuisance. The Association challenges this finding with an argument similar to those made in connection with the nonconforming-use issue and priority-of-location issue. The Association claims that the neighborhood is the Madison County fairgrounds, and there were motorized racing events at the fairgrounds for many years prior to construction of the new racetrack. The fairgrounds and the area surrounding it are zoned residential and agricultural. There was no evidence that business, commercial, or industrial uses are present in this general locale. The record does show that many residences are located in close proximity to the fairgrounds. It is also noteworthy that, with the exception of go-cart tracks, no form of racing is authorized by the local zoning ordinance in either residential or agricultural districts. We think that the plaintiffs could legitimately expect that their residences would be subject to the normal uses permitted in residential and agricultural areas, but not to uses that are not authorized in those districts, even by special permit. Thus, the character of the neighborhood is not one in which figure-eight racetracks would typically be found. Consequently, this factor weighs in favor of the plaintiffs. D. Significance of interference. In reference to this factor, the trial court noted that, although the races cause annoyance and inconvenience to the plaintiffs, the races only occur seven times a year. Under these circumstances, the court found that the [p]laintiffs [had] not been prevented from normal use and enjoyment of their property for any significant percentage of the time. The court concluded, therefore, that the seven time invasion did not rise to the level of a nuisance. Upon our de novo review of the record, we agree with the trial court's findings and conclusions as they relate to the Wise, Haines, and Blythe plaintiffs. We disagree, however, with the court's conclusion that the races are not a nuisance as to plaintiff Perkins. It is helpful at this stage of our analysis to briefly refer to the factual claims of each plaintiff with respect to the interference and annoyance caused to them by the figure-eight races. We examine each plaintiff's claim independently of the other plaintiffs' claims so that a plaintiff's claim will succeed or fail on the basis of that plaintiff's particular circumstances. 1. Richard and Linda Wise. The Wises' land adjoins the fairgrounds on the northeast border of the fairgrounds property. (The racetrack is located on the southwest corner of the fairgrounds.) The Wises' home is approximately 975 feet from the track. The Wises testified that during the races they cannot use their backyard or the family room (which is in the back of their house closest to the racetrack) due to the noise coming from the track. Fumes from the races also find their way into the house and stay for two to three hours. The windows in an old building located on their property rattle from the noise. The Wises also complain of the traffic going by on Summit Street in front of their property as vehicles enter and exit the fairgrounds. (The fairgrounds main, and generally only, entrance and exit are located on Summit Street.) In considering this evidence, we attach little significance to the windows rattling in the outbuilding because that disturbance does not appreciably interfere with the Wises' use and enjoyment of their property. We also give little weight to the annoyance caused by the traffic on the adjoining street. Heavy traffic is to be expected when an event is held at the fairgrounds, and there is nothing significantly different, in our view, of the traffic during the races from the traffic present during the fair. As for the Wises' remaining complaints, we think that the short-term inconvenience experienced by the Wises caused by the noise and fumes from the races is not definitely offensive, seriously annoying, or intolerable, when it occurs only seven times a year. Accordingly, we agree with the trial court that they have not established that the racetrack and races are a nuisance with respect to the use and enjoyment of their property. 2. Donald Haines. The Haines property is adjacent to the Wise property. Haines' home is 1050 feet from the track. Haines testified that the noise from the track rattles the windows in his house, shifts the ceiling tiles, and requires that the television volume be turned up a very little. Dust from the track accumulates on the deck furniture and on one occasion Haines smelled fumes from the racecars. We find that these temporary disturbances are not significant enough to constitute a nuisance, given the fact that they occur only seven times a year. 3. Paul and Lori Blythe. The Blythes live across Summit Street from the fairgrounds, near the northwest corner of the Association's property. Their home is approximately 1150 feet from the edge of the track, the longest distance of any of the plaintiffs' homes from the racetrack. The Blythes testified that they cannot carry on a normal conversation in their home during the races and must turn up the volume on the television. Their young children cannot play outside during the races and cannot get to sleep at their normal bedtime. Because the Blythes' home is not air conditioned, they have dust and fumes inside their house. Many of their complaints center on the disruption caused by the noise and lights from traffic leaving the races. As noted previously, we give little weight to any interference caused by the traffic on Summit Street, but rather focus on the disturbance caused by the races themselves. Although the Blythes experience more annoyance in their homedue to keeping their windows open during the races for cooling and ventilationwe do not think their situation is appreciably different from the Wises' and Haines' positions. We agree with the trial court that, although the races cause personal discomfort, the short and temporary annoyances experienced by the Blythes during the races only seven times a year are not significant enough to constitute a nuisance. 4. Debra Perkins. Debra Perkins' property adjoins the fairgrounds property on the south. Her home is a mere 243 feet from the track and the edge of her yard is only 77 feet from the track. The pit area of the track is adjacent to her property. Unlike the other plaintiffs whose complaints are primarily caused by the noise and fumes generated during the races, Perkins and her children experience annoyance and interference from the time the racers begin to arrive at 3:00 p.m. until the last racer leaves about an hour after the end of the last race, which can be as late as midnight. Perkins testified the pit area, located on the property line, is extremely noisy. Lights, noise, dust, smoke and exhaust fumes emanate from the track and pit area directly onto Perkins' property, including the house. During the races clods of dirt are catapulted from the track onto her property, although the Association has taken steps to minimize this occurrence by erecting a screen at the track. Even between the individual races, there is noise coming from the pit area as racers rev up their motors and prepare for the next race, making the disturbance on the Perkins property constant. The noise inside the house is so loud that the Perkins family has to turn the volume up considerably on the television to watch a program and then they cannot hear the phone ring. They cannot talk in a normal tone of voice and find themselves literally yelling to communicate. Fumes enter the house and are irritating to breathe and generally unpleasant. Perkins' children cannot play in the yard and cannot go to sleep at their regular bedtime. The trial court concluded that these circumstances did not constitute a nuisance because they only occurred seven times a year. While it is certainly important to consider the frequency and duration of the harmful conditions when determining whether they are definitely offensive, seriously annoying, or intolerable, these factors are not dispositive: The fact that an injury from an alleged nuisance is only occasional, or that the annoyance exists during part of the time only, does not prevent the act or thing causing it from being a nuisance, although such fact is to be considered with all the evidence in the case. 58 Am.Jur.2d Nuisances § 96, at 746 (1989). Here, the interference caused by the figure-eight races with Perkins' use and enjoyment of her property and home is intense and severe. The races are almost literally located in her backyard. We think a normal person would find the situation to be definitely offensive at the least. Under these circumstances, we find that the races are a nuisance, despite the fact that they take place only seven times a year. Accordingly, we reverse the district court's adverse ruling on plaintiff Perkins' nuisance claim.