Opinion ID: 1951753
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: analysis

Text: As a preliminary matter the Andersons argue before this Court that the decision of the trial justice fails to comport with Rule 52(a) of the Superior Court Rules of Civil Procedure. The Andersons specifically claim that the trial justice failed to articulate his findings of fact on all issues relevant to this appeal and made no findings concerning the testimony of two witnesses, the Newport tax assessor and the Newport zoning officer. The Andersons argue that they submitted extensive posttrial memoranda to the trial justice, including proposed findings of fact, and that his failure to address these issues in his decision constitutes reversible error. Rule 52(a) provides in pertinent part: In all actions tried upon the facts without a jury  the court shall find the facts specially and state separately its conclusions of law thereon. This Court has previously stated that in order to comply with these requirements, a trial justice need not engage in extensive analysis and discussion of all the evidence. Even brief findings and conclusions are sufficient if they address and resolve the controlling and essential factual issues in the case. Anderson v.. Town of East Greenwich, 460 A.2d 420, 423 (R.I.1983). We have never demanded that a trial justice make findings with respect to every witness or issue in which `a full understanding of the issues' and the conclusions of the fact finder `may be reached without the aid of separate findings.'  Id. at 423-24. After a review of the record, in particular the trial justice's bench decision, we are satisfied that the trial justice adequately addressed plaintiffs' claim of title and defendants' claim of right to access their land via the lane and therefore complied with the minimum requirements of Rule 52(a). The Andersons' appeal rests primarily on their assertion that the dedication of the lane was accepted by the public in accordance with the provisions of § 45-23-10 by virtue of the planning board's approval and recording of the McCormick and the Mancini plats. The Andersons claim that the trial justice erred in his interpretation of § 45-23-10 and that for purposes of the statute nothing more than the delineation of a way on a plat is required for dedication. We disagree. At the outset we acknowledge that land delineated as streets and roads on a subdivision map becomes public property upon the approval of the plan commission and that these streets and roads are thereafter considered public roads. See Town of Bristol v. Castle Construction Co., 100 R.I. 135, 139, 211 A.2d 627, 629 (1965). In order for this general rule to apply, however, the land must be clearly marked as a road or a street on the subdivision map. If the land is not so marked, an individual must demonstrate that the land was dedicated by its owner as a street or a road and that the public has accepted the dedication. Section 45-23-10; see also Robidoux v.. Pelletier, 120 R.I. 425, 433, 391 A.2d 1150, 1154 (1978); Vallone v. City of Cranston, 97 R.I. 248, 255, 197 A.2d 310, 314 (1964). We have previously stated, however, that Idledication of private property to the public is  an exceptional and unusual method by which a landowner passes to another an interest in his property. Robidoux, 120 R.I. at 433, 391 A.2d at 1154. Accordingly, whereas approval of the plat and its acceptance for filing by the governing body of the town usually constitute the acceptance by the public of the roads offered for dedication, Town of Bristol, 100 R.I. at 139, 211 A.2d at 629, simply placing a line or a mark on a plat or delineating a way or a street for boundary purposes is insufficient to establish conclusively the original owner's intent to offer the property for dedication. On the contrary, in order for there to be an effective dedication the proponent of the dedication must demonstrate a manifest intent by the landowner to dedicate the land in question, called an incipient dedication or offer to dedicate. Robidoux, 120 RI. at 433, 391 A.2d at 1154 (citing Vallone, supra ). Thus in the context of this case in order for the Andersons' claim to succeed, they must demonstrate a manifest intent by Benjamin McCormick to dedicate the way for public use when he included it in his 1956 subdivision plan. [4] The determination of whether a landowner has made an incipient dedication of streets for public purposes requires an examination of the relevant facts to determine the intent of the person seeking approval and acceptance of a plat plan. We have previously held that in most instances the filing and the acceptance of a plat plan are sufficient evidence of a landowner's intent to dedicate land for road purposes, particularly in situations in which lots are subsequently sold with reference to the recorded plat. See Volpe v.. Marina Parks, Inc., 101 R.I. 80, 85, 220 A.2d 525, 529 (1966); Vallone, 97 R.I. at 254, 197 A.2d at 314; Parrillo v. Riccitelli, 84 R.I. 276, 279, 123 A.2d 248, 249 (1956). However, we have also determined that this is not an automatic process, and when the intent of the developer is unclear or the road or way appears to be delineated for boundary purposes only, it is the task of the fact finder to interpret the meaning of the disputed item by careful scrutiny of all lines, figures, and letters that appear on the map as well as whatever pertinent evidence may be adduced by the litigants. Robidoux, 120 R.I. at 434, 391 A.2d at 1155. Each element of the plat is to be given a meaning, and no part can be considered as superfluous. Id. In this case the trial justice had the benefit of all the deeds of conveyance in plaintiffs' chain of title as far back as the Keller deed, including the deed from Curry to the Cowsills that included the specific conveyance of Cowsill Lane. The trial justice found, and we concur, that legal title to the lane lay in the heirs of William Cowsill and his wife and that Donnelly acquired by deed a right-of-way in the parcel. Moreover, after reviewing the McCormick subdivision plat, as well as the two subsequent Mancini subdivision plats, the trial justice found a complete absence of any evidence demonstrating an intent by McCormick to dedicate the lane for public purposes. In so doing, the trial justice specifically rejected the suggestion that the way was dedicated to the public pursuant to § 45-23-10 when the McCormick plat was accepted for filing. The trial justice declared that the Andersons had failed to satisfy the first requirement of § 45-23-10, an intention to dedicate the property for public use. There is absolutely nothing in the documentation presented [that demonstrates] that these streets were offered for dedication as public ways. We agree and can find nothing from our examination of the McCormick plat that would indicate otherwise. The Andersons also assert that the trial justice erred with respect to their claim of a prescriptive easement in the lane. The trial justice found that the Andersons had failed to produce any evidence to support their claim and therefore denied their right to an easement in the lane. After a review of the record and the applicable case law we can discern no error in this conclusion. This Court has consistently declared that one who claims an easement by prescription has the burden of establishing actual, open, notorious, hostile, and continuous use under a claim of right for ten years as required by G.L.1956 § 34-7-1. See Palisades Sales Corp. v. Walsh, 459 A.2d 933, 936 (R.I.1983). Furthermore, we have determined that all these elements must be established by clear and convincing evidence. Id.; see also Jerry Brown Farm Association Inc., v. Kenyon, 119 R.I. 43, 51, 375 A.2d 964, 968 (1977). The determination of the fact finder on these important issues is entitled to great weight and will not be disturbed unless the trial justice has misconceived or overlooked material evidence. See Palisades Sales Corp., 459 A.2d at 936. In this case the trial justice rejected Mr. Anderson's claims that he had visited the property once or twice a month for the prescribed period or that he had undertaken any activity on the property that could be considered notice to the world sufficient to establish a prescriptive easement over the northern section of the lane. Furthermore, the trial justice found and we agree that the Andersons retained an implied easement by necessity through the Ocean Manor property to Chastellux Avenue and that therefore, they do not require access to the lane. See Bovi v. Murray, 601 A.2d 960, 962 (R.I.1992) (implied easement is predicated upon theory that when a person conveys property he or she includes or intends to include in the conveyance whatever is necessary for the use and enjoyment of the land retained). Last, the Andersons contend that the trial justice erred in deciding in favor of Donnelly's and the Baezas' claims for adverse possession. This argument rests on the premise that the lane is a public street and thus cannot be acquired by adverse possession. In rejecting this alleged point of error, we note that the Andersons' argument is flawed in two respects. First, as our opinion clearly indicates, we conclude that the lane was never dedicated or accepted as a public street in accordance with the procedure prescribed in § 45-23-10. Furthermore, having no ownership interest in the lane by title, prescriptive use, or easement, the Andersons have no standing to challenge the plaintiffs' claims of adverse possession. See Shalvey v. Zoning Board of Review of Warwick, 99 R.I. 692, 701, 210 A.2d 589, 594 (1965) (ownership of land that constitutes subject matter of dispute is essential to one's right to obtain the relief sought). IV