Opinion ID: 771583
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Constitutional Right at Issue

Text: 34 To prevail on a substantive due process claim, Simi must first establish that it held a constitutionally protected property right to which the Fourteenth Amendment's due process protection applies. See Spuler v. Pickar, 958 F.2d 103, 106 (5th Cir. 1992) (citing Baker v. McCollan, 443 U.S. 137, 146-47 (1979)); see also Hidden Oaks, 138 F.3d at 1046 (In order to assert a violation of this amendment, one must at least demonstrate the deprivation of a protected property interest established through some independent source such as state law. (internal quotation marks and citations omitted)). The nature of the property interest therefore must be determined by Texas law. See Spuler, 958 F.2d at 106; see also Hidden Oaks, 138 F.3d at 1046 (Under this analysis, the hallmark of property . . . is an individual entitlement grounded in state law, which cannot be removed except for cause. (internal quotation marks and citations omitted)). 35 Under Texas law, this first issue is resolved in Simi's favor. It is the settled rule in this state that an abutting property owner possesses an easement of access which is a property right; that this easement is not limited to a right of access to the system of public roads; and that diminishment in the value of property resulting from a loss of access constitutes damage. State v. Heal, 917 S.W.2d 6, 9 (Tex. 1996) (internal quotation marks omitted) (quoting DuPuy v. City of Waco, 396 S.W.2d 103, 108 (Tex. 1965)); see also City of Beaumont v. Marks, 443 S.W.2d 253, 255 (Tex. 1969) (It is well settled that abutting property owners . . . have certain property rights in existing streets and highways in addition to their right in common with the general public to use them. Generally, the most important of these private rights is the access to and from the highway or street.); State v. Meyer, 403 S.W.2d 366, 370 (Tex. 1966); Lethu Inc. v. City of Houston, 23 S.W.3d 482, 485 (Tex. App.--Houston [1st Dist.] 2000, no pet.); State v. Northborough Ctr., Inc., 987 S.W.2d 187, 190 (Tex. App.--Houston [14th Dist.] 1999, pet. denied). As the district court found, Simi's western boundary is the same as the Hermann-Fannin-County-City eastern boundary; they abut by definition. Therefore, if Simi is correct in its assertion that no park exists or has ever existed, its property unquestionably abuts the Fannin Street right-of-way, and the County's interference with this access is a violation of Texas law. 14