Opinion ID: 1391867
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: has the port acquired a prescriptive right in the petersens' property?

Text: In the present case, the plaintiffs concede the existence for the required time of all elements of a prescriptive right, except hostility. The trial court, in its findings of fact, found the Port's use of the air space around and over the Petersen property had not been hostile. Consequently, it concluded that the Port had not acquired a prescriptive avigational right in the property and that the Petersens were entitled to just compensation. [3, 4] The trial court based its finding of nonhostility primarily upon proof of the Port's policy of paying unimpacted value to voluntary sellers of land around the airport which the Port wished to acquire. Further, the Port's active encouragement of, and participation since 1973 in, a community committee designed to find alternative remedies for land adversely affected by airport activity also contributed to the trial court's conclusion. Though the court's determination of nonhostility was denominated a finding of fact, we have recently held that such findings on elements of adverse possession are mixed questions of law and fact not binding on this court. Peeples v. Bellingham, 93 Wn.2d 766, 613 P.2d 1128 (1980). In the instant case, however, the facts pertinent to this issue are: (1) the Port pays unimpacted value to surrounding landowners; and (2) the Port participated in the Sea-Tac  Communities Plan Study which was designed to formulate alternative remedies for adversely affected properties. Further, we also consider that a use of property, at its inception, is presumed to be permissive. Gray v. McDonald, 46 Wn.2d 574, 283 P.2d 135 (1955). In any event, in early years the airport was used exclusively by propeller-driven aircraft. The testimony was that this usage, while annoying at times, was not appreciably damaging. When jet-powered aircraft began to be used, an entirely new noise environment was presented. [5] Ever increasing usage of Sea-Tac airport by jet aircraft began in the 1960's and continues to this day. Year by year, from 1964 to 1974 when the instant action was filed, larger and noisier aircraft and more of them utilized the airport. The Port's own records demonstrate this. Thus, even if the trial court had found some kind of pre-1964 prescriptive easement, it would not have been for the type and number of aircraft which used the airport after that date and, consequently, it would not have decreased the Petersens' damage in 1974. Accordingly, while we agree with the trial court's determination of nonhostile use on the part of the Port, we are also of the view that had there been a pre-1964 prescriptive easement acquired, it would not have availed the Port a defense under the circumstances of this case. We hold that the Port has not demonstrated it acquired a prescriptive right to an avigation easement over the Petersen property.