Opinion ID: 2405402
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: fencing

Text: While we are on the subject of the form of the verdict we deem it proper to say that there is no valid reason for perpetuating the old rule that fencing is to be handled as a separate item. We recognized in Greenup County v. Redmond, Ky., 335 S.W.2d 335, that there is no logical basis for such a rule, but decided to continue to recognize it by reason of its long period of existence, growing out of early railroad condemnation statutes. Under the rule promulgated in this opinion, that only before and after values are to be considered, there is no place for a separate allowance for fencing. Certainly the landowner is not entitled to fencing costs on top of an allowance for the total diminution of value of his property. The present railroad condemnation statutes, KRS 416.020 to 416.080, say nothing about fencing. But a special statute, KRS 416.110, relating to condemnation by a fiscal court for road purposes, still provides for separate allowance for fencing and for the value of trees or shrubbery taken. We hereby abolish the old fencing rule and we hold that the provisions of KRS 416.110 for separate fixing of damages for fencing, trees and shrubbery are inoperative, for the same reason as stated above why statutory provisions requiring the separate fixing of taking and resulting damages are inoperative.