Opinion ID: 2544453
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: fiscal impact on the County

Text: The County contends that the trial court's ruling is a clear deviation from the reasonable use rule and that, if the County is held responsible in this case, it will be faced with many similar claims. The holding in this case is based narrowly on the fact that the County accepted express easements, and the substantial evidence supporting this holding is based on specific testimony suggesting that the County intended to possess such easements. Nothing precludes a future trial court in another case from concluding that there was no such acceptance or intent based upon the particular evidence presented to it. We, therefore, affirm the trial court's ruling, as articulated in COL No. 3, that the County is the owner of express drainage easements through the Wailea Elua property in the location of and through the twenty-four inch and fifty-four inch drainage systems located under the Wailea Elua property.