Court Opinion

ID: 9625519
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 07:43:21.768618+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:06:10.089561
License: Public Domain

DONALDSON, Justice
(concurring in part and dissenting in part).
I dissent from that portion of the majority’s opinion which would exclude testimony and evidence relating to interference with the defendants’ right of access from the jury’s consideration in ascertaining severance damages. In my opinion possible damages resulting from the construction of median traffic control devices limiting access on two sides of defendants’ property were a proper matter for the jury’s consideration.
The right of access of a property owner to an abutting public street has long been the subject of judicial discourse in Idaho. A thorough review of authorities reveals it is a right which Idaho courts have been particularly careful to protect. In State v. Fonburg, 80 Idaho 269, 328 P.2d 60 (1958), this Court held:
“Where a part of the owner’s contiguous land is taken in a condemnation *451proceeding, all inconveniences resulting to the owner’s remaining land, including an easement or access to a road or right of way formerly enjoyed, which decrease the value of the land retained by the owner, are elements of severance damage for which compensation should be paid. [Citations omitted.]”
Nor is interference with access merely an element of severance damages to be considered in an action for condemnation, but is in itself a property right, the taking of which may be compensated in an action for inverse condemnation, that is “whether or not accompanied by a taking of physical property.” Hughes v. State, 80 Idaho 286, 328 P.2d 397 (1958); Mabe v. State, 83 Idaho 222, 360 P.2d 799 (1961) (second appeal, 86 Idaho 254, 385 P.2d 401 (1963)).
The Court in Hughes, after undertaking an extensive review of the authorities concluded :
“ * * * and since such right of access constitutes an interest in, by virtue of being an easement appurtenant to, a larger parcel, the court, jury or referee must ascertain and assess the damages ■ which will accrue to the portion not sought to be condemned by reason of the severance of the portion — the right of access — sought to be condemned, and the construction of the improvement.” 80 Idaho at 295, 328 P.2d at 402.
The majority asserts that the “right of access does not encompass a right to any particular pattern of traffic flow or a right of direct access to or from both directions of traffic” and would deny compensation here on that basis. They cite James v. State, 88 Idaho 172, 397 P.2d 766 (1964) and Mabe v. State, supra, as authority. In both these cases the landowner claimed he was entitled to damages where the traffic flow on the street abutting his property was reduced by construction of a new highway which attracted some of the traffic. In neither case was the right of access to the abutting street itself in any way impaired. In denying a remedy, the Court in Janies pointed out that these cases “involved an alleged loss of access to the general highway system itself and [did not involve] any alleged loss of access from the appellants’ property to the abutting roadway.” The Court continued by holding that where a property owner seeks damages for impairment of access to “the general system of public streets,” rather than access to an abutting street, he must show a “substantial impairment” of his right of access. Citing Breidert v. Southern Pacific Co., 61 Cal.2d 659, 39 Cal.Rptr. 903, 394 P.2d 719 (1964).
The present case does not involve diversion of traffic occasioned by the creation of a new highway nor an asserted loss of access to the “general system of public streets” but a direct interference with the right of access to an abutting highway. Interference with that right is a proper matter for the jury to consider in assessing severance damages and I would so hold. The statute, I.C. § 7-711(2) contemplates that the jury shall consider in assessing severance damages “the construction of the improvement in the manner proposed by the plaintiff” which includes a consideration of the effect of the median traffic control device which was a part of the proposed construction. For the majority to hold otherwise they must slip a great deal of Idaho authority up their judicial sleeve, a bit of legal legerdemain which results in the abandonment of a long tradition of judicial protection of the rights of property owners.
BAKES, J., concurs.