Court Opinion

ID: 9374801
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-02-23 22:02:39.460172+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:16:53.243246
License: Public Domain

Filed 2/23/23 WCST Enterprises v. Ling CA4/3

                      NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS
California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for
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                IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

                                     FOURTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

                                                DIVISION THREE

 WCST ENTERPRISES, LLC,
                                                                       G060377
      Plaintiff and Appellant,
                                                                       (Super. Ct. No. 30-2019-01044486)
           v.
                                                                       OPINION
 BERIT LING,

      Defendant and Respondent.

                   Appeal from a judgment of the Superior Court of Orange County, Linda S.
Marks, Judge. Reversed and remanded.
                   Law Offices of Fred S. Pardes and Fred S. Pardes for Plaintiff and
Appellant.
                   Ascher & Associates, Ralph Ascher and Richard Vergel de Dios for
Defendant and Respondent.
                                          *                  *                  *
              WCST Enterprises, LLC (WCST), appeals from an adverse judgment on a
dispute with a neighbor, Berit Ling, in a residential condominium complex over the right
to use a structure that, by all present appearances, looks like an ordinary two-car garage.
Examination of the developer’s condominium plan (Plan), the Plan’s map (Map or Plan
Map), and other homeowners’ association (HOA) governing documents (CC&R’s)
presents a more complicated picture.
              Those documents, including the Map in particular, suggest the developer
may have intended the two-car garage space that Ling has long used as her own to be
separated by an interior partition, wall, painted line, or other divider. Such a division,
shown by a draftsman’s line drawn in the depiction of the garage on the Map, would
create two distinct spaces inside the garage: one space for use by the owner of
condominium Unit 38 (WCST), and the other for use by the owner of
condominium Unit 39 (Ling)—each with enough room to park a single car on their
respective sides of the divided space.
              Such an unusual design in which a two-car garage space is shared by two
different unit owners appears to be ripe for just the sort of controversy that has erupted
between Ling and WCST. As Robert Frost once observed, “Good fences make good
neighbors.” (Frost (1914) “Mending Wall.”) The United States Supreme Court has
invoked this wisdom as “profit[able] advice authored by a distinctively American poet.”
(Plaut v. Spendthrift Farm, Inc. (1995) 514 U.S. 211, 240.)
              It seems unlikely to conclude the design here was accidental or the result of
a draftsman’s error because there is another garage immediately adjacent to the disputed
garage with the same design. That garage is apparently shared amicably by the owners of
condominium Units 36 and 37. WCST and Ling have been unable to reach such an
amicable resolution.
              Here, we find—regrettably—that further proceedings are necessary and we
therefore reverse.

                                              2
       Prologue
              Neither the garage shared by Units 36 and 37, nor the disputed garage, has
had—at least in any trial participant’s memory—any sort of divider in place to separate
the interior of each of those garages into two discrete spaces. Still, the dividing line
drawn in both garages that appears on the developer’s Map seems to have reflected such
an intention. The dividing line is clearly evident in both garages on the Map: in one
garage, the line separates the two-car garage space into two sides, one side labeled “36G”
and the other “37G.” In the disputed garage, the draftsman’s line similarly divides that
garage’s space into two sides: one labeled “38G-a” and the other “39G-a.”
              The nature and intended meaning of the draftsman’s dividing line received
little direct scrutiny in the proceedings below. It is unfortunate that the HOA was not a
party to the proceedings or otherwise called upon by either party to offer any information
it might have contributed bearing on the meaning of the dividing line shown in the
developer’s Map. The developer appointed the initial HOA board of governors, and the
HOA’s governing documents empower the board to enforce those documents, and
                                 1
therefore also to interpret them. Accordingly, the HOA might have explained, for
example, (1) whether in the history of the complex the dividing line was ever given
material form as an actual wall or other partition or divider; (2) why the garage structure
was not built or at least has not been maintained in a manner to reflect the line; and
(3) whether the garage structure should be upgraded in some fashion in conformity with
the dividing line shown on the Map.
              Instead of focusing on the draftsman’s line, the parties debated whether the
space inside the garage belonged to one or the other—or both—in a form of fee

       1
              The record reflects the trial court was frustrated by the HOA’s absence
from the proceedings, and understandably so. The court expressed hope that, pending a
ruling, “the HOA might be inclined to address the problem, especially since this issue
will continue to [a]ffect neighborly relations.”

                                              3
ownership of “air space” (WCST’s position) or as an “exclusive use common area”
                     2
(Ling’s position).
              In January 2021, the trial court issued its initial “Intended Statement of
Decision” (Intended Decision), which analyzed the issue under the rubric of fee
ownership conveyed by title, including under WCST’s grant deed. The court later
extended its fee analysis to the developer’s original intended conveyance as shown in the
Corporation Grant Deed by which Unit 38 was conveyed to its first owner in 1966 and by
reference to the developer’s sample Grant Deed that the developer included in the
CC&R’s.
              Meanwhile, after “extensive” objections in which the trial court observed
that “both parties attempt to re-argue their positions,” the court reconsidered its Intended
Decision, found that “discrepancies in the Condominium Plan, Corporation Grant Deed,
and the CC[&]R’s” prevented the conclusion that the garage spaces were “subject to title
in fee,” and ultimately concluded “that the garage space is an ‘exclusive use common
area’ . . . .” In February 2021, the trial court issued a Tentative Statement of Decision
along these lines, which became the court’s final decision in favor of Ling, impliedly
finding she was entitled to use all of the disputed garage space because WCST’s interest
in its side of the garage, 38G-a, had somehow been transferred to her.
              We cannot agree. We do not rule out the possibility that the trial court’s
decision in favor of Ling was correct, but as we explain, it is not clear in the Tentative
Statement of Decision or as finalized in the ensuing judgment—nor do the parties
explain—how WCST’s interest in garage space 38G-a within the disputed two-car garage

       2
               The trial court lamented in its final decision: “The testimony in this case
was difficult for the Court to understand primarily because [both] counsel continuously
objected and raised arguments that were not germane to the issues, and failed to
cooperate which then made the proceeding especially difficult being conducted as a
remote trial.”

                                              4
was transferred to Ling in compliance with applicable statutory rules in the Davis-Stirling
                                                  3
Common Interest Development Act (Civ. Code, § 4000 et seq.; hereafter DSA or Act).

                 FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
              The Huntington Harbor Corporation began development of the
condominium project at issue here by filing its Plan (including the Map) and CC&R’s
with the recorder’s office in 1965. The project is located in Huntington Harbor in the
City of Huntington Beach.
              Ling purchased property in the complex more than 30 years later in 1998.
Her grant deed identifies the property she purchased as Unit 39 and the accompanying
garage simply as “39G.” The trial court in its Initial Decision observed, in contrast, that
“[p]rior to the sale to Ling, and going back to 1966,” the original “Corporation Grant
Deed” that passed the Unit 39 property to its first owner conveyed an interest not in a
garage identified as “39G,” but in “Garages 39G-A and 39G-B as shown on the [P]lan.
(Exhibit 11).”
              The Plan Map shows that in addition to the disputed two-car garage space
labeled on the Map as “38G-a” and “39G-a” (separated by the draftsman’s dividing line),
there are two single-car garages in the complex that have “G38” or “G39” in their
designations on the Map. One is labeled “38G-b” and the other is labeled “39G-b.”
These two separate single-car garages are several hundred feet away from Units 38
and 39.
              The disputed two-car garage space is much closer. The trial court noted
that the disputed garage’s location “is directly across from” Units 38 and 39, and
therefore “easily accessible . . . for parking cars, dropping off groceries, and would be the
next best thing to having an attached garage.”

       3
              All further undesignated statutory references are to the Civil Code.

                                              5
              Units 38 and 39 are adjoining two-story residences that along with several
other units in the same building form a row of condominiums. Units 36 and 37 are in that
same row of adjoining units and, as previously noted, the Plan Map shows they share
what looks to be a two-car garage. Units 36 and 37 are smaller than Units 38 and 39 and
are allocated only one garage parking space each, which may explain why the garage
they share is labeled on the Map with “36G” and “37G,” whereas the garage next to it
bears the labels “38G-a” and “39G-a.” In other words, Units 36 and 37 come with only
one parking space each, thereby obviating the “-a” and “-b” subdesignations that may
have been deemed necessary for units with two parking spaces in separate garages.
              About 20 years after Ling purchased her unit, but before WCST came on
the scene, the owners in her row of condominium units discovered discrepancies between
the garages identified as theirs in their deeds and the ones they were actually using.
WCST’s predecessor in interest in Unit 38 was Robert Russell. The trial court in its
Tentative Statement of Decision recounted what happened next: “Apparently,
Mr. Russell had access [to] and was using Garage spaces G36 and G37. The dispute over
the Unit 38/39 garage arose when a neighbor while reviewing his grant deed discovered
that he was improperly using his space instead of garage space G37 as identified in his
deed. This information was shared with another neighbor whose deed reflected G36.
Mr. Russell voluntarily vacated G36 and G37, and started using single car garage space
38G-B (which is identified in his deed), and 39G-B (Ling’s second single car garage
space) neither of which are located near Unit 38.” Further, “Russell[’s] . . . grant deed
(Exhibit 9-17) identifies Garage 38GA-B” as his.
              Ling acknowledged Russell spoke to her “more than once” about his belief
that garage space 38G-a in “her” two-car garage belonged to him. Soon after his fruitless
conversations with Ling, Russell sold Unit 38 to WCST. The trial court’s Tentative
Statement of Decision reflects these subsequent events: “WCST purchased Unit 38 in
June of 2018 through its principal, Mr. Loomis (Loomis) as a primary residence for

                                             6
Loomis and his wife. Ling purchased her condominium in 1998. At the time Unit 38
was purchased, it was disclosed to WCST that Unit 39 had been in possession of a
two-car garage located across the driveway from the Units.” Loomis formed WCST to
hold title to the condominium; it had no separate business function or operations.
              The trial court’s Tentative Statement of Decision summarized how Unit 38
was transferred to WCST: “Mr. Loomis testified that rather than get into a dispute with
Ling over which garage spaces should be used as identified in the deeds, Russell did not
seek to challenge the parking arrangement. At the time Mr. Russell sold his property to
WCST, it was disclosed in escrow papers that the garage space issue needed to be
resolved. So, WCST at the time of sale was fully aware that litigation to quiet title to the
garage space might be required. In fact, WCST’s broker deposited $10,000.00 into
escrow at the time of sale in the event litigation was required to resolve the dispute.”
              The trial court’s summary of the events leading up to the litigation
recounted that “Ling believes her deed entitles her to exclusive use of garage space 39G.
One may wonder why WCST would purchase property with the knowledge of impending
litigation. Loomis testified that he wanted waterfront property at an affordable price
which in this case is a million plus dollars. Unit 38 comes with wharfage, and a
convenient boat dock allowing Mr. Loomis to have waterfront property at what he
deemed an affordable price in spite of potential litigation.”
              As the trial court noted, Ling and Loomis “were unable to come to any
agreement regarding a shared use of the garage,” and, indeed, “the relationship between
the parties has been strained from day one.”
              After an exchange of attorney letters failed to resolve their differences,
WCST filed suit in January 2019. Its first amended complaint alleged causes of actions
against Ling for (1) ejectment, (2) quiet title, (3) violation of the CC&R’s, and
(4) trespass. The trial court granted Ling’s motion to strike the trespass claim and,

                                               7
following the trial, denied plaintiff’s motion to amend the complaint with facts presented
at trial said to support that claim.
               Dr. Ling quitclaimed his interest in Unit 39 to his wife in 1998, but she
“relie[d] primarily on [him] in dealing with the garage space” issue. As such, while the
trial court found her “credible,” and she testified to her use of the garage for over
21 years, her evidence was “limited in scope,” with the court noting that “no evidence
[was] presented to explain how she acquired exclusive use.” While Dr. Ling “testified to
maintenance, repairs and costs of any improvements to the garage space,” which included
replacing the garage door twice, the trial court found that “given the occupancy, one
would not expect anything less.”
               The court also found Unit 39 was “not Ling’s primary residence”; instead,
she lived at a different “permanent residence” in Huntington Beach and, based on the
photographs in evidence, she used the disputed garage “for storage.”
               Loomis testified that “the Homeowners Association has not gotten involved
in this dispute,” leaving it “to the parties to resolve.” The court observed that no
evidence was presented to explain “why the condominium complex plan lays out 38G-A
and 39G-A as a single two car garage and not two separate structures. There was no
testimony from the homeowners’ association or any other witness on this issue.”
               The parties had framed the issue for the court to decide as being whether
their property interest in the disputed garage was fee simple or “fee in air space”
ownership as WCST maintained, or whether the garage was a type of common area
known as “exclusive use common area,” as Ling advocated. Under the latter
interpretation, the garage was designated for the Lings’ exclusive use by the
condominium association’s governing documents, including the Plan, Map, and CC&R’s,
rather than being a general common area open to use by their fellow owners.
               The trial court did not find the expert Ling called on this issue, over
WCST’s objection, to be persuasive—at least not in its Intended Decision. The court

                                               8
observed that while Ling had “Mr. Richardson . . . testify [as] an expert in analyzing title
documents, CC[&]Rs, and condominiums plans,” the court found his analysis, as an
attorney, to be “more of an advocate” than as an “expert witness of behalf of defendant.”
              The court referenced the DSA in its Intended Decision and found the Act,
as interpreted by Richardson, including its definition of exclusive use common areas,
“not really applicable to this condominium plan.” While Richardson “testified the garage
space was a common area within the complex,” the court found “that is controverted by
the grant deeds, condominium plan, and deeds of title to the properties.” The court also
observed that, “[b]ased on the evidence presented at trial, it is not the homeowners
association that is responsible for maintaining the garage, but the Unit owner.” The court
concluded that “discrepancies in the Condominium Plan, CCRs and deeds are not as
inconsistent as Mr. Richardson led the Court to believe” and that, ultimately, it “d[id] not
believe his analysis was helpful.”
              Throughout its Intended Decision, the court noted the central “challenge in
this case . . . is that there is one structure which is to be shared by two homeowners.” The
court expressed hope that, “with this ruling, the association might be of some assistance
in guiding the parties on how this space might be shared in an attempt to encourage a
more positive relationship [than] the one that has developed between the parties.”
Nevertheless, the court recognized that the matter had been “very contentious from the
onset,” with the parties “feuding” since 2018, such that, “[r]egardless of the outcome of
the case, the relationship between the parties will be strained, and fraught with peril.”
              The parties each filed extensive objections to the trial court’s Intended
Decision, and the court did not adopt it as its statement of decision. Instead, the court
issued its Tentative Statement of Decision (Decision), which ultimately ripened into the
court’s final decision in the matter.
              The court explained in its Decision that while it “initially took the position
that the legal analysis starts with the WCST grant deed,” it “revised that analysis,” and

                                              9
determined the starting point should be the original Corporation Grant Deed that stated,
for each unit, “the property interest conveyed at the inception of the common interest
development.” The court found that in the Corporation Grant Deed for Unit 38, as would
be true of Unit 39, “[t]here is no mention of fee simple or fee simple in air space,” which
WCST insisted were the controlling concepts. The court acknowledged “that there is
language in the Condo Plan of ‘fee in air space’ and ‘appurtenant’ to describe the ‘Garage
Areas,”’ but, relying on Richardson’s testimony, found that use of “appurtenant” in
conjunction with “fee” language “can lead to confusing arguments as to ownership.”
              The court observed that while Richardson, as an attorney, “appeared at
times to be more of an advocate,” he nevertheless “did attempt to provide testimony
interpreting the various documents and discussing the Davis St[i]rling Act which applies
to condominium complexes.” As in its Intended Decision, the court again expressed
frustration with the way the case was litigated, this time noting that Richardson “tried to
address the [Act], Condominium Map, CCR’s and title documents, but his testimony was
continuously interrupted by Plaintiff’s counsel.” The court relied on Richardson’s
testimony that, as the court summarized, “there was an error in the Condominium Plan in
which there is a single garage appurtenant to two different owners.”
              Richardson testified that there were three “errors” in the Plan. “The first
and most glaring error” in the Plan, according to Richardson, “is that the description of
the garage in the condominium plan in the same phrase refers to the interest [in the
garage] as a fee interest and then says it is appurtenant to a stated unit. Those two terms
[‘fee interest’ and ‘appurtenant’] are different concepts.”
              Richardson testified “[t]he second error is a little bit harder to note. But,
ordinarily, . . . in a condominium plan, if you’re trying to designate a separate interest in
airspace, as is asserted by the plaintiff in this case, you state the boundaries of the
airspace; the top, the sides, and the bottom. [Thus, t]he classic [written] definition in

                                              10
condominium plans or subdivision maps for condominiums is [‘]the unfinished surfaces
of floors, walls, ceilings, doors, and windows.[’]”
              Richardson found no such definitions here. “In this instance, [however,] if
you look closely at the condominium plan language, you will nowhere see a [written]
description of the airspace block for the garage, which is alleged by the plaintiff to have
two different blocks of airspace within it. Those blocks of airspace are not described
[with a written specification of boundaries; instead, just the draftsman’s dividing line].
So that is a very large omission if one is going to try to interpret the garage as two blocks
of airspace, each of which are separate interests.”
              Richardson then addressed what he regarded as a third error: “I guess I
would call it maybe an engineering error or a developer’s error. And that is simply the
indication [by the Map drawing presumably] of a single garage with a single door and a
single cabinetry [across the back wall] and no partition within it [he doesn’t address the
draftsman’s line] that is appurtenant to two different owners. That’s just a mistake.”
              Based on Richardson’s testimony, the trial court looked to the DSA’s
comprehensive provisions governing common interest developments, including its
recognition of “exclusive use common areas” as set out in section 4145. Under that
section, as described by the court, “certain portions of the common area may be reserved
for the exclusive use of a particular owner.” The reservation may be “for the exclusive
use of one or more, but fewer than all, of the owners of the separate interests” in the
development. (§ 4145, subd. (a).) The reserved “exclusive use common area” must be
“designated by the declaration,” i.e., the Plan and CC&R’s containing the legal
description and restrictions for the development (ibid., see §§ 4135, 4250). The
designation must be for the use of those one or more separate interest owners and “is or
will be appurtenant to the separate interest or interests” held by those owners. (§ 4145,
subd. (a).) The court’s Decision concluded “[a]fter reviewing the Condo Plan, CC&R’s

                                             11
and Corporation Grant Deed . . . that the garage space is an ‘exclusive use common area’
consistent with Civil Code §4145.”
              The court added this observation: “It should also be noted that nothing
prohibits the transfer of exclusive use areas, independent of any other interest in a
common interest subdivision, if authorization to separately transfer exclusive use areas is
expressly stated in the declaration and the transfer occurs in accordance with the terms of
the declaration. See Civil Code § 4645.”
              While it is not clear, it appears the trial court found, relying on Richardson,
that because the DSA recognizes that exclusive-use common areas may be transferable
(§ 4645 [such areas transferable if so authorized by the development’s governing
documents]), that is what occurred here. The court’s Decision does not say explicitly that
such a transfer of space 38G-a was authorized by the Plan or CC&R’s, or that such a
transfer was the means by which WCST lost its exclusive-use common area interest on
the 38G-a side of the draftsman’s dividing line in the disputed garage. Instead, the
decision stated that “the evidence supports a finding that Mr. Russell, plaintiff’s
predecessor[,] had voluntarily relinquished his use of garage space 38G-A, since he was
using spaces 38G-B and 39G-B which is what he transferred to WCST upon sale of
Unit 38.” (Italics added.)
              The court did not find that the HOA had recognized this transfer or that any
transfer had been accomplished by means set out in the development’s governing
documents (§ 4645). The court suggested, however, that the HOA might be able to
remedy the situation. The court’s decision posed and answered the following question:
“So, if the Court has concluded that the interest in the garage space is an exclusive[-use]
common interest, does WCST have any interest it can assert based on the Condominium
Plan which identifies garage space 38G-A [as] tethered to Unit 38? The answer is
maybe.”

                                             12
              The court summarized WCST’s potential remedy: “There is an error in the
Condo Plan in that the single [disputed two-car] garage is to be shared by two owners.”
“It would make sense that a garage located near Unit 38 would be allocated to that Unit
for convenience sake. However, it would be up to the HOA to remedy this defect, and
undertake a revision of the Condo Plan or renovate the garage structure to comport with
the Condo Plan.”
              The court did not conclude Ling had gained a permanent, transferable
interest in garage space 38G-a, whether viewed in terms of a fee interest or as an
exclusive use common area that was now for her sole use. The court’s Decision states
that she could continue to “occupy the space” and that “Ling will continue to use the
garage space until she moves or transfers her interest when selling her Unit.” (Italics
added.) The court underscored the nature of its dilemma: “The challenge in this case as
previously mentioned is that there is one structure to be shared by two homeowners.”
              The court ended its ruling with this: “In conclusion, the Court finds that the
garage spaces within the condominium complex are ‘exclusive common areas.’ Contrary
to the deeds, no ownership or fee interest exists in Garage space 38G-A or 39G-A. Ling
has occupied the space for over 20 years. She most likely will continue to occupy the
space until such time as she sells or transfers her separate interest in Unit 39, or the HOA
as a governing body changes or amends the condominium plan.”
              The court concluded by awarding judgment “in favor of Defendant against
Plaintiff,” which became the court’s final statement of decision upon which it entered
judgment. WCST now appeals.

                                      DISCUSSION
              WCST challenges the judgment on a host of grounds. It contends the court
“failed to follow the standard rules of deed and contract interpretation,” and that the
controlling “Written Instruments demonstrate[] Loomis’ right to use garage space

                                             13
38G(a).” WCST argues, “The Plan refers to fee ownership of garage air space”; “The
Declaration [i.e., the CC&R’s] excludes garages from common areas”; and the various
grant deeds—whether the developer’s suggested/sample grant deed in the CC&R’s,
WCST’s actual grant deed, or the original corporate grant deed to Unit 38’s first owner—
all show an intent “to convey 38G(a) to the owner of Unit 38.”
              Next, WCST argues the court erred in concluding the garages are exclusive
use common areas because it “improperly adopted the expert testimony of Kelly
Richardson,” whom WCST challenged as not properly designated as an expert because
he intruded on the court’s sole responsibility to interpret written documents. WCST also
argues among other claims that the court improperly applied the DSA.
              Finally, WCST argues in the alternative that “even if the garage is an
‘exclusive use common area,’ it is Loomis who is entitled to exclusive use of space
38G(A).” (Capital lettering adjusted.) Similarly, if the disputed garage is considered an
exclusive-use common area for one or more unit owners, but not all, WCST contends that
nothing in the final decision sufficiently explains “why Ling has superior rights to 38g(a)
over those of Loomis.”
              We agree with the third contention. In other words, we agree with the trial
court when it correctly cut to the heart of the matter in its Intended Decision by finding as
to the disputed garage that, “whether it is an exclusive[-use] common interest or a fee
simple interest, Plaintiff and Defendant are entitled to the shared use of the two-car
garage space identified as 38G-A and 39G-A.” (Italics added.) That is, “regardless” of
whether their respective interests in the garage are as condominium “tenants in common
or [in] fee simple ownership, . . . Unit 39 is not entitled to the exclusive use of the two
car garage space.” (Original boldface.)
              We caution that we make this determination in the context of WCST’s
specific appellate challenge, namely that the final statement of decision does not “set
forth a specific legal and factual analysis” adequate to confer on Ling’s “superior rights

                                              14
to 38g(a) over those of Loomis.” We do not hold that the trial court cannot make that
determination on a more clearly articulated basis of facts or supporting law. We reverse
and remand the matter for proceedings consistent with this opinion.
              The standard of review is well settled. Where, as here, the trial court’s
statement of decision contains both findings of fact and express or implied conclusions of
law, we review the findings of fact for substantial evidence. (Westfour Corp. v.
California First Bank (1992) 3 Cal.App.4th 1554, 1558.) “To the extent the trial court
drew conclusions of law based upon its findings of fact, we review those conclusions of
law de novo.” (Ibid.)
              WCST made much of the fact that the Huntington Harbor complex’s
governing documents do not explicitly reference the term “exclusive use common area,”
but that is understandable given that the project predated the Act. The trial court could
find the concept embraced in the CC&R’s’ reference to “reserved” areas, which notably
include “garages and patios” in the project that were “granted or reserved.” (Italics
added.) In fact, presumably relying on Richardson’s testimony, the court noted that
exclusive use common areas “are sometimes called ‘restricted common areas’ in project
documents,” and that appears to be similar to what was intended by the “reserved” term
in the CC&R’s.
              The DSA is not silent on transfer of exclusive use common areas.
Section 4645 provides: “Nothing in this article prohibits the transfer of exclusive use
areas, independent of any other interest in a common interest subdivision, if authorization
to separately transfer exclusive use areas is expressly stated in the declaration and the
transfer occurs in accordance with the terms of the declaration.” (Italics added.)
              This provision by its terms indicates that exclusive use areas that are
appurtenant to a particular unit may be severed as a separate interest from that unit and
attached or allocated to another unit or otherwise be transferred from the original unit.

                                             15
              To do so, however, authorization for such “separate[] transfer” of an
exclusive use area or areas must be “expressly stated in the declaration” and the transfer
must “occur[] in accordance with the terms of the declaration.” (§ 4645.) These
requirements prevent us from upholding the trial court’s ruling. We do not see anywhere
in the CC&R’s either authorization for the “transfer” of an exclusive use interest
“independent of any other interest.” (Ibid.) Nor do we see in the record evidence that
transfer to Ling of Unit 38’s interest in the area marked 38G-a, assuming arguendo it was
a transferable exclusive use common area interest, “occur[red] in accordance with the
terms of the declaration.” (Ibid.) The parties fail to even address these issues. Remand
is therefore necessary for the question to be resolved in the first instance.

       Epilogue
              As a regrettable but necessary epilogue to this opinion, we are compelled to
observe that the parties and the lawyers in this case have made it far more difficult to
resolve than it should have been. It must have been a frustrating case for the trial court to
preside over remotely, when a seemingly straightforward garage issue became very
complicated factually and legally—at least in the manner it was presented to the court.
              A bad situation was made worse by difficult, continuously interjecting
lawyers who raised arguments that were not germane to the issues and failed to
cooperate. These difficulties were compounded by difficult clients who made it clear
they have no intention of sharing the disputed space and who had to be reprimanded by
the trial court for making facial expressions into the camera and interfering with the
orderly presentation of the cause.
              Under these circumstances, and because we cannot say at this time as a
matter of law that the trial court cannot set forth sufficient findings of fact and law to
support its decision—if it is convinced that is the correct result—we specify that we

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intend nothing in our recitation of the facts or law to preclude the court from doing so.
The trial court is free on remand to revisit its factual and legal findings on a blank slate.

                                       DISPOSITION
              The judgment is reversed, and the matter is remanded for proceedings not
inconsistent with this opinion. Appellant is entitled to its costs on appeal.

                                                   GOETHALS, J.

WE CONCUR:

MOORE, ACTING P. J.

MOTOIKE, J.

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