Court Opinion

ID: 9566441
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 19:39:20.959586+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:37:32.561962
License: Public Domain

ROSE, Justice
(specially concurring).
I concur in the result reached here but I take issue with one thought, which, to me, conveys a meaning and inference which, within itself, is anomalous and serves to dull the clarity and preciseness of the opinion. Indeed, it may mislead those who would rely on it.
I have reference to the following sentence :
“ . . . Any claim of prescriptive right must be made in any new proceeding for the establishment of the road, as must the appellees’ claim for damages . . .”
The opinion has previously and properly made the following observation:
“. . . prescriptive use is not sufficient to establish a public or county road and that this must be established by legal authority ...”
Referring to Rocky Mountain Sheep Co. v. Board of County Com’rs of Carbon County, 73 Wyo. 11, 269 P.2d 314, at 320, the opinion says:
“. . . This last case further closes the door to claims of legal title arising by prescriptive use without proper lawful establishment proceedings of the claimed road ...”
My problem arises when I attempt to correlate the holding to the effect that prescriptive use
“. . . is not sufficient to establish a public or county road . . . without proper lawful establishment proceedings of the claimed road . . . ,”
with the inference that prescriptive acquisition might, nevertheless, be possible in a proceeding where the landowner makes a claim for damages. I cannot understand the thought.
Justice Harnsberger spoke to the subject of county road acquisition by prescription as compared to statutory acquisition which contemplates the payment of damages, when he said in Rocky Mountain Sheep Co. v. Board of County Comr’s, supra, at page 319 of 269 P.2d:
“So, also, if a board of county commissioners relies upon the county’s having obtained prescriptive title to lands within a right of way, or any part thereof, in order to avoid the payment of damage for their taking, the inception of such prescriptive title must be evidenced by more formal acts than the user of the road by the public or by the county’s construction and maintenance of the road because, in order to be empowered to acquire such prescriptive title, the records of the county must show not only the survey plat of the road but also the proceedings of the board in relation to the road’s location, establishment or alteration, thus making manifest the county’s purpose to acquire the lands involved.” (Emphasis supplied.)
It is my understanding that prescription forecloses the concept of the payment of damages and a proceeding which contemplates the payment of damages is alien to acquisition by prescription.
I would have deleted the questioned sentence.
*1202ADDENDUM
“October-5th, 1960
* ■ * *’ * • • * *
“MC FADDEN-ARLINGTON ROAD:
“A motion was made by Patton, "seconded by Orton and carried whereby the Board decided to locate a road to be known as McFadden-Arlington Road and ordered the following location to be published in the Rawlins Daily Times.

“NOTICE OF LOCATION OF PUBLIC ROAD

“TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: The Board of County Commissioners of Carbon County, Wyoming, have decided to locate a road to be known as the McFadden-Arlington Road.
“Commencing at a point 30 ft. north of the SE Corner of the NW ¼ SE ⅛, Section 34, T. 20 N. R. 78 W., 6th P.M.; thence westerly to a point 30 ft. north and 60 ft. west of the SW corner of the NE ⅛ SW J4, said Sec. 34; thence southwesterly across said Section 34 and Section 33, said Township and Range to a point 1210' west of the SE Corner of said Section 33; thence southwesterly across Sections 4, 5, 8, 17, 18 and 19, to a point ISO' north of the S.W. Corner of Section 19 all in Township 19 N. R. 78 W., being 6.14 miles more or less.
“Right of Way to be 60' wide — 30' each side of above described center line.
“The proposed location and width of right of way required are set forth in detail on a map on file with the County Clerk and may be examined at his office.
“Any land owner or interested party desiring to raise any question with respect to the necessity of the taking of the land for road purposes shall do so by filing, within thirty days after the last publication of this notice a petition in the District Court of the county in which the land is located. If no petition to raise the question of necessity is filed within the said thirty day period, the necessity shall be presumed and the question cannot later be raised.
“All other objections thereto or claims- for damages by reason thereof must be filed in writing with the County Clerk of, said County before noon on the 7th day of December, I960,, or such road will be established without reference to such objections or claims for damages.
“/s/ R. G. ENGSTROM, COUNTY CLERK
“Dated Oct. 5, 1960, Pub. 10, 12, 19, 26, 1960.
“There being no further business-the meeting was adjourned.”
PLAINTIFF’S EXHIBIT 1
“December 6, 1960
⅝ ⅝ ⅜ ⅜ ⅜ ⅝
“MC FADDEN-ARLINGTON ROAD. “On October 12, 16 and 26, 1960 a Notice of Location of Public Road was advertised in the Rawlins Daily Times. An objection and claim for damages was received from Bryan White. A motion was made by Patton, seconded by Orton and carried whereby further action was postponed until the regular meeting to be held January 4th,
1961.
******
“There being no further business the meeting was adjourned.”
(Duly published.)
PLAINTIFF’S EXHIBIT 8
“July 3, 1963 The Board resumed its session, all members present.
⅜ ⅜: ⅜ ⅜5 ⅜ ⅜
“NOTICE OF LOCATION OF PUBLIC ROAD
“McFADDEN-ARLINGTON COUNTY ROAD NUMBER 5
“The Board of County Commissioners of Carbon County, Wyoming,' have decided to locate a road to be known as McFADDEN-ARLINGTON COUNTY ROAD NUMBER S.
“Commencing at a point in section 34, T. 20 N., R. 78 W. and traverses southwester*1203ly through sections 34 & 33 T. 20 N., R. 78 W.; sections 4, 5, 8, 18 & 19 T. 19 N., R. 78 W.; and sections 22, 23, 24, 27, & 28 T. 19 N., R. 79 W. terminating at a point which is on the Boundary of the Medicine Bow National Forest in section 28, T. 19 N., R. 79 W. The right of way shall be one hundred (100) feet in width, being fifty (SO) feet right and fifty (SO) feet left of the centerline. The approximate length 10.42 miles more or less.
“The proposed location and width of right of way required are set forth in detail on a map on file with the County Clerk and may be examined at his office.
“Any land owner or interested party desiring to raise any question with respect to the necessity of the taking of the land for road purposes shall do so by filing, within thirty days after the last publication of this notice, a petition in the District Court of the county in which the land is located. If no petition to raise the question of necessity is filed within the said thirty day period, the necessity shall be presumed and the question cannot later be raised.
“All other objections thereto or claims for damages by reason thereof must be filed in writing with the County Clerk of said county before noon on the 6th day of August, A. D., 1963, or such road will be established without reference to such objections or claims for damages.
“There being no further business, the Board adjourned until July 22, 1963 when they will meet to adopt the 1963-1964 budgets for various County municipalities.” (Pub.: July 10,17,24,1963.)
PLAINTIFFS EXHIBIT 9
“August 6,1963
* * * * * *
“McF ADDEN-ARLIN GTON COUNTY ROAD No. 5
“In compliance with Notice of Location of the above described public road, protests and claims for damages were received until noon on August 6,1963.
“A letter was received from Thomas M. Burns, Attorney for the Anschutz Oil Co., Denver, Colorado that they would not consent to taking any part of this land without compensation.
“A claim for damages was received from Bryan White who met with the Board. It was decided that no further action would be taken at this meeting, pending further investigation of possible changes in survey and width of proposed road.”
(Duly published.)
PLAINTIFF’S EXHIBIT 14