Court Opinion

ID: 9705842
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 01:23:30.211675+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:26:04.597079
License: Public Domain

HOFFMAN, Judge,
concurring.
I concur in the result reached by the majority. The Board is clearly entitled to judgment as a matter of law.
Generally, summary judgment is proper where there exists no material issue of fact; the inferences arising from the facts are not subject to disagreement; and the moving party is otherwise entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Ind.Rules of Procedure, Trial Rule 56. Contrary to the majority's statement that "Taylor-Chal-mers does not provide any evidence to support its claim," Taylor-Chalmers has forwarded a great number of significant facts. Specifically, there are facts indicating that Taylor-Chalmers' right to alienate its property has been impaired, and that the market value of its property may have decreased. However, these facts are undisputed and accepted by the Board. The courts have consistently held that where the facts are undisputed, summary judgment is an appropriate vehicle to declare whether or not a taking has occurred. See, City of Anderson v. Associated Furni*536ture, etc. (1981), Ind., 423 N.E.2d 293; Sayre v. City of Cleveland (6th Cir.1974) 493 F.2d 64.
The trial court was not left to determine whether a material issue of fact exists. Although takings cases may be extremely fact sensitive, the ultimate application of constitutional provisions to an established set of facts involves a pure question of law. The Supreme Court of Indiana has held that certain restrictions on the use of property establish an unconstitutional taking as a matter of law. Ailes v. Decatur County Area Planning Com'n (1983), Ind., 448 N.E.2d 1057; Schuh v. State (1968), 251 Ind. 403, 241 N.E.2d 362.
I believe that the uncontested facts of this case entitle the Board to summary judgment as a matter of law. In Indiana, a compensable taking of property is defined as follows:
"What is a 'taking' of property within the constitutional provision is not always clear, but so far as general rules are permissible of declaration on the subject, it may be said that there is a taking where the act involves an actual interference with, or disturbance of property rights, which are not merely consequential, or incidental injuries to property or property rights, as distinguished from prohibition of use, or enjoyment or destruction of interests in property." (Citations omitted.) School Town of Andrews v. Heiney (1912), 178 Ind. 1, at 7, 98 N.E. 628, at 630; I & M Elec. Co. v. Stevenson et al. (1977), 173 Ind.App. 329, 363 N.E.2d 1254.
The property in question has not been rezoned, nor is Taylor-Chalmers prohibited from developing this tract for any purpose permitted under existing zoning regulations. Taylor-Chalmers' only assertion is that the rezoning of neighboring real estate has decreased the "highest and best" market value of its property. Mere diminution in property value, standing alone does not establish a taking. Penn Central Transp. Co. v. New York City (1978), 438 U.S. 104, 98 S.Ct. 2646, 57 LEd.2d 631; Euclid v. Ambler Co. (1926), 272 U.S. 365, 47 S.Ct. 114, 71 L.Ed. 303. Furthermore, the injury alleged by Taylor-Chalmers in light of the undisputed facts is too indirect and speculative in nature to establish a taking. The trial court properly applied the law to these facts, and in such a case the Board was entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law.