American Savings Service Corp. v. Kosaka

718 P.2d 1001, 149 Ariz. 348, 1985 Ariz. App. LEXIS 845
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedNovember 27, 1985
DocketNo. 2 CA-CIV 5434
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 718 P.2d 1001 (American Savings Service Corp. v. Kosaka) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
American Savings Service Corp. v. Kosaka, 718 P.2d 1001, 149 Ariz. 348, 1985 Ariz. App. LEXIS 845 (Ark. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinion

OPINION

BIRDSALL, Presiding Judge.

This appeal is from the trial court's finding that the appellants’ attempt to reserve development rights in certain common areas of a condominium was ineffective and contrary to Arizona’s horizontal property regime statute.

The appellants are American Savings Service Corporation ("American Savings”) and Tucson Racquet and Swim Club, Inc. (“Tucson Racquet Club”)—formerly joint venturers—and William Selby, owner of a condominium unit which the appellees claim is part of the common elements of the Racquet Club Condominium. The ap-pellees are owners of condominium units within the condominium.

On December 20, 1979, appellant American Savings filed a quiet title action in Pima County Superior Court against the appellees. The complaint sought a declaration that American Savings, throughout its joint venture with the Tucson Racquet Club, created “development rights” which were properly reserved in the various documents of the horizontal property regime. The appellees thereafter filed a counterclaim against American Savings seeking a declaration that the appellees, as unit owners and together with other owners, were the sole and exclusive owners of all the common elements within the condominium and that the appellants had no right to develop any portion of the common elements.

On May 1, 1980, the appellees filed a quiet title action in Pima County Superior Court against the Tucson Racquet Club. The complaint was identical to the counterclaim against American Savings. On July 12, 1982, the appellees filed a crossclaim against Selby as owner of the disputed Unit 45. The crossclaim sought a declaration that Unit 45, which was formerly the caretaker’s dwelling, was part of the common elements of the condominium.

These actions were consolidated. On March 11, 1985, the trial court granted the appellees’ Motion for Partial Summary

[351]*351Judgment, holding that the joint venture’s attempt to create and reserve certain development rights within Racquet Club Condominium was ineffective under the horizontal property regime statute. The court further held that the creation of Unit 45 was null and void and that an agreement terminating the limited partnership of the unit owners and the joint venturers did not constitute a release or waiver of interest by the appellees or a granting of an interest in the horizontal property regime by the ap-pellees to the appellants.

FACTS

In late 1972, American Savings and Tucson Racquet Club formed a joint venture, known as Racquet Club Ranch Resort, to develop certain real property as the Racquet Club Condominium. To this end, the joint venture acquired two parcels of land adjacent to the Tucson Racquet Club. Parcel I already contained approximately 55 buildings. By 1973, the 28 newest of those buildings had been converted into 44 condominium units and the remaining buildings, except for the caretaker’s house, were demolished. The joint venture planned to construct another 74 units on Parcel I. Parcel II consisted of an undeveloped 55-foot strip of land on which the joint venture planned to build 44 units. Parcel II remains undeveloped.

While still sole owner, the joint venture executed a Declaration of Horizontal Property Regime and a Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions. These documents, along with a Plat covering the 44 units on Parcel I, were recorded in Pima County on February 13, 1973. The Declaration of Horizontal Property Regime stated that all owners of units shall be members of the council of co-owners and subject to the bylaws promulgated by the council. On February 27, 1973, the joint venture, still the sole owner of all 44 condominium units, executed, adopted, and recorded the bylaws. The bylaws provide in part:

“XII.A.2. Buildings and Improvements to be Constructed
Declarant may construct additional Buildings containing units on the Land, provided, however, that no more than seventy-four (74) new and additional Units shall be contained in additional Buildings constructed on Parcel I described on Appendix A hereto, and no more than forty-four (44) new and additional Units shall be contained in additional Buildings constructed on Parcel II described on Appendix A hereto. Other structures and facilities which Declarant, in its sole discretion deems to be in the best interest of the Racquet Club Condominium or the Racquet Club Ranch Resort rental operation may be constructed upon the Land until such time as a final amendment to the Declaration, designated as such, has been recorded.
B. Units
The Unit number and Common Element Percentage Factor of each of the initial forty-four (44) Units are set forth in Appendix B to the Declaration, which shall be amended from time to time to reflect the Unit numbers and the new Common Elements Percentage Factors of all Units existing from time to time as a result of any increase in the total number of Units resulting from additional Units constructed or to be constructed upon Parcels I and II____
C. Declarant reserves the right to alter, modify, build upon or change all Common Elements, both General and Limited, pursuant to Declarant’s right to construct additional Buildings containing Units or other improvements, as provided in Paragraphs A and B of this Article XII, until such time as a final amendment to the Declaration and final Plat, both designated as such, have been recorded. Prior to recordation of such final amendment and final Plat, no person whatsoever shall have any right to object to or in any way contest any alteration, modification, or change to any of the Common Elements, whether General or Limited, resulting from, caused by or in connection with Declarant’s rights and privileges (i)[sic] to construct additional Buildings containing Units or other im-[352]*352proveniente pursuant to this Article XII, or (2)[sic] to amend the Declaration pursuant to Article XII hereof.
******
XX. Amendment
A. Until and including December 31, 1977, each person who may become an Owner of any Unit does hereby irrevocably appoint Declarant as such Owner’s agent to execute such amendment or amendments to the Declaration, the Covenants and these By-Laws, as Declarant, in its sole discretion, may deem to be in the best interest of all of the Owners of all of the Unite contained in the Racquet Club Condominium. The agency created hereby is non-revocable and constitutes a power coupled with an interest so long as Declarant shall be an Owner of any Unit in the Racquet Club Condominium. The agency hereby created shall be binding upon the heirs, executors, personal representatives, administrators, successors and assigns of all Owners of all Units within the Racquet Club Condominium until and including December 31, 1977.”

On May 4, 1973, before any of the unite were sold, the joint venture recorded the first amendment to the bylaws. The amendment replaced paragraph D of article XII relating to the computation of common element percentage factors which establish the unit owners’ undivided interest in the common elements.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
718 P.2d 1001, 149 Ariz. 348, 1985 Ariz. App. LEXIS 845, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/american-savings-service-corp-v-kosaka-arizctapp-1985.