Bullis v. State

51 Misc. 2d 448, 273 N.Y.S.2d 392, 1966 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1573
CourtNew York Court of Claims
DecidedAugust 24, 1966
DocketClaim No. 44400
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 51 Misc. 2d 448 (Bullis v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Court of Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bullis v. State, 51 Misc. 2d 448, 273 N.Y.S.2d 392, 1966 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1573 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1966).

Opinion

Henry W. Lengyel, J.

This is a claim for the appropriation of claimants ’ land pursuant to section 30 of the Highway Law, which proceeding is described as Liberty-County Line, Part 2, S. H. No. 5234, Sullivan County, Map No. 173 Parcels Nos. 297 and 298. The aforesaid map and descriptions were filed in the office of the Secretary of State on the 14th day of July, 1964; and in the office of the County Clerk of Sullivan County on the 7th day of August, 1964. The claim was filed with the Clerk of the Court of Claims and the Attorney-General on the 14th day of October, 1964 and has not been assigned or submitted to any other court or tribunal for audit or determination. The court adopts the descriptions of the appropriated property as shown on the map and descriptions filed in the Sullivan County Clerk’s office, a copy of which is attached to the claim and same is incorporated herein by reference. Claimants reputedly were the owners of the property described herein, a portion of which was appropriated by the State of New York.

[450]*450Subject property was located in the Village of Boscoe, Town of Bockland, New York, near the eastern boundary of said village. It fronted on both the north and south sides of Boute 17. A 10.2± acre parcel with 310± feet of frontage was located on the north side of Boute 17. Opposite this parcel was a 1.43± acre parcel with 352± feet of frontage along the south boundary of said highway.

The property north of Boute 17 was improved with the Boscoe Diner. Both appraisers agreed that this parcel had not been directly damaged or otherwise affected by the appropriation. We have allocated a nominal $1 before and after value to said northern parcel.

The 1.43± acre parcel south of Boute 17 was generally level with the grade of said highway. This parcel had 352± feet frontage on Boute 17 and 120± feet frontage on Cottage Street, a blacktopped village street which ran south from Boute 17. The south property line measured 353.20± feet and the west property line measured 214 ± feet.

The State’s appraiser divided the property into two parcels, i.e., a leased gas station parcel and the remaining land which contained a fuel oil business and a residence. The claimants’ appraiser divided the property into three parcels, i.e., the leased gas station parcel; the area of frontage west of the gas station parcel to a depth of 100± feet; and, the back area which contained the fuel oil business and a small cabin. After viewing the property and reviewing the evidence, we find ourselves in agreement with the claimants’ appraiser in respect to his physical division of the property but not as to his measurements.

The northeast parcel contained 0.45 ± acre of land and was leased to Humble Oil and Befining Company. This parcel contained 200± feet of the Boute 17 frontage and 100± feet of the frontage along Cottage Street. It was a generally rectangular parcel. Claimants’ appraiser considered that said leased parcel contained 0.332± acre with 183± feet frontage on Boute 17 and 79± feet frontage on Cottage Street. Prom claimants’ appraisal it is obvious that said appraiser considered that the 200± feet frontage on Boute 17 and the 100± feet frontage on Cottage Street set forth in the lease were measured from the centerlines of said streets. He, therefore, deducted the distance from the center of the streets to the street boundaries and arrived at the above frontage figures. The lease did establish the measurements from the center of said streets. However, if we use the center of Boute 17 as the starting point for the west boundary line of 100± feet, we find that the rear boundary line of the leased property would run through the service station building [451]*451leaving about one third of said building outside the boundaries of the leased parcel. Such situation is obvious when one examines the appropriation map and the scaled sketches of the leased property contained in the two appraisals which were received in evidence. We, therefore, find that the dimensions of the leased property were as set forth by the State’s appraiser. This site was improved with a two-story wood frame building. The ground floor contained a three-stall service garage with a built-in grease pit. Also located on the ground floor were a small office, snack bar and two lavatories. The second floor contained a four-room apartment with bath. The site was enhanced by blacktop and a gas pump island. It was serviced by electricity and municipal sewer and water. The lease was negotiated on February 1, 1961 and terminated on September 14, 1965. The rental was $150 per month plus $0.01 per gallon for each gallon pumped over 125,000 gallons annually. We consider this lease, which was negotiated about 3.5 years prior to the appropriation, to be excellent indicia of the fair market value of this parcel prior to the appropriation. The highest and best use of this parcel both before and after the appropriation was as a gas service station with an apartment.

Immediately west of the gas station parcel was the parcel which contained the residence occupied by claimants’ son. This parcel had 152± feet frontage on the south side of Route 17 and a depth of 100± feet. It contained 0.348± acre. Located at the easterly end of the parcel, approximately 16± feet westerly of the service station parcel’s west boundary line and almost centered in the depth of said parcel, was a one-story wood frame residence with a gable roof. It was on a cinder block foundation and did not contain a basement. It did contain a living room, kitchen with dining area, one bedroom and full bath. It was heated with an oil-fired hot air furnace. At the date of the appropriation a house trailer was located just west of the residence. The claimants’ appraiser valued this property as commercially developable land both before and after the appropriation. In his opinion the residence would not have to be removed for such use to be made of the property. He thought the appropriation consequently damaged this land by 20% but did not damage the residence. As he did not consequentially damage the residence, we must assume his consequential damage of 20% was solely related to his commercial theory. In our opinion, the area was too small to be used both commercially and for a residence. The State’s appraiser considered this parcel and the backland as one parcel and allocated a highest and best use before the appropriation as commercial and residential. He consequen[452]*452tially damaged the residence building by 5%. As stated previously we separated this parcel from the backland which contained the fuel oil business. We find that the highest and best use of this parcel both before and after the appropriation was residential. We find a consequential damage of 5% to both the remaining land and the building in the residential parcel.

The third parcel was a commercially developed parcel' of 0.632± acre at the rear of the above-described parcels. This parcel had 20± feet frontage on Cottage Street and extended 353.20± feet to the west boundary line where it had a width of 114± feet. The claimants operated a fuel oil business on this section of their property, which was its highest and best use prior to the appropriation. The remaining land after the appropriation, 0.0934± acre, had a nominal highest and best use as an addition to the leased parcel. The improvements used in the fuel oil business were generally affixed to the real estate in a line along the south or rear boundary line. There were two small one-story wood frame structures with shed roofs of rolled composition material used for storage purposes. There was a one-story wood frame building with a gable roof.

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Related

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246 N.E.2d 735 (New York Court of Appeals, 1969)

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Bluebook (online)
51 Misc. 2d 448, 273 N.Y.S.2d 392, 1966 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1573, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bullis-v-state-nyclaimsct-1966.