Chain Belt Co. v. Commonwealth, Dept. of Highways

391 S.W.2d 357, 1965 Ky. LEXIS 294
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedMarch 19, 1965
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 391 S.W.2d 357 (Chain Belt Co. v. Commonwealth, Dept. of Highways) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Chain Belt Co. v. Commonwealth, Dept. of Highways, 391 S.W.2d 357, 1965 Ky. LEXIS 294 (Ky. Ct. App. 1965).

Opinion

DAVIS, Commissioner.

This condemnation proceeding presents the question whether the appellant con-demnee is entitled to recoup the expenses it incurred for removal and relocation of its machinery and equipment from the condemned property. The trial court, by dismissing appellant’s appeal from the Jefferson County Court, effectively determined that the expenses incident to removal and relocation of the machinery and equipment are not compensable.

Appellant had its entire operation — office, laboratory and factory — at its site at Jackson Street and River Road in Louisville. The plot contained about 4½ acres, and was considered by appellant as “highly satisfactory and quite ample for necessary expansion.” The appellee Department of Highways elected to acquire the appellant’s site incident to certain interstate highway construction. The Department and appellant agreed that $475,000 is the fair market value of the property acquired (the entire tract was taken). However, appellant insisted that in addition to that sum it should be awarded a sum equal to its actual expense in removing and relocating its machinery and equipment from the condemned site. By appropriate judgment in the Jefferson County Court in this condemnation proceeding, the sum of $475,000 was awarded appellant for the property taken; the question as to whether appellant should recover the expenses of removing and relocating the machine: y and equipment was reserved for adjudication. The removal and relocation expenses amount to $46,193.-23; it is not contended that the sum so expended is unreasonable.

The appellant urges that §§ 13 and 242 of the Kentucky Constitution require the payment of the expenses in question. It is observed that § 13, Kentucky Constitution, provides in pertinent part: “ * * * nor shall any man’s property be taken or applied to public use without the consent of his representatives, and without just compensation being previously made to him.” The expression “just compensation” also occurs in § 242 of our Constitution. Appellant reasons that these constitutional sections impel the conclusion that “the property owner should be compensated for the losses he sustains as a result of the taking of his property by the State for public use.” This argument is buttressed by quotation from East Ky. Rural Electric Coop. Corp. v. Smith, Ky., 310 S.W.2d 535, wherein this Court said:

“In determining what compensation should be paid for an easement taken under the power of eminent domain, the measure is its market value to the owner of the land taken and the loss caused to him by the taking and depriving him of its use. He is entitled to just and full compensation for both.”

The quoted language is not authority for the argument. It is noted that the same opinion construes the very language as the Court’s basis for holding that the property owner is entitled to show every legitimate use of his land and “everything that affects market value.” We consider that the phrase “the loss caused to him by the taking and depriving him of its use” as used in the just quoted passage ultimately relates to the question of difference in market value, before and after the taking. This is made plain by this further quotation from the same opinion:

“In short, the appellees here were entitled to recover such sum as would equal the difference in the market value of their entire property immediately before the taking and after the easement is taken, that market value being in a large degree its value as a potential subdivision to the growing city which it adjoins.” ibid. 310 S.W.2d, p. 539.

Appellant cites Commonwealth v. Ball, 246 Ky. 584, 55 S.W.2d 413. In that opinion reference is made to evidence that the own[359]*359er would have to move his house hack from 30 to SO feet, at an estimated cost of $3,600. This Court there said that this evidence was proper, as it affected “damage [s] to the remainder of the property.” It is clear, we believe, that the rationale of the Ball opinion on this point rests upon the then prevailing practice of instructing the jury to make separate findings as to the value of the land taken and the resulting damages to the land left. That precept was abandoned in Com., Dept. of Highways v. Sherrod, Ky., 367 S.W.2d 844. There are at least two other features distinguishing the Ball case from the one at bar; in the Ball case a part of the land was taken, but here the entire tract is taken. In the Ball case the matter dealt with was a part of the freehold — realty—here we are dealing with personalty.

Appellant directs attention to Commonwealth v. Means & Russell Iron Co., 299 Ky. 465, 185 S.W.2d 960. The widening of a road made necessary the relocation of nearly 3,000 feet of water pipe line, although only 653 feet of the pipe lay within the area of the condemned easement. It was shown that the water system could not function without the relocation of the 3,000 feet of pipe. The actual cost of relocation was proven, and the Court peremptorily instructed the jury to allow the condemnee the undisputed cost. The Highway Commission contended that the cost of relocation was not compensable. This Court rejected that contention, and pointed out that the actual cost of the relocation was an appropriate means for compensating the condemnee for the “minimum damages” sustained through the condemnation of its easement. It readily appears that the Means & Russell case was another in which only a part of the property was taken; under the rule then prevalent the condemnee was entitled to resultant damage — the method used afforded a valid yardstick. We consider the case no more apposite than the Ball case, supra, and for the same reasons.

The position is taken by appellant that the United States Constitution, Fifth Amendment, is materially different from Kentucky’s §§ 13 and 242. It is said that the provisions of the United States Constitution merely require just compensation for the property and not to the owner. Monongahela Navigation Co. v. United States, 148 U.S. 312, 325, 326, 13 S.Ct. 622, 37 L.Ed. 463. The Supreme Court, as well as other tribunals in the federal system, have consistently adhered to the view that “just compensation” is for the property and not the owner. Thus, it is reasoned that Kentucky’s Constitution must be construed differently, since its language clearly states that the “just compensation” must be “made to him” (i. e. the property owner). The argument is ingenious and has found acceptance in some jurisdictions. See Jacksonville Expressway Authority v. Henny G. Du Pree Co., Fla., 108 So.2d 289; Harvey Textile Co., Inc. v. Hill, 135 Conn. 686, 67 A.2d 851; F. del Vecchio v. New Haven Redevelopment Agency, 147 Conn. 362, 161 A.2d 190; Hunter Press v. Ives, Com’r, 150 Conn. 32, 183 A.2d 842; Humble Oil & Refining Co. v. State of New York, 15 A.D.2d 686, 223 N.Y.S.2d 448; In re Ziegler’s Petition etc. v.

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Related

State ex rel. Pack v. Walker
423 S.W.2d 473 (Tennessee Supreme Court, 1968)
Commonwealth, Department of Highways v. Shaw
390 S.W.2d 161 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976), 1965)

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Bluebook (online)
391 S.W.2d 357, 1965 Ky. LEXIS 294, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/chain-belt-co-v-commonwealth-dept-of-highways-kyctapp-1965.