Cook v. Pieper

34 Misc. 2d 532, 228 N.Y.S.2d 601, 1962 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3658
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 19, 1962
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 34 Misc. 2d 532 (Cook v. Pieper) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cook v. Pieper, 34 Misc. 2d 532, 228 N.Y.S.2d 601, 1962 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3658 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1962).

Opinion

Charles Lambíase, J.

This is a motion made upon the amended report of the Commissioners of Appraisal ‘ herein appointed to ascertain the compensation to be made to the several defendants for the property rights to be taken by the plaintiffs herein for the public uses specified in the petition herein, which said report was filed in the office of the Monroe County Clerk June 30, 1961 * * * for an order confirming said report and for a final order herein and such other and further relief as may be proper. ’ ’

Heretofore by report dated September 30, 1960 the Commissioners of Appraisal fixed the amount of compensation due to the defendants because of the taking herein. On a motion by plaintiffs to confirm the report, this court, Blauvelt, J., by memorandum dated March 31, 1961 concluded 1‘ that the report is insufficient to support the determination of the commissioners on the merits. Accordingly, the motion to confirm is denied and the matter remitted to the same commissioners of appraisal for reconsideration, including a rehearing and the taking of additional evidence, if they be so advised that the same is necessary, and for the making and filing of an amended report not inconsistent with this memorandum.” In its memorandum the court considered and passed upon certain exceptions filed by the defendants, and it made certain specific recommendations as to what was to be considered and determined for incorporation and inclusion in the amended report to be filed.

The defendants have excepted to the amended reports, and we noAv proceed to the orderly consideration of such exceptions.

AS TO EXCEPTION NUMBER “ 1 ”

Defendants except to the following finding:

We determine that there is no probability of such change in zoning in the reasonably foreseeable future and that the possibility of such change is remote in the extreme. We have, therefore, not included the speculative effect of such change upon the future value of defendants’ land as a basis of the [534]*534award, and we have considered only values applicable within a reasonable period before and after the taking.”

The objection is made that said finding is. irregular for errors of law and is contrary to and against the weight of the evidence. It is maintained that the probability of the subject land being used for industrial purposes should be considered because a willing buyer and a willing seller would consider such element in arriving at a value for the land.

The record discloses that evidence was adduced as to the effect on the market value of defendants’ property of a reasonable probability of change in zoning of the same from residential to industrial. The Commissioners in their amended reports state that they considered all of the testimony and arguments in respect to such reasonable probability of change. Reasonable probability that a prohibition or restriction would be modified or removed in the near future (in this instance the modification from residential zoning to industrial zoning) may be considered as a factor in the determination of reasonable value and may be shoAvn to have an actual effect on an existing market. 6 Such probabilities, as Avell as the probability of industrial and residential growth or changes in a community, may be shown to have an actual effect on an existing market. The fact that they may not actually happen is not to say this possibility does not influence the market.” (Valley Stream Lawns v. State of New York, 9 A D 2d 149, 152.) “ To what extent the possibility or probability of a change Avould affect the value as of the date of taking is dependent upon the degree of probability, the imminence of the change, the effectiveness of the opposition, and other facts Avhich are largely speculative and conjectural.” (United States v. 50.8 Acres of Land, 149 F. Supp. 749, 752, affd. United States v. Meadow Brook Club, 259 F. 2d 41, cert. denied 358 U. S. 921.)

The Commissioners’ reports recite that they did consider the matter of probable change of zoning. They conclude and set forth therein: that the highest and best use of defendants’ land at the time of the taking for the easements herein was for residential purposes as permitted by Residential “ A ” classification under the Toaati of Henrietta Ordinance; that they considered the probability of a change in zoning from residential to industrial; and that in their opinion the probability of such change of zoning in the reasonably foreseeable future was remote in the extreme, did not influence in effect the market value for which reason it was not included as a factor in the determination of market value. In our opinion there is sufficient evidence in the record for the [535]*535findings made by the commission as to the remoteness or probability of change of zoning as well as to the highest and best use of defendants’ property. We, therefore, disallow the exception.

AS TO EXCEPTION NUMBER “2”

It is urged that:

“ 2. The awards are grossly inadequate and are irregular for errors of law and are contrary to the evidence and against the weight of the evidence, in that the Commissioners of Appraisal have refused to apply the proper rules for determining fair market value, and they have failed to apply the rules of highest and best use of defendants’ property in determining value, and have failed to give any consideration to the evidence produced by defendants that the present zoning of the defendants’ property to residential would probably in the future be changed to industrial and that the highest and best use of defendants’ property is industrial, and that the use of defendants’ property as industrial enhances its value many times.”

This exception is related to and is inextricably connected with exception number “ 1 ” which we have just discussed. In view of such discussion and of our disallowance of exception numbered “1”, it would seem that this exception insofar as it related to exception 1 ‘ 1 ” also must be and hereby is disallowed. We reserve for further discussion the general exception herein that “ The awards are grossly inadequate and are irregular for errors of law and are contrary to the evidence and against the weight of the evidence ” as said objection may be based on other grounds contained in the third and fourth exceptions.

AS TO EXCEPTIONS NUMBERED “ 3 ” and “ 4 ”

In exception number “ 3 ” it is maintained:

“ That the Commissioners of Appraisal failed to consider and apply the testimony of the defendants to the effect that the taking of these easements restricted defendants in the use of their entire property because it took from them the right to drain this property with the existing facilities and the right to plan and develop the land with roads, buildings and utilities in an unrestricted manner. ’ ’

And in exception number “ 4 ”, which is more or less tied in with exception number “ 3 ”, it is urged that:

“ The description of the easements taken by the plaintiffs are indefinite and inadequate and do not state the rights of the respective parties in the use of the easements taken and are, therefore, wholly insufficient to give the Commissioners of [536]*536Appraisal a proper basis to determine values. They fail to answer the following questions:

a. Do the easements in fact divide defendants’ property in two parts, leaving that portion lying to the east without ingress and egress?

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Related

In re the County of Suffolk
48 Misc. 2d 39 (New York Supreme Court, 1965)
Papovitch v. State
37 Misc. 2d 994 (New York State Court of Claims, 1962)

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Bluebook (online)
34 Misc. 2d 532, 228 N.Y.S.2d 601, 1962 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3658, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cook-v-pieper-nysupct-1962.