Fiflis v. Cave Creek

CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedMarch 14, 2023
Docket1 CA-CV 22-0067
StatusUnpublished

This text of Fiflis v. Cave Creek (Fiflis v. Cave Creek) 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
Fiflis v. Cave Creek, (Ark. Ct. App. 2023).

Opinion

NOTICE: NOT FOR OFFICIAL PUBLICATION. UNDER ARIZONA RULE OF THE SUPREME COURT 111(c), THIS DECISION IS NOT PRECEDENTIAL AND MAY BE CITED ONLY AS AUTHORIZED BY RULE.

IN THE ARIZONA COURT OF APPEALS DIVISION ONE

MICHAEL P. FIFLIS, et al., Plaintiffs/Appellees/Cross-Appellants,

v.

TOWN OF CAVE CREEK, et al., Defendants/Appellants/Cross-Appellees.

No. 1 CA-CV 22-0067 FILED 3-14-2023

Appeal from the Superior Court in Maricopa County No. CV2019-052824 The Honorable Sally Schneider Duncan, Judge, Retired

AFFIRMED IN PART, REVERSED IN PART

COUNSEL

Sims Mackin, LTD., Phoenix By Kristin M. Mackin Co-Counsel for Defendants/Appellants/Cross-Appellees Town of Cave Creek & Richard and Sheryl Sheiner

Jardine, Baker, Hickman & Houston, P.L.L.C., Phoenix By Bradley R. Jardine Co-Counsel for Defendants/Appellants/Cross-Appellees Canyon Ridge Estates Homeowners Association

Michael P. Fiflis, Scottsdale Plaintiff/Appellee/Cross-Appellant FIFLIS, et al. v. CAVE CREEK, et al. Decision of the Court

MEMORANDUM DECISION

Presiding Judge Samuel A. Thumma delivered the decision of the Court, in which Judge Randall M. Howe and Judge Anni Hill Foster joined.

T H U M M A, Judge:

¶1 Defendants the Town of Cave Creek, Richard and Sheryl Sheiner and Canyon Ridge Estates Homeowners Association (HOA) appeal from the grant of partial summary judgment for plaintiffs Michael Fiflis and Alisa McMahon (collectively Fiflis) on the scope of easements. Fiflis cross- appeals from the grant of summary judgment rejecting trespass, taking and injunctive relief claims.

¶2 The dispositive issue is whether easements that run near Fiflis’ property and throughout Canyon Ridge Estates (CRE) can be used for bicycling, along with walking and riding horses. Fiflis has not shown that the grant of the public access easements excluded bicycling or that an amendment to the Declaration of Covenants Conditions & Restrictions (CC&R’s) clarifying that use was improper. As a result, although affirming summary judgment rejecting Fiflis’ claims, the grant of summary judgment limiting the public access easements to walking and riding horses is vacated. This matter is remanded with instructions to enter judgment consistent with this decision.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

¶3 CRE is a subdivision with about 100 residential lots. In the mid-1990s, the developer and owner developed the 243-acre property as a Planned Unit Development (PUD). As part of that process, they submitted a preliminary PUD plan for consideration by the Town. At that time, the property included existing trails that were part of a larger trail network on land owned by others. The Town approved the preliminary PUD plan subject to stipulations, including that the “final plan shall clearly delineate all approved trails on the site. The trails shall be located within 15 foot wide public access easements.” At that time, the trails were used for bicycling, walking and riding horses. The Town also required that all CC&R’s “shall contain the requirement that the CC&R’s shall be consistent with the approved stipulations.”

2 FIFLIS, et al. v. CAVE CREEK, et al. Decision of the Court

¶4 In February 1998, the Town Council approved the developer’s final submission, including the Final Plat. The Final Plat declared that the developer and owner “hereby dedicate for use as such to the public, the streets and easements (drainage, water, sewer, equestrian, and emergency access) as shown platted hereon.” The Final Plat specified many types of easements, including for trails and public access, roadways and highways, water and related facilities, utilities, construction and maintenance as well as drainage. The trail and public access easements are relevant here.

¶5 The record shows that, when the Final Plat was approved, the existing trails on the land were being used by bicycles, pedestrians and equestrians. The Final Plat included descriptions and maps for public access and equestrian trail easements, marked on the Legend as “15’ EQUESTRIAN TRAIL & PUBLIC ACCESS ESMT,” with notes on the maps stating “15’ EQUESTRIAN TRAIL AND PUBLIC ACCESS EASEMENT” and, in other places, “NOTE: DIMENSIONS ARE TO CENTERLINE OF TRAIL EASEMENT.” The page of the Final Plat containing Lot 36 (which Fiflis owns) and 37 (which currently is burdened by the easements Fiflis challenges) shows the easements on those lots beginning at a cul-de-sac. As on the other pages, the Legend states “15’ EQUESTRIAN TRAIL & PUBLIC ACCESS ESMT,” with one reference on the map stating “NOTE: DIMENSIONS ARE TO CENTERLINE OF TRAIL EASEMENT.” Nowhere do the references on the Final Plat map addressing Lots 36 and 37 reference “equestrian trail” alone.

¶6 The Narrative Report submitted with the Final Plat described the easements in various places. The first reference, in addressing lot owner responsibilities, noted that “the equestrian/pedestrian trail . . . is located within a 15 foot public easement that crosses specific lots.” The corresponding map did not differentiate permissible uses in the 15 foot public easement grant throughout the development. Elsewhere, the Narrative Report referenced the “multi-use trail within a 15 foot easement,” referencing an “equestrian/pedestrian circulation.” The Narrative Report also referenced placement of “all equestrian/pedestrian trail easements.” As approved by the Town Council, a stipulation included that the PUD final plan “shall clearly delineate all approved trails on the site. The trails shall be located within 15 foot wide public access easements.” These documents make clear that the dedication was for a broad 15 foot public access easement.

3 FIFLIS, et al. v. CAVE CREEK, et al. Decision of the Court

¶7 CC&R’s were finalized in September 1998 and recorded in October 1998 and reference the recorded Plat. Article 5 (“EASEMENTS”) addressed various easements on the property. Deferring to the easement designations in the Final Plat, Section 5.13 of the CC&Rs stated:

Certain parts of Lots are designated on the Plat as a fifteen foot (15’) equestrian trail and public access easement or a fifteen foot (15’) equestrian trail. Easements are hereby created in favor of the public over, upon and across all such easement areas for the riding and walking of horses and for pedestrian access and hiking.

This language (referencing “equestrian trail” alone) differed from the recorded Final Plat described above. The CC&R’s required that any new easements be approved by the Architectural Committee. The CC&Rs also allowed for amendment “at any time with written approval or the affirmative vote, or any combination thereof, of Owners of not less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the Lots.” The CC&Rs provide that, “[i]n the absence of any adjudication to the contrary . . . , the [HOA’s] construction or interpretation of the provisions hereof shall be final, conclusive and binding as to all persons and property benefited or bound by this Declaration.”

¶8 As noted above, bicycles were using the trails in CRE before the Final Plat was approved in February 1998. And Fiflis admits that, since at least 2010, bicycle races have run through the CRE trails. In 2011, Fiflis purchased Lot 36, which was (and remains) undeveloped. The Sheiners own Lot 37, which borders Lot 36.1 Fiflis then complained to the Town that the trail easement on Lot 36 did not align with what was shown on the Final Plat. Although the Town agreed, after years of intermittent efforts, Fiflis and the Town were unable to resolve the issue.

¶9 In 2016, the Town, the HOA and the Sheiners agreed to a public access trail easement encumbering the Sheiners’ property (Lot 37) and allowing non-motorized uses (the Sheiner Agreement).

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Bluebook (online)
Fiflis v. Cave Creek, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fiflis-v-cave-creek-arizctapp-2023.