Florida Power Corp. v. Griffin

144 So. 2d 104
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedAugust 10, 1962
DocketNo. 2531
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 144 So. 2d 104 (Florida Power Corp. v. Griffin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Florida Power Corp. v. Griffin, 144 So. 2d 104 (Fla. Ct. App. 1962).

Opinion

SHANNON, Chief Judge.

The appellant, petitioner in the lower court, seeks review of a final judgment in a condemnation proceeding. In the proceeding the petitioner condemned an easement for a right-of-way 100 feet in width through certain lands owned by the appellees for the purpose of constructing electric power transmission lines thereon. Included in the amended petition seeking condemnation was the following paragraph:

“3. Outside of the boundaries of the tracts of land hereinabove described as PARCELS I-V, inclusive, but closely adjacent thereto, presently stand certain danger trees *, the “* In the electrical industry, a danger tree is defined as any tree in the proximity of a transmission line, which if felled, or upon falling, could fall within five feet of any conductor or other facility included within such transmission line.”
number, location and identifying exhibit of which are as follows, to-wit:
* * * * * *
Because of their proximity, these trees, if felled, might or could collide with or approach so nearly the wires, poles and associated facilities of the transmission line in question as to delay the initial erection of the line, interfere with its maintenance after construction and endanger life and property. For these reasons it is essential as an incident of the public use described in Paragraph 1 hereof that these trees, commonly referred to as ‘danger trees,’ be removed in advance of the commencement of the construction of the line so as to eliminate all peril therefrom in building and after-wards maintaining the line, also that [105]*105the Company have a continuing right to fell and remove any other trees (now growing or which may hereafter grow in the vicinity of the aforesaid right-of-way) which may attain the status of ‘danger trees’ as heretofore defined.”

While the present danger trees were identified by an exhibit, there was no identification nor any metes and bounds or other area description of the land on which they may grow contained in the petition.

There was a pre-trial conference, out of which an order was entered, saying, among other things:

“In this case petitioner is seeking an easement across the lands described in the petition for the purpose of erecting and maintaining a power line, and also as to certain of the parcels is seeking the right to cut down certain designated danger trees, and also the continuing right to cut down and remove danger trees which may hereafter grow in the vicinity of the easement right-of-way now being sought.
******
“9. Measure of Damages. It was determined by the court that the measure of damages to be used in this trial would be the fair and reasonable market value of the strip to be taken, less its reasonable market value for use and occupancy, subject to the easement, plus any damages to the remainder.”

The trial court some eight days subsequent to the pre-trial order struck from the amended petition all reference to future danger trees. The court also refused a proffer of testimony on the subject and likewise refused an instruction to the jury. The petitioner requested a charge on the question of damages, in which a portion read as follows:

“Just compensation for the appropriation of the rights-of-way involved in this case is a fair, reasonable market value of each strip to be taken, less its reasonable market value for use and occupancy subject .to the easement, plus any damage to the remainder * * * ”

It also had tendered to the court two other instructions on the question of damages, which were refused, and which it now insists were correct and the third charge quoted above is incorrect. The appellant has submitted eight points upon which it says the court committed reversible error, while one of the appellees has filed a cross-assignment of error.

The first question presented for our consideration is the instruction concerning the measure of just compensation. The petitioner has urged that the court in giving the instruction in reference to damages followed the so-called Kentucky rule, whereas, it says, that the Florida rule is different. But whether the Kentucky rule is different from the Florida rule is not important here. The appellant submitted this instruction to the court and it was given, notwithstanding the fact that the court had refused two other requested instructions of the petitioner, which, as the petitioner says, correctly stated the Florida rule. See Roe v. Henderson, 1939, 139 Fla. 386, 190 So. 618, where the court said:

“In this cause, however, the record discloses that the charge complained of was given at the request of the plaintiff in error and we must assume that it met the facts and conditions as they existed at the time. Otherwise a litigant may inject error into the record and take advantage of it which he should not be permitted to do.
“It is last contended that the charge as a whole is misleading and confusing, that it does not fully state the legal principles involved and that it tended to prejudice the defendant’s case.
“The charge as a whole has been' read and we do not find it amenable to the assault made on it. A large portion of it was requested by the [106]*106plaintiff in error and we do not see that he is in position to complain.”

As to taking present and future danger trees, there is, as petitioner says, very little case law in Florida. Judge Knott, writing for this court in Florida Power Corp. v. Wenzel, Fla.App.1959, 113 So.2d 747, sets out the prevailing law as follows:

“Three chapters of the Florida Statutes control the power of eminent domain, being Chapters 73, 74 and 361, F.S.A. In addition to the power to condemn land provided in F.S. Chapters 73 and 74, F.S.A., a public works corporation is granted authority to enter upon adjacent lands and take therefrom material necessary for the construction and repair of its works and improvements, upon making due compensation according to law, under the following provisions of F.S., § 361.01, F.S.A.:
“ ‘The president and directors of any corporation organized for the purpose of constructing, maintaining or operating public works, or their properly authorized agents, may enter upon any land, public or private, necessary to the business contemplated in the charter, and may appropriate the same, or may take from any land most convenient to their work, any timber, stone, earth or other material which may be necessary for the construction and the keeping in repair of its works and improvements upon making due compensation according to law to private owners.’ ”

After having set forth the facts in the case of Yadkin River Power Co. v. Wissler, 160 N.C. 269, 76 S.E. 267, 43 L.R.A.,N.S., 483, holding that the public utility company had the right to condemn the privilege of cutting down danger trees adjacent to the transmission line easement, it is further stated in the Wenzel case:

“A comparison of the quoted portions of the North Carolina statute with the provisions of Sec. 361.01, supra, shows them to be substantially similar. We agree with the conclusion of the North Carolina court and with the principle underlying the decisions to like effect in other states having somewhat similar statutes. See Monongahela Power Co. v.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Clark v. Gulf Power Company
198 So. 2d 368 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1967)
Florida Power Corp. v. Griffin
150 So. 2d 270 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1963)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
144 So. 2d 104, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/florida-power-corp-v-griffin-fladistctapp-1962.