Iowa State Highway Commission v. Hipp

147 N.W.2d 195, 259 Iowa 1082, 29 A.L.R. 3d 1096, 1966 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 914
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedDecember 13, 1966
Docket52226
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 147 N.W.2d 195 (Iowa State Highway Commission v. Hipp) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Iowa State Highway Commission v. Hipp, 147 N.W.2d 195, 259 Iowa 1082, 29 A.L.R. 3d 1096, 1966 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 914 (iowa 1966).

Opinion

Moore, J.

This is an appeal from the trial court’s dismissal of plaintiff’s petition asking declaratory judgment that its agents and employees have a right to enter upon the Wright County farms owned or occupied by defendants for the purpose of making surveys and investigations in contemplation of condemnation for highway purposes. Plaintiff also asked that defendants be enjoined and restrained from interfering with the making of such survey and investigation.

The trial court held plaintiff has no authority to enter upon defendants’ realty and to do so would be a trespass. We agree.

The facts are not disputed. In connection with the pro-: *1084 posed construction of interstate 35 in Wright County, Iowa State Highway Commission engineers and employees went on the farmlands of defendants without obtaining permission and started making surveys, setting stakes, and doing whatever else was necessary. The farmers then stopped plaintiff’s agents and employees and denied them access to the land. No condemnation proceeding had been instituted against any of the land owned or occupied by the various defendants.

The sole issue presented here is whether the right of entry onto real property, in good faith, for the purpose of making a preliminary survey and investigation is permitted as a necessary incident of the exercise of eminent domain by the State.

I. The question presented is new to this court. We are not considering the right to enter under police power, such as an entry to make an arrest, fight a fire or perhaps make an inspection to protect public health. We are asked only to determine whether the highway commission under the power of eminent domain granted to it may enter upon or explore land before proceedings to acquire it.

This question is the subject of an annotation in 29 A. L. R. 1409, where it is stated:

“The matter of the power to authorize, temporary entries for the purpose of preliminary surveys, etc., before the commencement of proceedings to condemn land, is frequentty mentioned in judicial opinions and in the textbooks; but there seem to be very few cases directly upon it. It will be seen that in at least one case (Marshall v. Niagara Springs Orchard Co. [1912], 22 Idaho 144, 125 Pacific 208) the position is taken that a body having the right of eminent domain,.and being unable to get access to the land,' might condemn as an easement the right to enter and make preliminary surveys, etc. * * # But upon what ground the right of entry is based, where it is granted for the purposes of a preliminary survey, etc., preceding condemnation proceedings, does not seem to be very definitely indicated by the courts.
“While there are but few cases which decide directly upon the merits the question of the power of the legislature to authorize a body having the power of eminent domain to enter upon *1085 land for the purposes of preliminary surveys, etc., before commencement of proceedings to acquire it, there is an abundance of judicial opinion that the legislature has such power.”

In Eminent Domain, Valuation and Procedure, the author, Alfred D. Jahr, in section 57, page 82, states: “In-most states, prior to the condemnation of the particular property in question, the condemnor generally is given the right by statute to enter upon property for the purposes of making surveys, test borings and similar examinations. Such occupation of a temporary nature may be authorized by law provided no injury is caused to the private property owner; and provided further that within a reasonable time thereafter the condemnor actually condemns the property for public use. Any damage or injury to the property done during the temporary occupation, of course, is compensable but not in the condemnation proceeding. It is an action outside of the condemnation proceeding for such injury to real property. Furthermore, such temporary occupation must be of such a nature as to not constitute auy appreciable interference with the possession of the land.”

In 26 Am. Jur.2d, Eminent Domain, section 168, page 842, the editor states: “While there are but few cases which decide directly upon the merits of the question of the power of the legislature to authorize a body having the power of eminent domain to enter upon land for the purposes of preliminary surveys, etc., before commencement of proceedings to acquire it, there is an abundance of judicial opinion that the legislature has such power.” See also 29A C. J. S., Eminent Domain, section 226a.

Appellant in its brief states the only case found which appears to be squarely-on point with the case at bar is Thomas v. City of Horse Cave, 249 Ky. 713, 61 S.W.2d 601, in which it is held the right of entry upon property, in good faith, for the purpose of making a preliminary survey and investigation with the view of condemnation, is a necessary right and incident to condemnation.

At page 720 of 249 Ky., page 604, 61 S.W.2d, the Kentucky court states: “Counsel do not cite us to any authority, nor we know of none, conferring upon an individual holder of a franchise the right of preliminary survey and examination as an incident or right precedent to the institution of condemnation *1086 proceedings, but the trend of authorities is to the effect that all corporations or persons possessed of the right of eminent domain are invested with the right and authority to enter upon private property for the purpose of making surveys preliminary to the institution of condemnation proceedings for the purpose of acquiring such property as may be necessary in the exercise of its franchise right.” The court then cites and quotes authorities from other jurisdictions where railroads and other holders of special privileges of condemnation are apparently expressly granted the right to preliminary entry and therefrom concludes all holders of a franchise to acquire land by condemnation should have such a right. We are not impressed with this reasoning and conclusion.

II. Appellant endeavors to support its contention on the provisions of chapter 489, Code 1962, which provides for the franchising and granting the right of eminent domain for the erection of electric transmission lines. Section 489.14, as pertinent here, provides:

“Any person, company or corporation proposing to construct a transmission line or other facility which, involves the taking of property under the right of eminent domain and desiring to enter upon the land, which it proposes to appropriate, for the purpose of examining or surveying the same, shall first file with the Iowa state commerce commission or with the county board of supervisors in the county the land is situated, a written statement under oath setting forth the proposed routing of the line or facility including a description of the lands to be crossed, the names and addresses of owners, together with request that a permit be issued by said commission or board of supervisors authorizing said person, company or corporation or its duly appointed representative to enter upon the land for the purpose of examining and surveying and to take and use thereon any vehicle and surveying equipment necessary in making the survey.

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Bluebook (online)
147 N.W.2d 195, 259 Iowa 1082, 29 A.L.R. 3d 1096, 1966 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 914, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/iowa-state-highway-commission-v-hipp-iowa-1966.