Joseph B. Tuzzeo v. Fern A. Steele

CourtNew Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division
DecidedJune 23, 2025
DocketA-2114-23
StatusUnpublished

This text of Joseph B. Tuzzeo v. Fern A. Steele (Joseph B. Tuzzeo v. Fern A. Steele) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Joseph B. Tuzzeo v. Fern A. Steele, (N.J. Ct. App. 2025).

Opinion

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE APPELLATE DIVISION This opinion shall not "constitute precedent or be binding upon any court ." Although it is posted on the internet, this opinion is binding only on the parties in the case and its use in other cases is limited. R. 1:36-3.

SUPERIOR COURT OF NEW JERSEY APPELLATE DIVISION DOCKET NO. A-2114-23

JOSEPH B. TUZZEO and MARGARET I. TUZZEO,

Plaintiffs,

v.

FERN A. STEELE, an alleged incapacitated person and GARY T. STEELE, individually and as attorney in fact,

Defendants,

and

ESTATE OF FERN A. STEELE, by her EXECUTOR, GARY T. STEELE, f/k/a FERN A. STEELE, an alleged incapacitated person, by GARY T. STEELE, her attorney in fact,

Third-Party Plaintiff-Appellant,

JANE A. WISNER, MATTHEW L. WISNER, BARRY SUNAR, LAURA FINELLI, and RE/MAX COMPETITIVE EDGE,

Third-Party Defendants,

CHANGEBRIDGE AT MONTVILLE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC., STEVE SAMITT, LARRY KORNREICH, RON LEEDS, HOWARD RAUCHBERG, MIKE EDWARDS, JOE ANZALONE, THOMAS TREGONING, ASSOCIA COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT CORP., and GERARD O'NEILL,

Third-Party Defendants-Respondents, __________________________________

Submitted May 21, 2025 – Decided June 23, 2025

Before Judges Mayer and Puglisi.

On appeal from the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division, Morris County, Docket No. C-000041-21.

Gary T. Steele, attorney for appellant.

Marks, O'Neill, O'Brien, Doherty & Kelly, PC, attorneys for respondents (Noreen P. Kemether and Bernadette Irace, on the brief).

PER CURIAM

A-2114-23 2 Third-party plaintiff Estate of Fern A. Steele (Estate) by her executor and

son, Gary T. Steele, (collectively, Steeles) 1 appeal from a December 14, 2023

order granting summary judgment to third-party defendants Changebridge at

Montville Condominium Association, Inc. (Association), the Association's

Board of Directors, Steve Samitt, Larry Kornriech, Ron Leeds, Howard

Rauchberg, Mike Edwards, Joe Anzalone, Thomas Tregoning (Board), the

Association's property management company, Associa Community

Management Corp., and the Association's property manager, Gerard O'Neill

(collectively, Changebridge defendants) and a February 2, 2024 order denying

the Estate's motion for reconsideration. We affirm both orders.

We recite the facts from the motion record. This case involves the sale of

a condominium unit (Property) in the Changebridge at Montville condominium

community (Changebridge).

The Association is a non-profit corporation responsible for enforcing

Changebridge's Master Deed and Bylaws. The Master Deed created three

categories of property within Changebridge: units, limited common elements,

1 Because third-party plaintiffs share the same last name, we refer to them by their first names. No disrespect is intended. Additionally, Fern died during the pendency of the litigation. After Fern's death in December 2021, Gary continued the litigation in his capacity as the executor of Fern's estate. A-2114-23 3 and general common elements. Under the Master Deed, a unit is a home

"designated and intended for independent use as a residential dwelling, and

having a direct exit to a [c]ommon [e]lement[] leading to a public street or way."

Limited common elements are for the exclusive use of one or more specified

units. The Master Deed identifies three limited common elements: (1) "any

driveway providing access from a roadway or driveway . . . to a garage

appurtenant to a [u]nit"; (2) sidewalks "providing access from a roadway or

driveay . . . to a [u]nit"; and (3) porches, patios, steps, and stoops "to which there

is direct access from . . . any [u]nit." All other property within Changebridge

is considered a general common element available for use by all residents.

The Bylaws govern the Association and grant the Board the "powers and

privileges necessary for the administration of the affairs, business and property

of the Association." The Bylaws confer upon the Board the power to "[a]dopt,

distribute, amend, and enforce reasonable rules and regulations governing the

use and operation of the condominium property." The Board also has "the power

. . . to enforce the terms of the governing documents of [Changebridge]

including the Master Deed. . . and these By[][l]aws." The Bylaws further

provide that, "[u]nless acting in bad faith, neither the Board as a body nor any

Director, officer or committee member shall be personally liable to any unit

A-2114-23 4 owner in any respect for any action or lack of action arising out of the execution

of his office." Additionally, the Bylaws state: "Each unit owner shall be bound

by the good faith actions of the Board, officers and committee members in the

execution of their duties."

The Association adopted Rules and Regulations (Rules) for Changebridge

residents. The Rules restrict parking to "garages, driveways, and specifically

designated parking areas. . . . Garages and driveways must be used for parking

before utilizing a parking pad."

The Property includes a driveway leading from the road to the garage.

Adjacent to the right-hand side of the Property's driveway is an extended paved

area sized to accommodate two cars (Disputed Parking Area). In 2020, the

Steeles listed the Property for sale with a real estate agent. Because the agent

did not know if the Disputed Parking Area was included as part of the Property,

the agent asked the Association's property manager for clarification. The

property manager responded the Disputed Parking Area was a general common

element. In January 2021, the real estate agent changed the sales listing to

include the Disputed Parking Area as designated parking for the Property .

According to the real estate agent, she made the change because the property

manager called and explained he was incorrect in his initial response.

A-2114-23 5 In February 2021, plaintiffs Joseph and Margaret Tuzzeo (buyers) entered

into a contract to purchase the Property for $534,900. The closing was set for

March 9, 2021. At a pre-closing walkthrough, buyers found unfamiliar cars

parked in the Disputed Parking Area. The cars belonged to Fern's neighbors.

Gary, on Fern's behalf, asked the neighbors to move their cars. The neighbors

refused to do so. A Board member gave buyers warning stickers to place on the

neighbors' cars. The Association did not take any action to remove the

neighbors' cars from the Disputed Parking Area.

After discovering the issue with the Disputed Parking Area, buyers

declined to proceed with the purchase of the Property. In April 2021, buyers

filed suit against the Steeles for specific performance under the real estate

contract and removal of the neighbors' cars from the Disputed Parking Area.

Before filing an answer to buyers' complaint, Gary, on behalf of Fern,

demanded the Board deem the Disputed Parking Area a limited common

element. The Board referred the matter to its attorney. In an email to Gary, the

Board's attorney advised the Disputed Parking Area was a general common

element. Counsel also inquired if Fern wished to pursue Alternative Dispute

Resolution (ADR) consistent with the Bylaws.

A-2114-23 6 Three days later, Gary filed a counterclaim against the buyers and a third-

party complaint against (1) the neighbors for trespass and tortious interference;

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Joseph B. Tuzzeo v. Fern A. Steele, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/joseph-b-tuzzeo-v-fern-a-steele-njsuperctappdiv-2025.