Miller v. Pacific Pipeline Construction Co.

291 P.2d 534, 138 Cal. App. 2d 187, 1955 Cal. App. LEXIS 1303
California Court of Appeal·Decided December 27, 1955·No. Civ. No. 21287·Published·Cited by 3 cases

Opinion

MOORE, P. J.

Appeal from a judgment denying injunctive relief to plaintiffs Miller, Kukta and Silberman, who alleged that a public road contiguous to their several parcels of land had been fenced in by respondent to their detriment; and from the order denying their motion for a new trial. The latter is nonappealable. Inasmuch as the appeal is based solely upon the judgment roll, we shall proceed at once to set forth the pertinent findings and conclusions here under scrutiny. In substance, they follow :*

Plaintiffs own parcels of land in Los Angeles County adjacent to a public road known as Lemp Street. Prior to the filing of this action, Lemp Street had been in open, continuous and notorious use from 1924 to November, 1951. Appellants own collectively more than 200 feet frontage on the west side of Lemp Street just south of Hart Street, and about 150 feet on the east side of Lemp beginning about 60 feet south of Hart Street.

Respondent owns two parcels, to wit: parcel 1, about 100 feet contiguous to and on the east side of Lemp Street (just south of Kukta’s parcel); and parcel 2, on the west side of Lemp Street (just south of Miller’s lot) extending 200 feet south to DeHougne Street. The northern boundary of parcel 1 extended across Lemp Street is the northern boundary of parcel 2.

Prior to the filing of this action on July 15, 1953, Lemp Street extended south from Hart Street to Van Owen Street. The use of Lemp Street had long been adverse to the predecessors in interest of respondent, and a public roadway was thereby established prior to respondent’s acquisition of parcel 1 on December 12, 1946. It lay over and upon the most [189] westerly ends of the parcels of Kukta and Silberman and Number 1. Appellant Miller acquired title to his land March 1, 1947; Kukta acquired his February 17, 1947; Silberman acquired his January 24, 1947. Respondent acquired parcel 2 about April, 1953. At the time of the acquisition of parcel 1, respondent erected a fence running from its north to its south boundary, set back 20 feet from the parcel’s true westerly boundary. Thereafter, Lemp Street continued to be used by the general public, including appellant, without objection by respondent. In November, 1951, a flood descended and Lemp Street was washed out.

About the time of the filing of this action, respondent caused a fence to be constructed across the north end of parcel 1.

The flood washed Lemp Street out completely from the northerly line of respondent’s parcels 1 and 2 to Van Owen Street. The washout was never repaired. From, the time of filing the complaint herein, Lemp Street, for the entire distance of the washout, was not passable for vehicles and was not used by the general public or by appellants.

After the flood, respondent dumped heavy, bulky material [190] on the eroded area of its property, including Lemp Street, but neither the public nor any appellant tried to restore the washed out area from the northerly line of defendant’s parcels to Van Owen Street. The public generally proceeded from Van Owen Street north for 100 feet on the washed out area of Lemp Street, thence northwesterly on a private right of way to DeHougne Street, thence west to Lankershim Boulevard. From November, 1951, to the filing of this action, Lemp Street was not used by the general public.

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Miller v. Pacific Pipeline Construction Co., 291 P.2d 534, 138 Cal. App. 2d 187, 1955 Cal. App. LEXIS 1303 (Cal. Ct. App. 1955).

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