Nolan v. Starlight Pines Homeowners Ass'n

167 P.3d 1277, 216 Ariz. 482, 2007 WL 2911925
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedOctober 9, 2007
Docket1 CA-CV 06-0572
StatusPublished
Cited by57 cases

This text of 167 P.3d 1277 (Nolan v. Starlight Pines Homeowners Ass'n) 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
Nolan v. Starlight Pines Homeowners Ass'n, 167 P.3d 1277, 216 Ariz. 482, 2007 WL 2911925 (Ark. Ct. App. 2007).

Opinion

JOHNSEN, Judge.

¶ 1 Plaintiffs-Appellants Richard B. and Patricia E. Nolan appeal the trial court’s entry of summary judgment in favor of Defendant-Appellee Starlight Pines Homeowners Association (“Starlight”) on the Nolans’ claims that by failing to make certain common areas of the Starlight Pines development accessible to Richard in his wheelchair, Starlight engaged in discrimination, breached its contract with the Nolans and created a nuisance that damaged the Nolans’ property value. For the following reasons, we affirm.

BACKGROUND

¶ 2 The Nolans own two lots in the Starlight Pines subdivision located in Happy Jack: Lot 469, on which they built a home, and Lot 596, which is separated from Lot 469 by a greenbelt area. 1 The Nolans’ property and the greenbelt both border the Coconino National Forest; a fence separates that property from the forest land.

¶ 3 The Nolans alleged that Starlight discriminated against Richard, who is wheelchair-bound, on the basis of his disability. They alleged that Starlight’s installation of gates along the fences bordering the greenbelt areas did not allow Richard access because (1) the gate latches required the user to grasp and pull the handle up at least two inches, (2) large boulders were placed along the greenbelt paths that intersected with *484 public roads, and (3) the surface area surrounding the gates was uneven in grade. In addition, the Nolans complained that (1) Starlight held its community meetings in a building with limited and unsuitable parking for the disabled, and that the building could only be accessed by negotiation of at least one step, (2) Starlight’s communal trash collection area had an inaccessible entry and Richard could not reach the trash receptacles, and (3) Starlight’s communal mailbox and bulletin board area required Richard to negotiate uneven surfaces and did not provide sufficient room to allow Richard to turn his wheelchair. The Nolans alleged that Starlight had refused to make appropriate accommodations that would allow Richard to access the greenbelts, the community center, the communal trash collection area, and the mailbox and bulletin board area (collectively, the “Common Areas”).

¶ 4 The Nolans charged that Starlight had committed discriminatory housing practices in violation of the Arizona Fair Housing Act (the “FHA”), Arizona Revised Statutes (“A.R.S.”) sections 41-1491 to -1491.37 (2004), by refusing to make reasonable accommodations in its rules, policies, practices or services in order to afford Richard an equal opportunity to use and enjoy the Nolans’ property. The Nolans further alleged that Starlight violated the Arizonans with Disabilities Act (the “ADA”), A.R.S. §§ 41-1492 to -1492.11 (2004), and discriminated against Richard on the basis of his disability by denying him the opportunity to participate in or benefit from Starlight’s goods, services, facilities, advantages, privileges and accommodations.

¶ 5 In addition, the Nolans alleged that the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (“CC & Rs”) recorded on the Nolans’ property constituted a contract between Starlight and the Nolans and claimed that Starlight breached Article IX, Section 9.1 of the CC & Rs, which granted the Nolans the “right and easement of enjoyment” of their property, by discriminating against Richard on the basis of his disability. The Nolans also asserted that Starlight breached the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. Finally, the Nolans alleged that Starlight created a nuisance by installing a gate in the fence along the greenbelt bordering the Nolans’ property, which they alleged dramatically increased the noise and traffic along the greenbelt, and by discriminating against Richard on the basis of his disability.

¶ 6 Starlight moved for summary judgment. After briefing, the trial court held the ADA did not apply to Starlight and dismissed the Nolans’ claim for discrimination in public accommodations and services. It further ruled that Starlight was not contractually obligated by the CC & Rs to accommodate Richard’s disability and had not interfered with or breached the Nolans’ right and easement of enjoyment of their property. The court therefore dismissed the Nolans’ claims for breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. In addition, the court found that the Nolans had not presented sufficient facts to support a claim for nuisance because they had not alleged any damage to their property and because, as a matter of law, the gates did not constitute a nuisance. The court ruled, however, that the FHA applied to Starlight’s maintenance of the Common Areas because these areas were “services” provided by Starlight without which the Nolans could not make full use of their property. The court therefore denied Starlight’s motion for summary judgment on the Nolans’ FHA claim.

¶7 After additional discovery, Starlight again moved for summary judgment on the Nolans’ FHA claim. The trial court found that because the Nolans conceded on summary judgment they had not requested any reasonable accommodations as required by the FHA, Starlight was entitled to judgment on this claim.

¶ 8 Thereafter, the trial court denied the Nolans’ motion for new trial and awarded Starlight a portion of its attorney’s fees pursuant to A.R.S. § 12-341.01 (2003). The Nolans timely appealed. We have jurisdiction pursuant to A.R.S. § 12-2101(B) (2003).

DISCUSSION

A. General Principles.

¶ 9 A court may grant summary judgment when “there is no genuine issue as to any *485 material fact and ... the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Ariz. R. Civ. P. 56(c). Summary judgment should be granted “if the facts produced in support of the claim or defense have so little probative value, given the quantum of evidence required, that reasonable people could not agree with the conclusion advanced by the proponent of the claim or defense.” Orme Sch. v. Reeves, 166 Ariz. 301, 309, 802 P.2d 1000, 1008 (1990). If the evidence would allow “a jury to resolve a material issue in favor of either party, summary judgment is improper.” United Bank of Ariz. v. Allyn, 167 Ariz. 191, 195, 805 P.2d 1012, 1016 (App.1990).

¶ 10 In reviewing the trial court’s grant of summary judgment, “we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the [Nolans,] and determine de novo whether there are any genuine issues of material fact and whether the trial court erred in its application of the law.” Unique Equip. Co. v. TRW Vehicle Safety Sys., Inc., 197 Ariz. 50, 52, ¶ 5, 3 P.3d 970, 972 (App.1999).

B. The ADA Does Not Apply to the Common Areas.

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Bluebook (online)
167 P.3d 1277, 216 Ariz. 482, 2007 WL 2911925, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/nolan-v-starlight-pines-homeowners-assn-arizctapp-2007.