Noxsel v. Boquet Estates Owners Assn. CA4/2

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 8, 2013
DocketE053305
StatusUnpublished

This text of Noxsel v. Boquet Estates Owners Assn. CA4/2 (Noxsel v. Boquet Estates Owners Assn. CA4/2) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Noxsel v. Boquet Estates Owners Assn. CA4/2, (Cal. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinion

Filed 3/8/13 Noxsel v. Boquet Estates Owners Assn. CA4/2

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FOURTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION TWO

E. RAY NOXSEL, as Trustee etc.,

Plaintiff, Cross-defendant and E053305 Appellant, (Super.Ct.Nos. CIVRS704624 & v. CIVRS809589)

BOQUET ESTATES OWNERS OPINION ASSOCIATION,

Defendant, Cross-complainant and Respondent.

APPEAL from the Superior Court of San Bernardino County. David A. Williams,

Judge. Affirmed.

Ward & Ward and Alexandra S. Ward for Plaintiff, Cross-defendant and

Appellant.

Law Offices of Edward W. Hess, Jr., Edward W. Hess, Jr.; Slaughter & Regan,

Barry J. Reagan and Gabriele M. Lashly for Defendant, Cross-Complainant and

Respondent.

1 I

INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff and appellant E. Ray Noxsel1 and respondent Boquet2 Estates Owners

Association (HOA), have sued one another in a dispute involving 59 garages, owned by

Noxsel as part of a condominium development. Noxsel contends that the garages can be

rented or sold to anyone, including members of the general public. In contrast, the HOA

contends that Noxsel can rent or sell the garages only to HOA members and not to

members of the general public. With regard to HOA assessments, the parties disagree on

how much the assessments may be increased each year.

On appeal, Noxsel contends the trial court misinterpreted the covenants,

conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) for the Boquet Estates development (Boquet), as

well as the 1977 conditional use permit (CUP) issued by the City of Upland (Upland).

Noxsel also argues the court misapplied Civil Code section 1366. Noxsel seeks a

reversal of the judgment and the award of attorney‘s fees to the HOA.

The fundamental contention advanced by Noxsel is that the CUP and the CC&Rs

should be interpreted to allow sale or rental of the garages to anyone, not limited to

owners of the Boquet condominiums. As the reviewing court, we have thoroughly

1 Trustee of the E. Ray Noxsel Charitable Remainder Unitrust #21 dated December 22, 2006 (the Trust), and the Trust (collectively, Noxsel),

2 ―Boquet‖ is the spelling used in the covenants, conditions and restrictions.

2 examined the trial record and the appellate briefs submitted by the parties.3 Like the trial

court, we disagree with Noxsel‘s proposed interpretation of the written documents. We

conclude the CUP and the CC&Rs unambiguously prohibit Noxsel from selling or

renting the garages to the general public.

We conduct a combined review, engaging in independent contractual and statutory

interpretation, and find the trial court did not abuse its discretion in enjoining Noxsel

from selling or renting the 59 garages to the general public. Additionally, we affirm the

trial court‘s rulings on the amount and allocation of the HOA assessment fees and the

trial court‘s grant of attorney‘s fees to the HOA.

II

STATEMENT OF FACTS

A. The CUP and the History of the Boquet Estates Development

In 1977, Noxsel began to develop Boquet, a planned residential development

consisting of 64 condominium lots and 60 separate garage lots in Upland. Each

condominium lot included an attached two-car garage; each garage lot was improved

with a single-car garage. The single-car garage lots are located in a separate row and are

not attached to the condominiums.

3 At oral argument, Noxsel‘s counsel protested this court had not considered large portions of appellant‘s brief. We not only considered the entire appellant‘s opening brief, we also note about half consisted of boilerplate recitations of legal principles of which this court is cognizant and large verbatim portions of the record. As we discuss below, Noxsel‘s argument depends on this court accepting his interpretation of the CUP and the CC&Rs.

3 In January 1977, Noxsel obtained a CUP from Upland. The CUP included a

condition of approval, requiring the Boquet CC&Rs to ―include a provision that all one-

car garages shall be under Homeowner‘s Association control and no ownership of any

such garage shall be transferred to any non-member of said Association.‖

B. The CC&Rs

The recorded CC&Rs contain the following relevant provisions, which define

many of the terms to be discussed. According to article I, Definitions:

―7. A ‗lot‘ shall mean any numbered plot of land, together with the residential and

other improvements thereon, . . .

―8. A ‗member‘ shall mean every person or entity who holds a membership in the

Association. [¶] . . . [¶]

―10. An ‗owner‘ shall mean each person and entity holding a record ownership

interest in a lot, . . .‖

According to article III, Use Restrictions:

―1. Residential, Garage and Land Use. Lots shall be used for residential purposes

only, . . . Nothing herein shall prevent an owner from leasing or renting his lot, . . .‖

provided the lessee or renter is subject to HOA regulation as discussed in Article XIV.

―2. Commercial Use. . . . no part of the development shall ever be used or caused,

allowed or authorized to be used in any way, directly or indirectly, for any business,

commercial, manufacturing, mercantile, storing, vending, or other such non-residential

purpose, . . .‖

4 ―4. Offensive Conduct; Nuisances. No noxious or offensive activities shall be

carried on upon, or within the development, nor shall anything be done thereon which

may be or become an annoyance or nuisance to the residents of the development, or

which shall in any way interfere with the quiet enjoyment of owners or occupants of

lots.‖

―5. Parking Restrictions; Use of Garages. . . . Garages shall be used for parking

and storage only and shall not be converted for living or recreational activities. . . .‖

―12. Compliance with Laws, Etc. . . . No owner shall permit anything to be done

or kept on his lot which is in violation of any law, ordinance, statute, rule or regulation of

any local, county, state or federal body.‖

According to article V, Membership and Voting Rights, ―[e]ach owner of a lot, or

interest therein, shall be a member of the Association. Ownership of a lot or interest

therein shall be the sole qualification for and entitlement to membership in the

Association‖ until ownership or interest ceases. The CC&Rs define a member‘s rights,

duties, and obligations. Any transfer of ownership or interest transfers the membership

rights automatically to the new owner.

At trial, Noxsel asserted that, according to Article VI, anyone can become an HOA

member by buying a garage, thereby satisfying the condition of the CUP that no

ownership of a garage shall be transferred to a nonmember of the HOA. Noxsel testified

that a buyer of a garage becomes an HOA member ―during the sale.‖ Noxsel elaborated

5 further ―that if a person bought a single-car garage, they automatically become a

member‖ of the HOA and under its control.4

Regarding Assessments, article VI provides that total assessments should be

allocated 90/10 between the condominium lots and the garage lots. Any increase in the

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