Raburn v. Williams

786 So. 2d 955, 2001 WL 491970
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 9, 2001
Docket34,718-CA, 34,719-CA
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 786 So. 2d 955 (Raburn v. Williams) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Raburn v. Williams, 786 So. 2d 955, 2001 WL 491970 (La. Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

786 So.2d 955 (2001)

Forrest and Jill RABURN, Plaintiffs-Appellants,
v.
Mayor "Bo" WILLIAMS, Tom Dark, Ali Mustapha, Mayor Keith Hightower and the City of Shreveport, Defendants-Appellees.

Nos. 34,718-CA, 34,719-CA.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Second Circuit.

May 9, 2001.

*956 Michael A. Pitman, Bossier City, Counsel for Appellants.

Abrams & Lafargue by Julie Mobley Lafargue, Shreveport, Counsel for Appellees.

Before WILLIAMS, KOSTELKA and DREW, JJ.

KOSTELKA, J.

Forrest and Jill Raburn (the "Raburns") appeal the trial court's grant of summary judgment in favor of Mayor "Bo" Williams, Mayor Keith Hightower, Tom Dark, Ali Mustapha ("Mustapha") and the City of Shreveport (collectively, the "City"), regarding the issuance of building permits issued by the City to Mr. and Mrs. Brad DeCharles (the "DeCharleses") for the construction of their home. Finding no error by the trial court, we affirm.

FACTUAL HISTORY

The Raburns own and reside in a home located at 2309 North Cross Drive, Shreveport, Louisiana. They also own a vacant lot located at 2319 North Cross Drive. In late February or early March of 1998, the Raburns noticed that several truckloads of dirt were being deposited at 2329 North Cross Drive, the vacant lot owned by the DeCharleses. Mr. Raburn, a certified civil engineer, believed that the dirt being deposited was being placed improperly inside the 177 contour line. The 176 contour line is the line developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency ("FEMA") to designate the 100-year flood plain level, and the 172 contour line is the natural water level of Cross Lake. The dirt dumped on the DeCharleses' lot allegedly raised the level of their property approximately eight feet.

Based on his experience as an engineer and with the City, Mr. Raburn was of the belief that a City ordinance or policy existed against altering the natural level of property and/or construction inside the 177 contour line of Cross Lake, i.e., dirt fill could not be placed between the 172 and 177 contour lines. During the construction of their home, the Raburns allegedly had been prohibited by the City from raising the natural level of their property inside the 177 contour line, and they claim to have knowledge of other area residents who were similarly prohibited.

The Raburns investigated the situation and discovered that a permit had been issued to the DeCharleses by the Permits Department for the City. After City officials in both the Permits and Engineering Departments, respectively, researched the situation, the construction of the De-Charleses' home was allowed to proceed.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On August 20, 1998, the Raburns filed a Petition for Writ of Mandamus (the "Mandamus Action") against the City, wherein they claimed the City had wrongfully issued permits for the construction of the DeCharleses' home. The petition prayed that a writ of mandamus issue directing the City to deny the permits, or, in the alternative, to withdraw any permits that had been issued. At the time of filing the Mandamus Action, construction of the DeCharleses' *957 home had already begun-the foundation slab had been poured and the house was being framed; however, the Raburns did not seek injunctive relief to stop the construction.

Subsequently, the Raburns supplemented and amended their Mandamus Action, which in addition to adding newly-elected Mayor Keith Hightower as a defendant, also claimed that the filling of earth and concrete, and/or construction between the 176/177 and the 172 contour lines violated numerous revisions of the City's Code of Ordinances, as well as rules, regulations, policies, customs, habits and usages of the City and its officials and employees. The Raburns further claimed that the City acted arbitrarily and capriciously in issuing a building permit to the DeCharleses.

Later, on May 21, 1999, the Raburns filed a Petition for Damages (the "Tort Action") against the City, alleging that the City refused to properly and evenly enforce the City's Code of Ordinances, regulations, policies, habits and customs, which resulted in damage to the Raburns. As a result of the City's granting of the permits, the Raburns alleged the DeCharleses were improperly allowed to fill their lot which diverted the natural flow of water from the DeCharleses' lot to the Raburns' lot. Additionally, the Raburns claimed, the grant of the DeCharleses' building permit by the City allowed the DeCharleses to build a home which obstructed the Raburns' view of Cross Lake.[1]

On motion of the City and over the Raburns' objection, their Mandamus Action and Tort Action were consolidated.

The City then filed its Motion for Summary Judgment, which was granted by the trial court dismissing all of the Raburns' claims against the City with prejudice at the Raburns' cost. A subsequent Motion for New Trial by the Raburns was denied, and this appeal ensued.

DISCUSSION

Motion for Summary Judgment

As their first assignment of error, the Raburns submit that the trial court erred in granting the City's Motion for Summary Judgment because genuine issues of material fact exist which make summary judgment improper.

We review summary judgments de novo under the same criteria governing a district court's consideration of the appropriateness of summary judgment. Eichelberger v. Sidney, 34,040 (La.App.2d Cir.11/03/00), 771 So.2d 863, writ denied, 00-3476 (La.02/09/01), 785 So.2d 827.

A court shall render summary judgment if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to material fact, and that the mover is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See, La. C.C.P. art. 966(B). If the party moving for summary judgment will not bear the burden of proof at trial on the matter that is before the court on the motion for summary judgment, then that party need not negate all essential elements of the adverse party's claim, action, or defense but may simply point out to the court that there is an absence of factual support for *958 one or more elements essential to the adverse party's claim, action, or defense; thereafter, if the adverse party fails to produce factual support sufficient to establish that the adverse party will be able to satisfy the evidentiary burden of proof at trial, there is no genuine issue of material fact. See, La. C.C.P. art. 966(C)(2). Finally, a party opposing summary judgment cannot rest on the mere allegations or denials of his pleadings but must present evidence which will establish that material facts are still at issue. See, La. C.C.P. art. 967; Demopulos v. Jackson, 33,560 (La. App.2d Cir.06/21/00), 765 So.2d 480; Louisiana Health Services and Indem. Co. v. Brown Builders, Inc., 32,575 (La.App.2d Cir.12/08/99), 747 So.2d 708.

Underlying both the Mandamus Action and the Tort Action is the claim by the Raburns that the City violated its own ordinances and policies in issuing building permits to the DeCharleses. Specifically, the Raburns maintain that (1) the actions by the DeCharleses in placing dirt fill between the 172 and 176/177 contour lines is prohibited by City ordinance(s), and (2) the City has traditionally prohibited other residents from taking the same actions as the DeCharleses. They argue that the City acted arbitrarily and capriciously in allowing the DeCharleses' building permits to fill their lot in such a manner when they, as well as other homeowners, have been denied the ability to take similar action.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
786 So. 2d 955, 2001 WL 491970, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/raburn-v-williams-lactapp-2001.