Reeder v. Iowa State Highway Commission

166 N.W.2d 839, 1969 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 796
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedApril 8, 1969
Docket53413
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 166 N.W.2d 839 (Reeder v. Iowa State Highway Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Reeder v. Iowa State Highway Commission, 166 N.W.2d 839, 1969 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 796 (iowa 1969).

Opinion

RAWLINGS, Justice.

From assessment of damages by condemnation commission for the taking of a portion of plaintiff’s land, he appealed to the district court. Trial to jury, commenced March 20, 1967, resulted in a $33,000 verdict, and plaintiff takes this appeal.

He here claims trial court erred regarding admission of certain evidence, failure to give a requested instruction, and in the giving of an improper one. Wfe hold plaintiff is not entitled to a reversal.

January 29, 1963, defendant condemned, for highway use, a fractional part of plaintiff owned lots 13, 14 and IS, Twin Towers Addition to Cedar Rapids, including a house on lot 15.

Among exhibits certified to us is a plat, here reproduced to aid in visualizing the area involved. Diagonal lines denote the land taken.

*841 Plaintiff purchased lot 15 in December 1952, lots 13 and 14 in October 1953. They were not then a part of Cedar Rapids and had no sewer, water or gas facilities, the only ready utility being electricity.

July 19, 1961, these lots were annexed to Cedar Rapids, zoned R-l residential. However, at time of taking, plaintiff’s property was employed by him for travel trailer storage and sales purposes, apparently on what may be best described as a “grandfather” nonconforming use basis.

Most, if not all, surrounding land was devoted to commercial usage.

Following annexation all the aforesaid utility services were made available to plaintiff.

In course of trial plaintiff testified his property, before condemnation, was worth $100,000, and afterward had a value of $40,000. Two witnesses called by him stated the highest and best use of these lots was commercial, and fixed the difference in value before and after condemnation at $47,472 to $53,500.

Defendant’s witnesses placed the time of taking before and after variance at $27,400 to $30,000.

I. At the outset, plaintiff argues the residential zoning ordinance in effect January 29, 1963, was invalid.

For two reasons we must decline the invitation to .explore that approach.

This contention was neither presented to nor passed upon by trial court, so will not be considered on appeal. Jones v. Iowa State Highway Commission, Iowa, 157 N.W.2d 86, 92; In re Adoption of Moriarty, Iowa, 152 N.W.2d 218, 223; Linge v. Iowa State Highway Commission, Iowa, 150 N.W.2d 642, 646; and Boss Hotels Co. v. City of Des Moines, 258 Iowa 1372, 1377, 141 N.W.2d 541.

Next, the claim made takes on all . the colorations of an unallowable collateral attack on the ordinance. See Linge v. Iowa State Highway Commission, supra, loc. cit., 150 N.W.2d 648, and Annos. 9 A.L.R.3d 291, 303.

II. During trial plaintiff challenged and now disputes admissibility of testimony by defendant relative to enactment of an ordinance rezoning that part of lots 13 and 14, left after condemnation, from residential to commercial. This necessitates a review of the record.

As previously stated, plaintiff presented evidence to the effect the highest and best use of the lots here involved was for commercial purposes. The propriety of this showing is not subject to question. As we said in Mohr v. Iowa State Highway Commission, 255 Iowa 711, 720, 124 N.W.2d 141, 147: “ * * * considerable latitude is allowed in the admission of evidence of the capabilities of land affected by a condemnation and the uses to which it may reasonably be adapted. It is true there must be a present demand for the land for such uses or reasonable expectation of such demand in the near future. It must be remembered too that such evidence is to be considered only for the effect it has on market value at the time of the taking, not at some future time." (Emphasis supplied.) See also Jones v. Iowa State Highway Commission, 259 Iowa 616, 625-626, 144 N.W.2d 277; Crist v. Iowa State Highway Commission, 255 Iowa 615, 621, 123 N.W.2d 424 ; 29 A C.J.S. Eminent Domain § 273(2), p. 1190; 27 Am.Jur.2d, Eminent Domain, section 277, page 66; and Annos. 9 A.L.R.3d 291, 309.

Additionally, plaintiff offered in evidence, and trial court permitted introduction of the subject rezoning ordinance enacted October 14, 1963, or more than eight months after the taking.

Later, plaintiff was called as a witness by defendant and questioned regarding his application for the zoning change, filed two days after "condemnation.

*842 Over repeated objections he was then questioned and gave these answers:

“Q. Did you make any statements or representations as to what you would do in proceeding with this appeal against the Highway Commission if you got the zoning changed — to the City Council ? A. Not that I recall.
“Q. Did you ever tell anybody you would settle the appeal and settle the case against the Highway Commission if you got the zoning changed? A. No.
“Q. Did you ever tell anybody over at City Hall the matter had been settled —when you were making your request for zoning change ? A. No.
“Q. Did you ever tell anybody you would have to move your shop and leave there if you didn’t get the zoning changed? A. I would have to find more room — -I don’t know if I said I would have to leave — I said I would have to get more area.
“Q. Did you ever tell anybody over at City Hall you would not use the fact Lots 13 and 14 had been changed to commercial to your benefit in attempting to secure larger damages in your appeal of the Highway Commission case? A. No, there was no statement of that kind ever made because I wanted to continue using it as I had used it.”

Thereafter John David Oberthien, Sr., Cedar Rapids Director of Public Works at all times here concerned, and Benjamin H. Trickey, one of plaintiff’s neighbors, testified on behalf of defendant. These men stated they were present when plaintiff appeared before the City Planning Commission in support of his rezoning application. Their testimony reveals plaintiff there said, on one occasion, the matter of condemnation “could be settled if the rezoning go on,” and at another time made a statement to the effect he had settled with the highway commission.

Frank Albert Bosh and Stewart E. < Shank, then members of the Cedar Rapids City Council, also appeared as witnesses for defendant.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Wiedenfeld v. Chicago & North Western Transportation Co.
252 N.W.2d 691 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1977)
Business Ventures, Inc. v. Iowa City
234 N.W.2d 376 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1975)
LA SALLE NATIONAL BK. v. the Thresholds
327 N.E.2d 22 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1975)
Dolezal v. City of Cedar Rapids
209 N.W.2d 84 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1973)
Solbrack v. Fosselman
204 N.W.2d 891 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1973)
Brown v. First National Bank of Mason City
193 N.W.2d 547 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1972)
Thornberry v. State Board of Regents
186 N.W.2d 154 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1971)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
166 N.W.2d 839, 1969 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 796, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/reeder-v-iowa-state-highway-commission-iowa-1969.