Stockly v. Doil

CourtSuperior Court of Maine
DecidedApril 30, 2004
DocketCUMcv-02-453
StatusUnpublished

This text of Stockly v. Doil (Stockly v. Doil) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stockly v. Doil, (Me. Super. Ct. 2004).

Opinion

STATE OF MAINE SUPERIOR COURT

CUMBERLAND, ss. CIVIL ACTION \ DOCKET NO. CV-02-453 Gaga na po A. HOLMES STOCKLY and DORIS STOCKLY, Plaintiffs

V. DECISION AND ORDER

ANNE M. DOIL and MCCOURT LOGGING COMPANY,

Defendants

The parties have submitted the jury-waived trial of this matter to

the Court on written stipulated facts.

Pending is the plaintiffs’ complaint alleging a violation-of 14 M.R.S.A. § 7552 (Count I); a violation of 14 M.R.S.A. § 7552-A, against the defendant Anne M. Doil, only (Count II); negligence (Count III); and nuisance (Count IV).! On January 30, 2003, a default was entered against the defendant McCourt Logging Company. Summary judgment on the issue of liability was entered in favor of the plaintiffs and against the defendant Doil on Count II of the complaint. See June 18, 2003 Order on Mot. for Summ. J. at 8.

BACKGROUND

Since 1966, the plaintiffs, Holmes and Doris Stockly, have owned

approximately twenty (20) acres of undeveloped land on Falmouth Road in

Falmouth, Maine, identified as Lot 14 on Falmouth Tax Map Ré4 (“the Stockly

’ The-complaint also alleged negligent infliction of emotional distress in Count V. However, that claim is deemed subsumed into the general negligence claim in Count Ill. See June 18, 2003 Order on Mot. for Summ. J. at 3. Property”). SF 2. They also owna nearby second parcel, approximately six (6) acres in size, identified as Lot 15 on the tax map. SF f 4. Doil owns property adjacent to the Stockly Property, identified as Lot 19 on the tax map R4 (“the Doil Property”). SF 15. The Doil Property shares a common boundary with both of the Stockly parcels. SF 1 8. Before the spring of 2001, approximately thirty (30) acres of the Doil Property was undeveloped and naturally forested with a mix of mature hardwoods, softwoods and evergreens. SF 113. The adjacent Stockly Property was similarly forested. SF { 14.

The Stocklys considered the trees on their property to be of tremendous personal value. SF 115. Since 1966, they have maintained, cultivated and used the Stockly Property as a passive recreational area for activities such as hiking, walking and cross-country skiing. SF 116. They never harvested the trees or managed the property for any commercial value, and removed only fallen trees and cut brush as necessary to maintain trails. SF 116. The Stockly’s sole goal in owning and maintaining the property was to maximize its beauty, aesthetic value, environmental benefits, and non-motorized recreational use for themselves and their family. SF 1 16.

Sometime before April 2001, Doil contacted Robert Tibbets of Timberland Management about harvesting timber from her land. SF f 18. Tibbetts recommended Mathew McCourt. SF 99 19-21. In April 2001, Doil and McCourt met to discuss the selective cutting of trees on the Doil Property. SF 1 24. Doil had no experience with timber harvesting or surveying. SF { 27. McCourt asked Doil for a copy of a tax map. SF { 29. It was her

understanding that he wanted it to determine where her property lines were. SF1 28. However, Doil does not know whether McCourt used, or even could have used, the tax map for that purpose. SF { 30.

On April 26, 2001, Doil signed a Timber Sales Agreement on a form provided by McCourt. SF 1 31, 37. One of its terms required McCourt to indemnify Doil in the event that his harvesting operation resulted in a trespass to abutting land. SF 1 34. This provision was important to Doil because she was concerned about the possibility that trees might be removed from property she did not own. SF 91 35, 49. It was her understanding that McCourt would be responsible if he cleared trees on someone else’s land. SF 150. She specifically discussed with McCourt that the selective cutting should be done well within the boundaries of her property. SF 162. She did not authorize or direct McCourt to cut any timber on the Stockly Property. SF { 43.

Although there are stone walls located along the western and southern boundaries of the Stockly Property and along the eastern edge of the Doil Property, there are no monuments or other indicators of the common boundary between them. SF 11 44-46. The Stocklys had also surveyed and flagged the northern, eastern and southern edges of their Lot 15. SF {1 47-48.

Prior to the cutting, Doil never had her property or the common boundary line surveyed or marked in any way, and at the time the timber harvesting occurred that boundary was not flagged. SF 151. In addition, other than the tax map, Doil did not give McCourt a description of her property or the common property line; or any information on the dimensions of her lot; or a metes and bounds description of her property: or a copy of her deed. SF 1 92. Further, Doil did not ask or require McCourt to identify or locate the

boundaries of her property. SF 1 53. Although Doil never walked her property with McCourt prior to the cutting, she understood that he had walked it and had identified some old stone walls on at least one of her boundaries. SF 19 57-58. She also understood that McCourt had whatever information he needed to be able to locate the boundaries of her property, and she never asked whether he needed any additional information. SF 11 60, 63.

Sometime during the spring and summer of 2001, McCourt cut down and removed trees from approximately 30 acres of the Doil Property. SF { 66. He also cut down or destroyed over 725 trees on approximately 20 acres of the Stockly Property. Id. The majority of those trees were larger, older hardwoods and softwoods. SF § 69. The Stocklys did not authorize the harvesting on their property and did not know about it until all of the cutting was done. SF I 64,70.

Although the Stocklys claim to have suffered emotional distress asa result of the trespass, neither of them sought or received any treatment, evaluation or medication for emotional distress. SF 19 75-77. While Mr. Stockly lost some sleep and felt like he had been “hit in the stomach” after learning of the cutting, Mrs. Stockly had no physical reaction to the loss of the trees. SF 91 78-80.

The stumpage value of the trees on the Stockly Property that were cut down or destroyed by McCourt is $14,127.30. SF 181. The forfeiture value of those trees is $59,525.00.49. SF 9 82; see 17 M.R.S. § 2510(2) (2003). The cost to restore the Stockly Property, as near as practicable, to its pre-casualty condition is approximately $370,000, comprised of (a) $35,750 to clean up the

debris and slash left behind from the timber harvesting, (b) $330,000 to replant 600 2 to 2 1/2 inch diameter trees in a mix of species similar to those cut and destroyed, and (c) $4,000 to water and maintain the replanted trees. SF 83.

The removal of trees from the Stockly Property had no significant impact on its fair market value. SF 1 88. Neither the Stocklys, nor Doil have obtained an expert opinion as to the fair market value of the Stockly Property. SF 1 93. The Town of Falmouth’s assessed value of the property prior to the tree clearing was $34,700, which did not reflect 100% market value. SF 7 93.

The personal value of the property to the Stocklys was dependent upon its mature forest and is of little or no value to them in its current condition. SF 1.90. As a result of the tree harvesting, the Stocklys no longer use their property for walking, hiking or recreational purposes. SF 1 91. They believe that the best use of the cleared property is for passive recreational, environmental or conservation purposes. SF {7 92.

DISCUSSION

Doil's liability with respect to Count II (14 M.R.S.A. § 7552-A) has already been established by summary judgment, and McCourt’s liability with respect to Counts I (14 M.R.S.A. § 7552-A), III (negligence) and IV (nuisance) has already been established by his default.

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