Thies v. Howland

380 N.W.2d 463, 424 Mich. 282
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 10, 1986
Docket73039, (Calendar No. 26)
StatusPublished
Cited by75 cases

This text of 380 N.W.2d 463 (Thies v. Howland) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Thies v. Howland, 380 N.W.2d 463, 424 Mich. 282 (Mich. 1986).

Opinion

*286 Cavanagh, J.

The parties are owners of real property located in a subdivision on the south shore of Gun Lake in Barry County. The plat of the subdivision, originally recorded in 1907, indicates a twelve-foot-wide "walk” that runs immediately along the lakeshore. The first twenty lots in the subdivision abut this walk. A second row of twenty lots lies to the south of the first row. These rows are separated by a sixteen-foot wide "driveway.” Another driveway separates the second row from a third row of forty-three smaller lots. Twelve-foot wide "alleys” are located after every fourth lot in the first and second rows. These alleys link the driveways and walk and were designed to provide all subdivision owners with access to the lake. A notation on the plat maps states "that the Driveways, Walks and Alleys shown on said plat are hereby dedicated to the joint use of all the owners of the plat.”

In 1977, plaintiffs Lee and Kathleen Thies purchased lots 16 and 17 located in the first row. Defendants Jeffrey and Linda Howland purchased lot 25 and a portion of lot 24 in 1978. In the same year, defendants Curtis and Nancy Vrieland purchased lot 23 and portions of lots 22 and 24. Defendants’ lots are located in the second row.

An alley was originally located between lots 16 and 17. However, a prior owner of these lots built a cottage which encroached upon the alley. In a 1975 consent judgment entered into by the parties’ predecessors in title, an eight-foot wide easement was created across the west side of lot 16.

In 1978, plaintiffs constructed a seasonal dock extending from the shore into the lake to accommodate their boat. The dock was located in front of the western portion of plaintiffs’ property. Defendant Howlands anchored their boat approxi *287 mately 100 to 150 feet from the shoreline in front of the easement. In April 1979, the Howlands and Vrielands jointly constructed a fifty to sixty-foot seasonal dock at the end of the easement to accommodate their boats. The distance between plaintiffs’ and defendants’ docks was approximately twelve to sixteen feet.

In June 1979, plaintiffs filed suit, seeking to enjoin defendants from maintaining the dock and anchoring their boats in the lake. Defendants counterclaimed, requesting that plaintiffs be enjoined from interfering with defendants’ use of the easement or, in the alternative, that defendants be permitted to use the alley between lots 16 and 17. Following a bench trial, the trial court concluded that defendants could use the lake for such recreational activities as boating, fishing and sunbathing, and could anchor their boats as long as they did not interfere with plaintiffs’ reasonable use and enjoyment of their property. However, defendants were enjoined from erecting a dock. The Court of Appeals affirmed, but modified the injunction to prevent defendants from anchoring their boats off the terminus of the easement. 1

We granted defendants’ delayed application for leave to appeal and directed the parties to include among the issues to be briefed "whether the Court of Appeals erred in determining that the plat dedication did not convey to defendant landowners riparian rights which are exclusive to riparian owners.” 419 Mich 934 (1984).

I

Land which includes or is bounded by a natural *288 watercourse is defined as riparian. 2 Persons who own an estate or have a possessory interest in riparian land enjoy certain exclusive rights. Thompson v Enz, 379 Mich 667, 677-679; 154 NW2d 473 (1967) (opinion of Kavanagh, J.). 3 These include the right to erect and maintain docks 4 along the owner’s shore, Hilt v Weber, 252 Mich 198, 226; 233 NW 159 (1930); Thompson, Real Property (1980 Replacement), §§ 274, 280, pp 453-454, 506-507; 3 American Law of Property, § 15.35, pp 874-875, and the right to anchor boats permanently oif the owner’s shore. Hall v Wantz, 336 Mich 112, 117; 57 NW2d 462 (1953). Nonriparian owners and members of the public who gain access to a navigable waterbody have a right to use the surface of the water in a reasonable manner for such activities as boating, fishing and swimming. An incident of the public’s right of navigation is the right to anchor boats temporarily. Delaney v Pond, 350 Mich 685, 688; 86 NW2d 816 (1957); Hall, 336 Mich 116-117.

Since defendants’ lots do not touch the shore of Gun Lake, their land is not riparian. Defendants *289 argue, however, that the plat’s dedication of the walk and alleys to "the joint use of all the owners of the plat” gave them title to these lands in common with the other subdivision owners. Since the walk and alleys in the first row are in contact with the water, defendants allege they and the other owners are riparian proprietors entitled to erect docks. Defendants believe that plaintiffs’ lots are not riparian land because they merely abut the walk. Plaintiffs are riparian owners only because they are co-owners of the walk. Defendants conclude that plaintiffs cannot interfere with the reasonable exercise of their riparian rights.

Even if we conclude that defendants merely have an easement interest in the walk and alleys, 5 they may still prevail. Plaintiffs cannot prevent defendants from erecting a dock or permanently anchoring their boats if these activities are within the scope of the plat’s dedication, McCardel v Smolen, 404 Mich 89, 97, 103; 273 NW2d 3 (1978), and do not unreasonably interfere with plaintiff’s use and enjoyment of their property. The ownership of the walk and alleys and the scope of the dedication of these lands are interrelated, but distinct inquiries.

II

A

We first examine defendants’ claim that they are riparian owners because they are tenants in common of the twelve-foot-wide lakeshore walk. The trial court concluded that plaintiffs’ property *290 was not separated from the water and that the walk was merely an easement. The Court of Appeals relied primarily upon Croucher v Wooster, 271 Mich 337; 260 NW 739 (1935), to reach the same conclusion. Defendants acknowledge that Croucher held that a lot separated from the water by a highway that is contiguous to the water is riparian land. However, defendants believe that Croucher should be applied only where the way has been dedicated to the public. Since the walk here is to be used only by the subdivision owners, defendants believe that the general rule requiring actual contact with the water applies and that plaintiffs’ lots are not riparian land.

The cases which have applied Croucher only involved ways dedicated to public use. 6 Nevertheless, we believe that Croucher

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Bluebook (online)
380 N.W.2d 463, 424 Mich. 282, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thies-v-howland-mich-1986.