Tilley v. State ex rel. Department of Transportation & Development

430 So. 2d 145, 1983 La. App. LEXIS 8141
Louisiana Court of Appeal·Decided March 28, 1983·No. No. 15241-CA·Published

Opinion

MARVIN, Judge.

The State DOTD appeals a judgment awarding $32,524 to a landowner whose property was found to have been appropriated in small part by the widening or increasing the “flare” of the intersection of State Hwy. 542 with U.S. Hwy. 167.

The state reurges its exceptions of prescription and no right of action and further contends that evidence of severance damage should not have been allowed over its objection because such damages were not prayed for. The award included $20,000 for severance damage, $12,500 for loss of rental income from the store on the property, and $24 for the property taken. The state concedes that the “flare” of the intersection extends beyond its 30-foot right-of-way but bases its exceptions and defense on the contention that the flare has existed for many years, first as a gravel road and then as a blacktop road before plaintiff purchased the property in 1972, and that the blacktopping which occurred in 1979 was nothing more than a repaving or overlay of existing blacktop. Plaintiff filed his action in 1980.

The extent of the “taking” in 1979, if any, and the other issues essentially present questions of fact. We amend the judgment to reduce the award for the severance damage-loss of rentals from a total of $32,500 to $20,000, and affirm the amended judgment.

THE FACTS

This facsimile of the state’s plat shows the pertinent details:

[147]

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Tilley v. State ex rel. Department of Transportation & Development, 430 So. 2d 145, 1983 La. App. LEXIS 8141 (La. Ct. App. 1983).

430 So. 2d 145 (Tilley v. State ex rel. Department of Transportation & Development) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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