United States v. 3,035.73 Acres of Land

496 F. Supp. 1026, 1980 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9344
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Arkansas
DecidedJune 9, 1980
DocketNo. H-C-77-74
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 496 F. Supp. 1026 (United States v. 3,035.73 Acres of Land) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. 3,035.73 Acres of Land, 496 F. Supp. 1026, 1980 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9344 (E.D. Ark. 1980).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

OREN HARRIS, District Judge.

By complaint and Order of Possession, the United States acquired title to the lands described in the complaint in this eminent domain proceeding. The Order of Possession was filed. November 22, 1977, which date is the date of valuation of the real property and interests therein taken. The issues have been narrowed substantially by a Partial Summary Judgment filed herein heretofore, and by an agreement and stipulation between the United States and S. Norris Broadhead, Paul E. Broadhead, and the Estate of Sam E. Broadhead, deceased.

The Partial Summary Judgment determined that Tupelo Timber, Inc., an Arkansas Corporation, was the owner of an interest in the lands taken and entitled to receive just compensation as a result of the taking. The agreement and stipulation establish that just compensation for the fee simple interest in the lands, except for oil and gas leases outstanding of record as of the date of taking is $1,062,000.00, which amount was paid into the registry of this Court.

Pursuant to notice and regular setting this cause was tried to the Court, without the intervention of a jury, on February 7 and 8, 1980. Those appearing with claims of ownership and entitlement to just compensation were Tupelo Timber, Inc., and S. Norris Broadhead, et al, known collectively as the Broadhead Estate. The United States appeared, having filed prior to trial a Motion for Summary Judgment, which was taken under advisement by the Court pending receipt of the evidence presented at the trial. Evidence was heard and taken- on behalf of all parties represented, the parties then rested and were permitted to file with the Court suggested findings of fact, conclusions of law, and briefs in support thereof.

All suggested findings and conclusions have been received and the case is submitted to the Court. Findings of fact and conclusions of law are incorporated herein pursuant to Rule 52, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

On September 10, 1979, this Court filed a Memorandum Opinion, wherein it was determined that Tupelo Timber, Inc., (Tupelo) was, at the time of the taking herein, the owner of a compensable interest in the standing timber in place upon the lands taken. That Memorandum is incorporated herein by reference and the findings and conclusions set out therein are reaffirmed.

This Court has jurisdiction of this cause and of the parties pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1358 and venue pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1403, this being an action to condemn real estate for the use of the United States and said real estate being located within this district.

Pursuant to the agreement and subsequent stipulation between the United States and the Broadheads, the amount of just compensation has been agreed upon and the United States is not subject to the payment of any amount awarded to Tupelo herein. Any such amount shall be payable from the amount agreed upon between the United States and the Broadheads as full just compensation for all interests in the lands taken, and deducted from the amount which the Broadheads would otherwise be entitled to receive, the interest of Tupelo [1028]*1028being a reduction in or charge against the fee interest of the Broadheads in and to the lands condemned.

The issue to be determined is the amount of just compensation due to Tupelo for the taking of its interest in the lands. This is measured by the “fair market value” of that interest as of November 22, 1979, that is, the price which a willing buyer, willing but not forced to buy, would pay and which a willing seller, willing but not forced to sell, would accept, after a reasonable period of negotiations, each party having knowledge of all factors affecting the value.

From the evidence as to past actions of the parties, and the prior cutting and removal of timber, evidence of those persons with special knowledge of the land, with special knowledge as to the species and distribution of the timber in place thereon as to the date of taking, with special knowledge as to the feasibility and expense of cutting and removing such timber, with special knowledge as to the amount and character of timber on the lands, with special knowledge as to the condition of the market, both as to lands with standing timber and as to timber after severance, the Court has been afforded a reasonable basis for making its findings of fact herein.

The Court finds that a reasonable buyer would have considered that the interest to be acquired was some 3,779,108 board feet of standing timber, and that such timber must be removed prior to July 31, 1980, or all rights to any not cut and removed would revert to the landowner. A prospective purchaser would have considered that cypress timber was the most valuable species on the tract, and would have based a value primarily on a determination of how much cypress was on the lands, its location, concentration and quality, and the ease or difficulty of cutting and removing.such timber, as well as the cost thereof.

The Court credits the testimony of Mr. Harris Vandergriff as to the results of his “strip cruise”, as the best evidence of the amount of merchantable cypress timber, but recalls that such a cruise is merely a sample from which an estimate is made, assuming that the average of the entire property is of the same general character as the strip actually counted. On the basis of all the testimony, the Court finds that a buyer would have considered that some 3.000. 000 board feet of merchantable cypress timber was in place on the lands at the time of taking, and accessible to logging.

The Court credits the testimony of Mr. John Anderson as to the feasibility and relative expense of cutting and removing cypress timber from the locations where it was in place on the lands, and finds that some 3,000,000 board feet of merchantable cypress timber could have been economically cut and removed from the lands taken before July 31, 1980.

The Court has considered all of the evidence as to the market value of the cypress timber in place on the lands as of the date of taking. Taking into consideration all of the evidence as to the location, distribution, accessibility, grade, and size of the standing cypress timber, taking into consideration all of the testimony as to sales of standing timber by others, as well as the testimony concerning its comparison with the timber on the lands taken and other circumstances which might have affected the relative values of the respective timber, taking into consideration the testimony as to the market for cypress timber in the area of the lands taken, and giving consideration to the opinions of the expert witnesses, it is the finding of the Court that the fair market value of the standing timber subject to the interest of Tupelo on the lands taken, as of the date of taking, is to be calculated on the basis of $70.00 per thousand board feet.

With a price of $50.00 per thousand board feet to be paid to the landowners upon severance, the Court finds that a buyer would consider that the fair market value of the interest of Tupelo in the lands would be calculated by multiplying the net return per thousand, $70.00 minus $50.00, or $20.00 per thousand, times the amount of recoverable, merchantable cypress on the lands, 3.000.

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496 F. Supp. 1026, 1980 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9344, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-303573-acres-of-land-ared-1980.