United States v. Certain Lands in County of San Diego

214 F. Supp. 44, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6754
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. California
DecidedFebruary 8, 1963
DocketCiv. No. 1546-SD
StatusPublished

This text of 214 F. Supp. 44 (United States v. Certain Lands in County of San Diego) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Certain Lands in County of San Diego, 214 F. Supp. 44, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6754 (S.D. Cal. 1963).

Opinion

WEINBERGER, District Judge.

In August of 1953, plaintiff filed a condemnation suit to acquire an easement for the location, construction, etc. of a fuel oil pipeline. Included in the lands affected by said easement were certain parcels belonging to the State of California (hereinafter called “defendant”) designated in the said complaint as Parcels 29A and 29C. Said parcels were then, have been since, and are now used for highway purposes of said defendant.

On March 28, 1956, this case was assigned to this Department of the Court, and on December 22, 1958 the Court set the cause for pre-trial for April 6, 1959.

The State of California filed a motion requesting that the pre-trial be continued, alleging that there was then pending in the Central Division a case in which similar questions of law and fact were under determination; that if the pre-trial in the instant case were continued until after the decision in the case in the Central Division, a saving of expense to both parties would result, as they would have the benefit of a guiding precedent in the former case.

Since April of 1959 many postponements have been had, some because of the severe illness of one of counsel for the plaintiff, others for the purpose of awaiting the decision in the Central Division case. The State of California has stipulated that the running of interest as to any judgment it might obtain would be stopped beginning with the date of April 17, 1959, such interest to be waived during the period of postponement requested by the State. (The record is not quite clear as to just how long the running of interest was postponed; perhaps counsel can remove this uncertainty by stipulation at the proper time.)

Up to the present time counsel have not called to this Court’s attention any decision made in the Central Division case, and the plaintiff has now moved for summary judgment, and the matter has been submitted to the Court for decision upon a stipulation of facts and exhibits admitted. Each party has lodged proposed findings, conclusions, etc. and each party urges that the stipu< lation of facts and exhibits justify a ruling from this Court in accordance with its contention.

From the stipulated statement of facts, and the exhibits admitted into the record in connection therewith, it appears that a letter dated May 25, 1953 (Exhibit 1) was addressed to the District Engineer of District XI, California Division of Highways at San Diego, Mr. E. E. Wallace, by Captain A. I. Flaherty, District Public Works Officer of the 11th Naval District, U. S. Navy, at San Diego; therein, Captain Flaherty stated that the Department of the Navy proposed to construct a fuel oil pipeline in San Diego County and had retained an Architect-Engineer to design the facility and plan the alignment; that representatives of the said Architect-Engineer and the District Public Works Officer had discussed the project with representatives of the California Highway Division, and that plans for the route of the pipeline as contemplated were then available; that a complaint in condemnation would be filed, but that the filing of the action would not prevent the negotiation of a settlement between the parties.

[46]*46It further appears that on June 23, 1953, (Exhibit 2) District Officer Engineer R. L. Beuthel (for District Engineer E. E. Wallace) replied to the letter above mentioned, and in his communication Mr. Beuthel noted that prior to the date thereof there had been certain discussions between representatives of the California Division of Highways and of the 11th Naval District Public Works Department wherein “it was pointed out that some corrections in location of the proposed fuel line within the limits of State Highway right-of-way would reduce the possibility of future serious interference with highway uses, and at the same time would not increase the Navy’s costs and undoubtedly place them in a position where disturbance due to highway construction would be less likely”.

Mr. Beuthel then observed that the location of the pipeline as shown on the plans to enter the State Highway right-of-way was of vital importance to the State and stated in the letter:

“In this case we wish to recommend a change in location which we will delineate on a set of your plans within the next few days, but which will, in effect, move the fuel line closer to the north right-of-way line of the highway by the use of concentric curves instead of chorts and will minimize the effect of the subsurface encroachment insofar as highway construction and maintenance are concerned. It will also have the advantage of being less likely to suffer damage from any operations which might be carried on below the surface of the highway.
“The difference in length between the length shown on the plans and that recommended by the State is so slight that it would undoubtedly be considered inconsequential.”

In addition, Mr. Beuthel observed:

“It may be commented further that while the portion of Mission Valley Road and Rosecrans Street between Lytton Street and Pacific Highway is now a four lane divided roadway, the heavy increases in traffic volumes on all the major roads in this area indicate the good probability of widening this roadway to six lanes. In this event it would be highly undesirable to have any portion of the fuel line under the widened pavement and shoulders.”

It appears from the stipulation of facts that pursuant to the recommendation of the California Division of Highways the plaintiff changed its plans and amended its description in the complaint in condemnation of the property of the State to be taken, so as to realign the proposed pipeline as it traversed the portions of the State’s lands designated by Parcels Nos. 29A and 29C; that the pipeline was constructed according to such realignment, was completed, and the surface of such easement right-of-way restored to the condition it was in at date of taking by plaintiff.

Paragraphs 10 and 11 of the stipulation read as follows :

“10. Thereafter the defendant, State of California, redesigned, and now proposes to construct as redesigned, the freeway highway project which was the subject of consideration by the parties hereto as evidenced by the exhibits hereinabove identified, namely, ‘Exhibits 1 to 5’, inclusive, said proposed reconstruction including designs for highway facilities on Parcels 29A and 29C, which designs were instituted and completed subsequent to the date of approval of the construction program established by plaintiff for the pipeline project hereinabove described.
“11. Said freeway highway project of defendant is, although so altered as to design subsequent to June 23, 1953, the same freeway highway project which on date of taking was contemplated by defendant to be built on Parcels 29A and 29C.”

[47]*47The stipulation of facts discloses that the parties also agree upon the following:

“9. It was reasonably foreseeable on August 28, 1953, that the existing highway occupied by Parcels 29A and 29C would be improved to full freeway standards and widened at a future date by reason of expected increases in traffic volumes and the Division of Highways would contend that it would be unsatisfactory to have any portion of the fuel line under the traveled lanes of the widened highway.”

Paragraph 14 of the stipulation reads:

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Bluebook (online)
214 F. Supp. 44, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6754, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-certain-lands-in-county-of-san-diego-casd-1963.