In re Opening Private Road ex rel. O'Reilly
| Decision Date | 11 July 2008 |
| Docket Number | No. 2214 CD 2007.,2214 CD 2007. |
| Court | Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court |
| Parties | In the Matter of OPENING a PRIVATE ROAD FOR the BENEFIT OF Timothy P. O'REILLY Over Lands of (a) Hickory on the Green Homeowners Association, and (b) Mary Lou Sorbara; Gregory E. Burgunder; Ann E. Cain; Don E. Cottrill & Norma J. Cottrill, h/w; Joseph K. Cupples; Bart V. Delcimmuto; James D. Dragoo & Linda J. Dragoo, h/w; Kimberly M. Fonzi; Brian J. Gallagher & Diane J. Gallagher, h/w; Dolores M. Gembarosky; Michael J. Gralish, Jr. & Virginia A. Gralish, h/w; Diane M. Giuliana; Jeffery W. Hutchens; David B. Keith & Christina A. Keith, h/w; Joanne B. Kuchinic, Testamentary Trust; Harry J. Lee, Jr.; Jay A. Levy; S. Greg Malone; Joseph V. Mazur & Kelly L. Poole; Martin Mickey & Melissa G. Mickey, h/w; Regis G. Niederberger & Kathleen C. Niederberger, h/w; Gordon J. Orr; Anne M. Paul; Thomas G. Porter; Roseanne E. Petraglia; Eric H. Rittenhouse & Danielle L. Rittenhouse, h/w; John J. Sahlaney; Jerome Schmier & Carol Falo, h/w; John R. Shafer, Trustee or his Successors in trust, under the John S. Shafer Living Trust, dated November 20, 2001, and Jessie M. Shafer, Trustee, or her successors in trust, under the Jessie M. Shafer Living Trust, dated November 20, 2001; Marcus A. Spatafore & Kristin C. 1 Brazell; William E. Sprecher & Marcellene Sprecher, h/w; and Frank J. Sprecher & Agnes E. Sprecher, h/w, Life Estate; Roxanne M. Squillante; Susan C. Stanko; Shanan R. Stewart; Richard H. Sweet & Marsha A. Sweet, h/w; Gregory Taylor; John M. Thomas; Thomas P. Wakim & Kimberly L. Wakim, h/w; Betty B. Williams & Leon I. Williams (Co-Trustees); Royce D. Vanderpool; Melissa J. Schiller & Melanie M. Schiller; Janet Zewe; Frank A. Bodnar; Karen R. Billingham; Bradford R. Jones; Virginia L. Knaus, Trustee Under Qualified Personal Residence Trust Agreement, dated July 27, 2000; Joan L. Massella; Donna Durkan; Geraldine R. Altenhof; Elizabeth Beck; Darlene A. Taylor; James E. Spence & Kathy F. Spence, h/w; Lance D. Moller; Lindy M. McGee; The Judith F. Koblitz Trust; Richard E. McNutt & Helena A. McNutt, h/w; Dorothy D. Wagner; Spitzig Living Trust and William A. Spitzig and Marilyn J. Spitzig (Trustees); Sandra H. O'Connell; Thomas C. Skena; Zaraf Moshin; Paul W. Amic & Carole L. Amic, h/w; Margaret M. Showalter; James P. Flannery & Patricia C. Flannery, h/w; Deborah A. Gertz; Carol L. Schartner; John A. Udischas & Susan C. Udischas, h/w; Donna M. Bartko; Kyli J. Martin; Robert J. Grimm & Jana L. Phillis; Amy R. Solomon; Richard M. Buck & Barbara L. Buck, h/w; Arlene Lipton; William G. Eiler; Catherine M. Smith; Dawna M. Maydak; Mildred K. Fincke; Margaret M. Cornellius; Craig M. Drinkhall; Randi Burdick; Robert F. Milligan, Jr. & Marilyn R. Milligan, h/w; Ronald G. Bauer & Teresa L. Bauer, h/w; Anna Marie Cimarolli; Jor R. Palmer & Ann D. Palmer, h/w; John William Minnich; Joseph J. Astorino & Marilyn J. Astorino, h/w; Thomas S. Phillips; Catherine E. Tsai; Naomi H. Patton; Stanley A. Hack & Christine E. Hack, h/w; Michael L. Hynes & Janice M. Hynes, h/w; Thomas E. Darabant & Faye C. Floriani; William J. Garrity, Sr. & Patricia Ann Garrity, h/w; Archie L. McIntyre; Clarence Joseph Welter & Mara Welter, h/w; Lisbeth A. Dineen; Charles W. Fetrow & Margaret A. Fetrow, h/w; Kathleen Lyon; Mark A. Petrozza & Dorothy M. Petrozza, h/w; John R. Zecchino, as their interest may appear, Timothy P. O'Reilly v. (a) Hickory on the Green Homeowners Association, and (b) Mary Lou Sorbara; Gregory E. Burgunder; Ann E. Cain; Don E. Cottrill & Norma J. Cottrill, h/w; Joseph K. Cupples; Bart V. Delcimmuto; James D. Dragoo & Linda J. Dragoo, h/w; Kimberly M. Fonzi; Brian J. Gallagher & Diane J. Gallagher, h/w; Dolores M. Gembarosky; Michael J. Gralish, Jr. & Virginia A. Gralish, h/w; Diane M. Giuliana; Jeffery W. Hutchens; David B. Keith & Christina A. Keith, h/w; Joanne B. Kuchinic, Testamentary Trust; Harry J. Lee, Jr.; Jay A. Levy; S. Greg Malone; Joseph V. Mazur & Kelly L. Poole; Martin Mickey & Melissa G. Mickey, h/w; Regis G. Niederberger & Kathleen C. Niederberger, h/w; Gordon J. Orr; Anne M. Paul; Thomas G. Porter; Roseanne E. Petraglio; Eric H. Rittenhouse & Danielle L. Rittenhouse, h/w; John J. Sahlaney; Jerome Schmier & Carol Falo, h/w; John R. Shafer, Trustee or His successors in trust, under the John S. Shafer Living Trust, dated November 20, 2001, and Jessie M. Shafer, Trustee or her successors in trust, under the Jessie M. Shafer Living Trust, dated November 20, 2001; Marcus A Spatafore & Kristin C. Brazell; William E. Sprecher & Marcellene Sprecher h/w; and Frank J. Sprecher & Agnes E. Sprecher, h/w, Life Estate; Roxanne M. Squillante; Susan C. Stanko; Shanan R. Stewart; Richard H. Sweet & Marsha A. Sweet, h/w; Gregory Taylor; John M. Thomas; Thomas P. Wakim & Kimberly L. Wakim, h/w; Betty B. Williams & Leon I. Williams (Co-Trustees); Royce D. Vanderpool; Melissa J. Schiller & Melanie M. Schiller; Janet Zewe; Frank A. Bodnar; Karen R. Billingham; Bradford R. Jones; Virginia L. Knaus, Trustee Under Qualified Personal Residence Trust Agreement dated July 27, 2000; Joan L. Massella; Donna Durkan; Geraldine R. Altenhof; Elizabeth Beck; Darlene A. Taylor; James E. Spence & Kathy F. Spence, h/w; Lance D. Moller; Lindy M. McGee; The Judith F. Koblitz Trust; Richard E. McNutt & Helena A. McNutt, h/w; Dorothy D. Wagner; Spitzig Living Trust; Sandra H. O'Connell Thomas C. Skena; Zaraf Moshin; Paul W. Amic & Carole L. Amic, h/w; Margaret M. Showalter; James P. Flannery & Patricia C. Flannery, h/w; Deborah A. Gertz; Carol L. Schartner; John A. Udischas & Susan C. Udischas, h/w; Donna M. Bartko; Kyli J. Martin; Robert J. Grimm & Jana L. Phillis; Amy R. Solomon; Richard M. Buck & Barbara L. Buck, h/w; Arlene Liton; William G. Eiler; Catherine M. Smith; Dawna M. Maydak; Mildred K. Fincke; Margaret M. Cornellius; Craig M. Drinkhall; Randi Burdick; Robert F. Milligan, Jr. & Marilyn R. Milligan, h/w; Ronald G. Bauer & Teresa L. Bauer, h/w; Anna Marie Cimarolli; Jor R. Palmer & Ann D. Palmer, h/w; John William Minnich; Joseph J. Astorino & Marilyn J. Astorino, h/w; Thomas S. Phillips; Catherine E. Tsai; Naomi H. Patton; Stanley A. Hack & Christine E. Hack, h/w; Michael L. Hynes & Janice M. Hynes, h/w; Thomas E. Darabant & Faye C. Floriani; William J. Garrity, Sr. & Patricia Ann Garrity, h/w; Archie L. McIntyre; Clarence Joseph Welter & Mara Welter, h/w; Lisbeth A. Dineen; Charles W. Fetrow & Margaret A. Fetrow, h/w; Kathleen Lyon; Mark A. Petrozza & Dorothy M. Petrozza, h/w; John R. Zecchino, as their interest may appear, Appellants. |
Kevin P. Allen, Pittsburgh, for appellants.
William P. Bresnahan, Pittsburgh, for appellee.
BEFORE: LEADBETTER, President Judge, and SMITH-RIBNER, Judge, PELLEGRINI, Judge, FRIEDMAN, Judge, COHN JUBELIRER, Judge, SIMPSON, Judge, and LEAVITT, Judge.
OPINION BY Judge PELLEGRINI.
Though the "Private Road Act"1 was first enacted in colonial times, Hickory on the Green Homeowners Association, along with its 124 constituent property owners (collectively, "Association") contends that the Private Road Act is an unconstitutional taking of property for a private purpose in violation of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution2 and Article 1, §§ 13 and 104 of Pennsylvania's Constitution. They raised this challenge in preliminary objections to Timothy P. O'Reilly's (O'Reilly) request for the Appointment of a Board of Viewers to open a private road so that landlocked parcels he owns could have access to the nearest public road, Clubview Drive. The proposed private road would cross the Association's property and that of Mary Lou Sorbara, the owner of property adjacent to the eastern boundary of the Association's property. The trial court overruled the preliminary objections finding that the Private Road Act was constitutional under well-settled law and that, while there was a private benefit, the public benefited by allowing the public road because it was not in the public interest to have land that could not be used. Because of its public importance, we agreed to hear this interlocutory appeal5 from the trial court order.6
I.
The constitutionality of the Private Road Act had been considered settled because various cases of our Supreme Court held that the laying out of a private road over the property of another so that landlocked property could have access to a public road did not violate the takings provisions of the Pennsylvania Constitution. For example, in Waddell's Appeal, 84 Pa. 90, 93-94 (1877), our Supreme Court stated:
The right of the legislature to establish private roads over the land of one man for the benefit of another, for the purpose of access to highways or places of necessary public resort, or even to private ways leading to highways, has never been seriously doubted in Pennsylvania. ... [I]t is the connection of these private ways with public highways, or with places of necessary public resort, together with the implied right or license of the public to use them, at least in going to and from the premises of the person laying them out, quite as much, if not more, as the consideration of purely individual rights, that have won for these acts judicial recognition of constitutionality.
See also Palairet's Appeal, 67 Pa. 479 (1871); Pocopson Road, 16 Pa. 15 (1851); In re Private Road in East Rockhill Twp., Bucks County, Pa., 165 Pa.Cmwlth. 240, 645 A.2d 313 (1994); T.L.C. Services, Inc. v. Kamin, 162 Pa.Cmwlth. 547, 639 A.2d 926 (1994); In re Dickinson Township Road, 23 Pa. Superior Ct. 34 (1903). Similarly, the single federal case that challenged the constitutionality of the Private Road Act found that it did not violate the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. See Marinclin v. Urling, 262 F.Supp. 733 (W.D.Pa.1967), affirmed, 384 F.2d 872 (3d Cir.1967).
There has been, however, a renewed interest in what constitutes a public purpose allowing a...
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