Stillwater of Crown Point Homeowner's Ass'n, Inc. v. Stiglich

Citation999 F.Supp.2d 1111
Decision Date26 February 2014
Docket NumberCause No. 2:09–CV–157–PRC.
PartiesSTILLWATER OF CROWN POINT HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION, INC., individually and on behalf of its members; Roger P. Mahoney; Kent Kolodziej; and Kevin J. and Margaret McKenna, Plaintiffs, v. Robert STIGLICH, Defendant.
CourtUnited States District Courts. 7th Circuit. United States District Court of Northern District of Indiana

999 F.Supp.2d 1111

STILLWATER OF CROWN POINT HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION, INC., individually and on behalf of its members; Roger P. Mahoney; Kent Kolodziej; and Kevin J. and Margaret McKenna, Plaintiffs,
v.
Robert STIGLICH, Defendant.

Cause No. 2:09–CV–157–PRC.

United States District Court, N.D. Indiana, Hammond Division.

Feb. 26, 2014


Motion granted in part and denied in part.

[999 F.Supp.2d 1114]

Donna C. Marron, Plews Shadley Racher & Braun, Indianapolis, IN, Jeffrey D. Claflin, Daniel Philip Cory, Plews Shadley Racher & Braun, South Bend, IN, for Plaintiffs.

Robert Stiglich, Crown Point, IN, pro se.


OPINION AND ORDER
PAUL R. CHERRY, United States Magistrate Judge.

This matter is before the Court on Plaintiffs' Motion for Partial Summary Judgment Against Defendant Robert Stiglich [DE 196], filed by Plaintiffs Stillwater of Crown Point Homeowner's Association, Inc., individually and on behalf of its members; Roger P. Mahoney; Kent Kolodziej; Kevin J. McKenna; and Margaret McKenna on April 2, 2013.

This is part two of the story of two subdivisions and three road crossings in Crown Point, Indiana. The Stillwater of Crown Point Subdivision (“Stillwater Subdivision”) was developed by Defendants Stillwater Properties, LLC, Innovative Enterprises, Ltd., Robert Stiglich, and Jack Kovich. The Pine Hill Subdivision (“Pine Hill”) was developed by Hawk Development Corp. Smith Ditch is located near the border of Stillwater Subdivision and Pine Hill. Three road crossings—Greenview Place, Stillwater Parkway, and Crooked Creek Trail—span Smith Ditch. The crossings at Greenview Place and Stillwater Parkway are within Stillwater Subdivision. The crossing at Crooked Creek Trail, the upstream-most crossing, connects Stillwater Subdivision and Pine Hill; Hawk Development Corp. constructed a “stub section” of the crossing up to the property line within Pine Hill, and Stillwater Properties, LLC constructed the remainder of the crossing, including the portion that spans the channel of Smith Ditch. Each crossing was constructed by placing fill material in Smith Ditch and the adjacent wetlands along with two thirty-six inch culverts to convey the flow of water in Smith Ditch under the crossings. In September 2008, flooding occurred in the subdivisions as water backed up behind the crossings, adversely affecting homes in the subdivisions, including those of Kent Kolodziej in Pine Hill and Roger P. Mahoney and Kevin J. and Margaret McKenna in Stillwater Subdivision.

In October 2011, this Court ruled on cross-motions for summary judgment. Following the rulings and subsequent settlement negotiations, this case was dismissed against Defendants City of Crown Point, Jack Kovich, Innovative Enterprises, Ltd., and Hawk Development Corp. The only defendant remaining in the case pending before the undersigned Magistrate Judge is Robert Stiglich. This case also remains pending before Chief Judge Philip Simon as to defaulted Defendant Stillwater Properties, LLC.

PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On June 4, 2009, Plaintiffs filed a Complaint against Jack Kovich, Innovative Enterprises, Ltd. (“Innovative Enterprises”), Robert Stiglich, Stillwater Properties, LLC (“Stillwater Properties”), Hawk Development Corp. (“Hawk”), and the City of Crown Point, Indiana (“City”), seeking injunctive relief and damages. Plaintiffs allege that, in 2008, Stillwater Subdivision and at least one home in Pine Hill were

[999 F.Supp.2d 1115]

affected by flooding and allege that the construction of the three crossings of Smith Ditch created the flooding condition that caused the damage.

In Count I, Plaintiffs bring a Clean Water Act (“CWA”) citizen suit pursuant to 33 U.S.C. § 1365(a), alleging that Stiglich, Stillwater Properties, Kovich, Innovative Enterprises, and Hawk's discharge of fill material to construct the crossings of Smith Ditch at Greenview Place and Stillwater Parkway violates the general and specific conditions set forth in the CWA § 401 water quality certification issued by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (“IDEM”) and the CWA § 404 permit issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and, therefore, violate an effluent standard or limitation under the CWA. Count I further alleges that Stiglich, Stillwater Properties, Kovich, and Innovative Enterprises' discharge of fill material to construct the crossing of Smith Ditch at Crooked Creek Trail without a CWA § 401 water quality certification and CWA § 404 permit violates an effluent standard or limitation under the CWA. Finally, Count I alleges that Hawk's discharge of fill material within Pine Hill to construct the stub portion of the crossing of Smith Ditch at Crooked Creek Trail violates the conditions set forth in the CWA § 404 permit issued by the Corps and, therefore, violates an effluent standard or limitation under the CWA.

In Count II, Plaintiffs allege a breach of the Wetlands Restriction and Covenants by Stiglich, Stillwater Properties, Kovich, and Innovative Enterprises by their development of undersized culverts at the three crossings.

In Count III, Plaintiffs allege a breach of the implied warranty of habitability by Stiglich, Stillwater Properties, Kovich, Innovative Enterprises, and Hawk because these Defendants knew or should have known that there were latent defects in Stillwater Subdivision and Pine Hill, including but not limited to, the inability of the culverts placed in the three crossings to prevent Smith Ditch, a natural watercourse, from flooding homes and common areas in Stillwater Subdivision and Pine Hill during or following a heavy rain.

Count IV alleges negligence per se against Stiglich, Stillwater Properties, Kovich, Innovative Enterprises, and Hawk for violating their duties under the Indiana Flood Control Act and the City of Crown Point Flood Control Ordinance to obtain a floodway construction permit pursuant to Indiana Code § 14–28–1–22(c) before developing the three crossings.

In Count V, Plaintiffs' negligence claim alleges that Stiglich, Stillwater Properties, Kovich, Innovative Enterprises, and Hawk breached the duty owed to Plaintiffs to exercise reasonable care in undertaking, approving, and upgrading the development of streets and drainage infrastructure in Stillwater Subdivision and Pine Hill.

Finally, in Count VI, Plaintiffs allege that the three crossings constitute public and private nuisances and that Stiglich, Stillwater Properties, Kovich, Innovative Enterprises, and Hawk's development and authorization of the three crossings are unlawful pursuant to the City of Crown Point Flood Control Ordinance and are an unreasonable use of the land.

Robert Stiglich filed an Answer on November 30, 2009. An Answer was filed by each of the other defendants with the exception of Stillwater Properties. On October 9, 2009, a Clerk's Entry of Default was entered against Stillwater Properties. On November 16, 2009, Defendant Stillwater Properties was severed as a party defendant for purposes of 28 U.S.C. § 636(c), and the case against Stillwater Properties only remains pending before Chief Judge Philip P. Simon.

[999 F.Supp.2d 1116]

As the remainder of the parties filed forms of consent to have this case assigned to a United States Magistrate Judge to conduct all further proceedings and to order the entry of a final judgment in this case, this case was reassigned to the undersigned Magistrate Judge. Therefore, this Court has jurisdiction to decide this case pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c).

On October 11, 2011, the Court issued two Opinions, 865 F.Supp.2d 922, 820 F.Supp.2d 859, with the following rulings: (1) granting Plaintiffs' Motion for Partial Summary Judgment Against Defendant City of Crown Point, Indiana and ordering the City of Crown Point to timely repair or replace the crossings at Greenview Place, Stillwater Parkway, and Crooked Creek Trail, but leaving the remainder of Plaintiffs' claims against the City pending; (2) denying Defendant Hawk Development Corporation's Motion for Summary Judgment; (3) granting in part and denying in part Plaintiffs' Motion for Partial Summary Judgment Against Defendants Jack Kovich, Innovative Enterprises, Robert Stiglich, Stillwater Properties, and Hawk; and (4) granting in part and denying in part the Motion of Defendants Jack Kovich and Innovative Enterprises for Summary Judgment on Plaintiffs' Complaint. The Court denied Plaintiffs' Motion for Partial Summary Judgment as brought against Defendant Robert Stiglich, finding that Plaintiffs did not establish facts and law or make any argument in that motion sufficient to hold Stiglich liable on summary judgment.

On November 3, 2011, Defendants Innovative Enterprises and Jack Kovich were dismissed with prejudice on a joint motion to dismiss. On August 3, 2012, Defendants Hawk and the City of Crown Point, Indiana were dismissed with prejudice on Plaintiffs' motion.

On August 21, 2012, a Notice of Filing Bankruptcy was filed as to Stiglich, and the Court issued an order on September 13, 2012, finding that this matter was stayed as to Stiglich. On March 18, 2013, the Court granted Plaintiffs' Motion to Lift Stay and this matter was restored to the docket.

On April 2, 2013, Plaintiffs filed the instant Motion for Summary Judgment and served on Defendant Stiglich a Notice of Summary Judgment Motion to Pro Se Litigant, setting forth the rules governing Stiglich's response to the summary judgment motion. Defendant Stiglich, pro se, filed a response brief on April 30, 2013, and Plaintiffs filed a reply brief on May 17, 2013.

SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARD

The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure mandate that motions for summary judgment be granted “if the pleadings, the discovery and disclosure materials on file, and any affidavits show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). Rule 56(c) further requires the entry of summary judgment, after adequate time for discovery, against a party “who...

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