Sunlight Clinton Realty, LLC v. Gowanus Indus. Park, Inc.

• Decision Date: 10 October 2018
• Docket Number: 2016–07077,Index No. 513483/15
• Citation: 86 N.Y.S.3d 617,165 A.D.3d 866
• Parties: SUNLIGHT CLINTON REALTY, LLC, et al., appellants, v. GOWANUS INDUSTRIAL PARK, INC., respondent.
• Court: New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

165 A.D.3d 866

86 N.Y.S.3d 617

SUNLIGHT CLINTON REALTY, LLC, et al., appellants,

v.GOWANUS INDUSTRIAL PARK, INC., respondent.

2016–07077

Index No. 513483/15

Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department, New York.

October 10, 2018

Argued—May 25, 2018

Mendel Zilberberg & Associates, P.C., Brooklyn, N.Y. (Samuel Karpel of counsel), for appellants.

James M. Maloney, Port Washington, NY, for respondent.

WILLIAM F. MASTRO, J.P., SANDRA L. SGROI, SYLVIA O. HINDS–RADIX, VALERIE BRATHWAITE NELSON, JJ.

DECISION & ORDER

In an action for injunctive relief and to recover damages for private and public nuisance, the plaintiffs appeal from an order of the Supreme Court, Kings County (Ellen M. Spodek, J.), dated June 17, 2016. The order granted the defendant's cross motion pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(7) to dismiss the complaint, and denied the plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction.

ORDERED that the order is affirmed, with costs.

The plaintiff Sunlight Clinton Reality, LLC (hereinafter Sunlight), and the defendant both own waterfront properties which are separated by a navigable body of tidal water known as the Henry Street Basin. In addition to its upland property, the defendant owns the lands underneath the Henry Street Basin. A bulkhead was erected on the defendant's property adjacent to Sunlight's property. Sunlight and the plaintiff Lighting & Supplies, Inc., which occupies Sunlight's property, allege that the defendant has allowed the bulkhead to fall into serious disrepair, and that the continuous loss of fill from the ebb and flow of the tides through the failed portions of the bulkhead have interfered with their use and enjoyment of Sunlight's property, including by creating sinkholes in its upland property.

The plaintiffs commenced this action alleging private and public nuisance, and seeking an injunction requiring the defendant to repair the bulkhead, as well as money damages. The plaintiffs moved for a preliminary injunction, and the defendant cross-moved pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(7) to dismiss the complaint. The Supreme Court granted the defendant's cross motion, and denied the plaintiffs' motion. The plaintiffs appeal.

"A nuisance is the actual invasion of interests in land, and it may arise from varying types of conduct" ( 532 Madison Ave. Gourmet Foods v. Finlandia Ctr., 96 N.Y.2d 280, 292, 727 N.Y.S.2d 49, 750 N.E.2d 1097 ; see Copart Indus. v. Consolidated Edison Co. of N.Y., 41 N.Y.2d 564, 569, 394 N.Y.S.2d 169, 362 N.E.2d 968 ). In the present case, the private nuisance claim is predicated upon the defendant's alleged negligence in maintaining its property. Where "a nuisance has its origin in negligence, negligence must be proven" ( Copart Indus. v. Consolidated Edison Co. of N.Y., 41 N.Y.2d at 569, 394 N.Y.S.2d 169, 362 N.E.2d 968 [internal quotation marks omitted] ). Duty is an essential element of negligence (see 532 Madison Ave. Gourmet Foods v. Finlandia Ctr., 96 N.Y.2d at 289, 727 N.Y.S.2d 49, 750 N.E.2d 1097 ).

Here, the defendant had no duty to prevent the natural encroachment of public waters upon Sunlight's property (see Vanderwiele v. Taylor, 65 N.Y. 341, 346 ; cf. Macris v. Matta, 101 A.D.3d 957, 956 N.Y.S.2d 173 ; Frank v. Garrison, 184 A.D.2d 852, 584 N.Y.S.2d 217 ; Lichtman v. Nadler, 74 A.D.2d 66, 426 N.Y.S.2d 628 ; see also Restatement [Second] of Torts § 840 [1] ). The "maxim" that "requires one so to use his lands as not to injure his neighbor's ... does not require one lot owner so to improve his lot that his neighbor can make the most advantageous use of his, or be protected against its natural disadvantages" ( Vanderwiele v. Taylor, ...