STATE ROAD DEPARTMENT OF FLORIDA, AN AGENCY OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, PETITIONER,
v.
MADGE ENGLISH STACK ET AL., RESPONDENTS

Fla. 1st DCA | 1969-08-19
No. L-104
CARROLL, DONALD K., J., concurs., RAWLS, J., dissents.
231 So. 2d 859 Florida District Court of Appeal, First District (1969) Positive Treatment
Cited by 6 cases

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Synopsis

The Florida District Court of Appeal addresses whether evidence of a property's value as a borrow pit for dirt sales can be considered in an eminent domain valuation when the property's highest and best use prior to taking was as rural home sites. The court holds that such evidence is admissible as a factor affecting fair market value, not as the controlling measure.


Holding

Evidence of borrow pit value may be admitted, not as the controlling or sole measure of value, but as a factor affecting fair market value. The jury should be permitted to consider whether the land has a reasonably probable near-future use as a borrow pit based on proximity to existing pits, accessibility, and foreseeable market demand.


Key Quotes

“Value, as used in eminent domain statute ordinarily means the amount which would be paid for the property on the assessing date to a willing seller not compelled to sell, by a willing purchaser, not compelled to purchase, taking into consideration all uses to which the property is adapted and might reasonably be applied.”

Establishes the legal definition of fair market value in eminent domain proceedings, which must consider all reasonably probable uses.

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Facts & Procedural History

The State Road Department took two parcels (38.5 and 25 acres) for a roadway dirt borrow pit. The property owners sought to introduce evidence that: (…

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Opinion of the Court
JOHNSON, Chief Judge.

JOHNSON, Chief Judge.

This matter is before us ■ on a certified question from the Circuit Court, First Judicial Circuit, Honorable William Frye, III, Judge.

The question submitted is as follows:

Where property taken for a roadway dirt borrow pit had as its highest and best use prior to the taking that of rural home sites, may evidence be admitted as to value of the property on a per cubic yard basis for dirt borrow where the value as dirt borrow has been created by the taking?

It appears from the statement of facts that there are two borrow pits involved, comprising 38.S acres in one and 25 acres in the other. That these pits are a part of a large tract of land.

The defendants in the condemnation suit, at the time of trial, attempted to proffer into evidence (1) the approximate number of cubic yards of dirt to be removed from each pit, (2) that there were already on said tract of land two borrow pits from which the owners were selling fill dirt to contractors at ten cents per yard, (3) that there was a considerable amount of earth moving in Okaloosa County and said dirt was being sold on a “stumpage” basis — that is, so much per yard; (4) that a recent sale by the same owners had been made in close proximity of the area in question for a borrow pit at $476.00 per acre. Also it was proffered to show that the State Road Department in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Counties was selling dirt to contractors at from one to eight cents per cubic yard and in Okaloosa County, the Road Department had allowed the contractors to buy their own fill from private owners and that the price was three cents per cubic yard, whereas the Road Department was charging from three to eight cents per yard from the Road Department pits.

The trial court denied all proffers and confined the evidence to market value of the property taken, predicated solely upon timberland value.

Value, as used in eminent domain statute ordinarily means the amount which would be paid for the property on the assessing date to a willing seller not compelled to sell, by a willing purchaser, not compelled to purchase, taking into consideration all uses to which the property is adapted and might reasonably be applied.1

The uses to which the property is adapted and might reasonably be applied, must be so reasonably probable as to have an effect upon the market value at the time of taking. Whether or not there is a reasonable probable use of this property for a purpose other than timberlands, will depend upon the proximity of the other borrow pits on said land, the accessibility thereto and the probable need therefor in the foreseeable near future.- These are questions which a jury should be allowed to determine and it appears to us from the brief statement of facts given us that the land in question may have a probable near future use for a borrow pit for private sales of dirt therefrom which would render the market value of said land for such purpose far in excess of the market value for tim-berlands only.

In view of the fact that the land taken is good for fill dirt, whereas all lands are not, and in view of the fact that there are other borrow pits on this land in close proximity to the land in question, it is our opinion, and we so hold, that these are factors which a jury could take into consideration in arriving at fair market value within the meaning of the Constitution and statutes, and therefore, the proffered evidence should have been admitted, not as con*861trolling or as the measure of value, but as a factor, affecting the market value.2

The question certified to us, is answered in the affirmative, with the limitations stated supra.

CARROLL, DONALD K., J., concurs.

RAWLS, J., dissents.

RAWLS, Judge

(dissenting).

In 'my opinion the question certified to this Court is not such a question as falls within Rule 4.6, Florida Appellate Rules, 32 F.S.A., in that there appears to be controlling precedent1 in this State on which a decision of the Chancellor could be based.2 The question posed concerns a single rule of evidence which is subject to review by an appellate court if and when one of the parties feels aggrieved with the final judgment. The entire record of all evi-dentiary matters admitted or denied into evidence is, in my opinion, requisite to this Court’s consideration of the admissibility of same. I would respectfully decline to answer the question.

Dissent
RAWLS, Judge

RAWLS, Judge

(dissenting).

In 'my opinion the question certified to this Court is not such a question as falls within Rule 4.6, Florida Appellate Rules, 32 F.S.A., in that there appears to be controlling precedent1 in this State on which a decision of the Chancellor could be based.2 The question posed concerns a single rule of evidence which is subject to review by an appellate court if and when one of the parties feels aggrieved with the final judgment. The entire record of all evidentiary matters admitted or denied into evidence is, in my opinion, requisite to this Court’s consideration of the admissibility of same. I would respectfully decline to answer the question.

. Petitioner, in its, brief, cites one Florida decision, fifteen decisions from other jurisdictions, and one encyclopedia for its position, while respondent cites four Florida decisions, five decisions from other jurisdictions, and the same encyclopedia.

. Chapman v. Slaff, 101 So. 2d 413 (Fla.App.1st 1958) ; Pridgeon v. Folsom, 174 So. 2d 619 (Fla.App. 1st 1965).


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Citator

Cited By

  • …ue is defined as the amount that would be paid for the property to a willing seller, not compelled to sell, by a willing buyer, not compelled to buy, considering all reasonable uses to [*522] which the property is adapted. State Road Dept. v. Stack, 231 So. 2d 859 (Fla. 1st DCA 1969) (defining fair market value under the eminent domain statute.) Fair market value is the sum arrived at through fair negotiation between a willing seller and a willing buyer. Flagship Bank of Orlando v. Bryan, 384 So. 2d 1323 (Fla…
  • State of Fla. Dep't OF Transp. v. Cooper, 241 So. 2d 419 (Fla. 1st DCA 1970)
    …out introducing evidence as to a reasonable probable future use as a borrow pit aside from the need by the con-demnor.” We hold herein that the trial court did not so err, upon the authority of our recent decision in State Road Department v. Stack, 231 So. 2d 859 (Fla.App.1969). In that case the following question was certified to this court pursuant to Rule 4.6, Florida Appellate Rules, 32 F.S.A.: “Where property taken for a roadway dirt borrow pit had as its highest and best use prior to the taking that o…
  • Virgilio v. The Ryland Grp., Inc., 680 F.3d 1329 (11th Cir. 2012)
    …loper that sold them the unit, not a suit against a party remote from the sale. Id. at 986. . Savers Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass’n v. Sandcastle Beach Joint Venture, 498 So. 2d 519, 521-22 (Fla. 1st Dist.Ct.App.1986) (citing State Road Dept. v. Stack, 231 So. 2d 859 (Fla. 1st Dist.Ct.App.1969)). . If the Florida Supreme Court so held for Plaintiffs, we suggest that its holding would require the disclosure of any information Defendants possessed but Plaintiffs could not readily obtain that would bear significan…

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