PER CURIAM.
John and Brenda Mathers (the Matherses) appeal from a final summary judgment entered in favor of Wakulla County ("the County"). The Matherses argue, among other things, that the trial court erred in its application of section 95.361(2), Florida Statutes. Because acceptance is not an element of statutory-presumed dedication under section 95.361, and section 95.361 may be invoked by private parties, we agree and reverse the trial court's judgment with respect to Counts 1 and 3. We affirm in all other respects without comment.
Kristin Lane is a quarter-mile strip of dead-end gravel road located in rural Crawfordville, Florida. The road runs north from East Ivan Road and is the only means of ingress and egress to the handful of residences it serves. The Matherses and Wayne and Brenda Mitchell ("the Mitchells") are adjoining landowners on Kristin Lane, with the Matherses' residence located just north of the Mitchells.
In early July of 2014, the Mitchells erected a fence and gate on the part of their property abutting Kristin Lane. In an effort to block the Matherses from using the road, the Mitchells closed the gate across Kristin Lane and posted a "No Trespassing" sign. Although it necessarily blocked other residents from using Kristin Lane as well, the gate was apparently directed at the Matherses, whose names were emblazoned on the sign in black and white lettering stickers. According to Mr. Mitchell, Mrs. Mathers had been "stating negative things about him."
When they arrived home, the Matherses simply opened the gate and proceeded on their way. The next day the Mitchells chained the gate closed. The evidence conflicts on who telephoned police first, but in
When the County learned of the dispute between the Mitchells and the Matherses, it searched minutes from meetings held before the Wakulla County Board of County Commissioners for any reference of Kristin Lane or record of a vote accepting Kristin Lane as a dedicated roadway. Finding none, the County's attorney sent the Matherses a letter informing them that the County had determined that Kristin Lane is a private road.
The Matherses filed a four-count complaint naming the Mitchells and the County as defendants. Count 1 of the complaint sought a declaratory judgment confirming that Kristin Lane had become a county road pursuant to section 95.361(2) and that the County was under a duty to maintain and repair it. In Count 2, the Matherses claimed inverse condemnation on a theory of diminished access to their property resulting from an alleged failure of the County to maintain Kristin Lane. Count 3 sought injunctive relief requiring the County to resume maintenance of Kristin Lane. Count 4 sought injunctive relief requiring the Mitchells to remove the fence and gate. The Matherses and the Mitchells eventually entered into a settlement agreement resolving Count 4, leaving the County as the only remaining defendant.
Referring to Kristin Lane, the County acknowledged in answers to interrogatories that "[t]he County Public Works Department has occasionally provided voluntary maintenance or repairs to non-arterial and non-collector roadways that are more in the nature of driveways or private neighborhood roads at the request of citizens as a public service to ensure accessibility for emergency vehicles." However, according to the County, it did not have any legal duty to provide such maintenance or repair to Kristin Lane because it "is not aware of any recorded official document of acceptance of Kristin Lane ... as a public roadway for use by the general public."
A county-issued document entitled "Work Order Listing Report" listed Kristin Lane as a road maintained by the County for grading. An affidavit completed in 1998 by Don Kemp, superintendent for the Road and Bridge Department of Wakulla County, states that Wakulla County has continuously maintained Kristin Lane for a period of twenty years. Kristin Lane is designated with a green road sign, as opposed to a blue road sign. According to the County's website, the presence of a green road sign indicates that the road at issue is a county-maintained road. The road matrices of Wakulla County reflect that Kristin Lane is listed as an unpaved county road for the years 1997, 2001, and 2008.
Both the Matherses and the County moved for summary judgment. After a hearing on the merits, the trial court granted summary judgment in favor of the County on all three counts. While acknowledging that there was a genuine issue of material fact as to whether Kristin Lane had been regularly maintained or repaired by the County for seven years as required by section 95.361(2), the trial court reasoned that 1) section 95.361(2) cannot be invoked by private parties and 2) a dedication did not occur under section 95.361(2) because the County did not accept ownership of Kristin Lane.
There are two distinct forms of dedication in Florida with regard to roads: common-law dedication and statutory-presumed dedication. Common-law dedication of a road requires "clear and unequivocal proof" of two elements: 1) an offer to dedicate property to the use of the public and 2) acceptance by the public.
There are two types of statutory-presumed dedication. The first type is set forth in section 95.361(1) and involves roads constructed by a county, municipality, or the Department of Transportation. Under this provision, a private road becomes a public road when it "has been maintained or repaired continuously and uninterruptedly for 4 years by the county, municipality, or the Department of Transportation." § 95.361(1), Fla. Stat. This provision dates to the 1940s.
The second type of presumed dedication is set forth in section 95.361(2) and applies to roads not constructed by a government entity. Enacted in 2003, this provision employs nearly the same language used in section 95.361(1), the only differences being that the road must have been "regularly maintained or repaired" rather than "maintained or repaired continuously and uninterruptedly" and such maintenance must occur for seven years rather than four years. Because the Matherses rely on this particular provision, its text is set forth in full below:
§ 95.361(2), Fla. Stat. Because it was enacted so much later than section 95.361(1), no case law construes section 95.361(2). However, because the statutory language of each provision is virtually the same, we look to case law on section 95.361(1) for guidance. In those cases applying common-law dedication and statutory-presumed dedication under section 95.361(1), the concepts are discussed separately and analysis of each is not mixed. Importantly, there are no cases applying section 95.361(1) so
The County argues that section 95.361 provides for acceptance by the filing of a map with the clerk. The County points to section 95.361(3), which states as follows:
The County misunderstands this particular provision. Filing a map is not necessary to accomplish dedication under the statute.
Next, the County argues that acceptance must be a requirement of statutory-presumed dedication because a government entity cannot acquire property without intending to do so. The County points out that section 95.361 resides within a chapter entitled "Limitations on Action; Adverse Possession" and argues that it "would be contrary to the concept of adverse possession that an entity could unintentionally meet the requirements to adversely possess property and thereby be required to assume unintended obligations."
The County is mistaken. Adverse possession may occur where the occupier has a mistaken belief of ownership. There is no requirement that the occupier intend to acquire land belonging to another.
Similarly, there is no requirement that a government entity intend to acquire property under section 95.361.
In concluding that Kristin Lane was not publicly owned under section 95.361(2) because the County had not accepted ownership, the trial court either inadvertently conflated the concepts of common-law dedication and statutory-presumed dedication, or uncritically assumed that because acceptance is a requirement of common-law dedication, it must also be a requirement of statutory-presumed dedication. However, as discussed above, the plain language of the statute compels a different conclusion. Once dedication occurs, "[t]he dedication shall vest all rights, title, easement, and appurtenances in" one of three government entities, here, the County. § 95.361(2), Fla. Stat. In other words, ownership of the road automatically passes to the government entity at the moment it provides regular maintenance and repair for the prescribed period of time, regardless of any acceptance on the part of the government entity.
Finally, the County argues that summary judgment was warranted because the trial court correctly concluded that section 95.361 cannot be invoked by a private party. However, we see no reason that section 95.361 should be limited to use by government entities. Furthermore, there are a variety of cases in which private parties have been permitted to claim that a roadway became public property by operation of section 95.361.
In conclusion, acceptance is not an element of statutory-presumed dedication under section 95.361, and section 95.361 may be invoked by private parties. Because the trial court correctly acknowledged that there was a genuine issue of fact on the issue of whether regular maintenance or repair occurred for the prescribed period, this case must be reversed for further proceedings.
The trial court's judgment is reversed and remanded as to Counts 1 and 3 for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. We affirm in all other respects.
ROBERTS, C.J., WINOKUR, J., and CLARK, JR., BRANTLEY S., ASSOCIATE JUDGE, CONCUR.