IN RE OPENING PRIVATE ROAD EX REL. O'REILLY

No. 2214 CD 2007.

954 A.2d 57 (2008)

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.

Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania.

Decided July 11, 2008.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

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, §...

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