February 25, 2011

Court Reviews the Allocation of Responsibility Between Developers in a Case Involving Construction of a Road

THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY v. BARRY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC., ET AL. (Tenn. Ct. App. February 25, 2011)

This matter is before the court for a second time. The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County initiated suit to compel two developers to complete an unfinished portion of a road in a planned unit development or to recover damages equal to the cost of completing the road if it completed the road itself.

The trial court dismissed the action, finding that the amended complaint did not provide a legal basis for requiring either developer to complete the road. On appeal this Court vacated the trial court's order and remanded the case for the court to consider the appropriate allocation of responsibility for construction of the road between the two developers.

While the appeal was pending, the Metropolitan Government acquired the land and subsequently completed the unfinished portion of the road. On remand, the trial court assessed costs of constructing the road to the developers equally, but assessed the land-acquisition costs entirely to one developer. The Metropolitan Government appeals. Finding no error in the trial court's allocation of responsibility, we affirm.

Opinion available at:
http://www.tba2.org/tba_files/TCA/2011/barryconstruction_022511.pdf