McMullin

—Plaintiff, cross-defendant, and respondent Nellie Gail Ranch Owners Association (Nellie Gail) sued defendants, cross-complainants, and appellants Donald G. McMullin and Cynthia Jensen-McMullin (collectively, McMullins) to quiet title and compel the McMullins to remove a retaining wall and other improvements they built without Nellie Gail’s approval on more than 6,000 square feet of common area Nellie Gail owned adjacent to the McMullins’ property. Following a bench trial, the trial court entered judgment for Nellie Gail and awarded Nellie Gail its attorney fees. The McMullins appeal, claiming the trial court should have quieted title in them or at least granted them an equitable easement over the disputed property. We disagree and affirm the trial court’s judgment.

First, the McMullins contend Nellie Gail was equitably estopped to bring this quiet title action because it told the McMullins it would not pursue construction of the wall as a violation of the governing declaration of covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&R’s) and instructed the McMullins to work with Nellie Gail’s architect to develop a landscaping, irrigation, and drainage plan to screen…