Wolfe v. BENNETT PS & E, INC.

— Pierce County appeals denial of its summary judgment motion, in which it sought dismissal as a third party defendant in a lawsuit brought by property owners Lester and Marilyn Wolfe against Bennett PS&E, Inc. for negligence in processing their short plat application. The County argues: (1) it is immune from this negligence suit under the public duty doctrine; (2) Bennett’s failure to exhaust other remedies precludes its impleading the County; and (3) the County was not the proximate cause of Bennett’s damages. We agree and reverse.

FACTS

Lester and Marilyn Wolfe owned 3.76 acres of land in…