Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Home › News › Local News

Telluride wins right to seize land

Nearly 600 acres of private property eyed for wetlands

By Jean Torkelson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published June 2, 2008 at 11:55 p.m.

Text size  

More Local News

More stories »

The town of Telluride won a lengthy eminent-domain struggle Monday when the Colorado Supreme Court ruled it could seize nearly 600 acres of private property in a pristine area known as the Valley Floor.

Locals intend to preserve it as untouched wetlands. The town wasted no time starting to party. "The word spread fast," said Town Manager Frank Bell. "It's not hard to get people to celebrate anything around here."

By Monday afternoon, several hundred people had converged on a local park to drink beer and lemonade and rejoice in winning what's known locally as "The War for the Floor."

There was no joy expressed Monday by the attorney for the San Diego developer, who bought the land 25 years ago and has spent the better part of two decades arguing that the condemnation isn't designed for the common good but for the benefit of wealthy Telluride residents.

"We're not prepared to comment," said Denver attorney Thomas Ragonetti, who represents San Diego developer Neal Blue and his San Miguel Valley Corp.

The saga began in 1983 when Blue's company bought 572 acres on the outskirts of the ski town. It began to promote plans for a development that would include homes, as well as a golf course and a hotel.

Local residents raised more than $1 million to fight back, and wealthy outsiders, including a Hollywood producer and the actress Daryl Hannah, contributed to the effort.

A separate court case determined that the town would have to pay the developer $50 million for the land plus all legal fees.

torkelsonj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5055

Comments

  • June 3, 2008

    8:05 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    AngelontheSidelines writes:

    Neal Blue could buy a law (the Telluride Amendment) but could not buy judges.

  • June 3, 2008

    8:08 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    SteveFesch writes:

    It's a land grab no matter how you slice it.

  • June 3, 2008

    8:12 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    athought writes:

    So is Hollywood going to fork over the 50 million for the land so they can keep their "Park for the Rich"? Massive open space laws in CA is part of the reason why real estate is so expensive over there. I agree that the developers use for the land wasn't the best for Telluride. The issue is that normal people are being priced out of many recreational areas of the West. This was somewhat of a lose/lose for the town for now but not a perminant one.

  • June 3, 2008

    8:37 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    olsonmt writes:

    I am glad the people of Telluride are so happy. It's great news. That is until the day comes when you're on the other side of the fence, literally, and the socialists are coming after YOUR land. You'll surrender it for the public good, right!?

  • June 3, 2008

    9:54 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    kiphale writes:

    Hello crazy "the gov't is out for my land" people. This is a part of the US Constitution, just like your precious 2nd Amendment rights. The US Constituion guaruntees just compensation for land taken for public purposes. This land developer was compensated $50 million dollars for something he bought for a fraction of the cost. Yes, maybe not to his expectations, but a court of law said $50 million was just. If your land or my land was taken, and a court of law said X amount was just, that is the US system of law. Deal with it!

  • June 3, 2008

    7:31 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    jmadison writes:

    To Kiphale,
    This ruling means that, at least in Colorado, a town can seize ANYONE'S home or land ANYWHERE and for ANY REASON. It does not have to be a "public need" anymore. Is that what the founders of the US Constitution really had in mind? If that's the case, why did they bother coming to America? They could have just stayed in England under the King's rule.

    I bet a dollar to a donut that YOU are not a property owner and don't expect to be. That is, unless your parents leave you theirs when they die. Otherwise you would not be so supportive of the government stripping away private property rights. For those of us who have worked hard to own land and homes, which represents for most of us the majority of our financial wealth, this is a HUGE blow. Anyone of us could easily lose what we have if a group of people in a town decide they want to take it from us.

    And you say the owner was compensated fairly and for far more than he paid. This may be the case this time but it is also a very rare event in a typical condemnation. Very few property owners have the money to fight for ten years to get a fair price for their land. Remember, Telluride spent large sums of money fighting as hard as they could to get away with paying only a fraction of what they were finally compelled to pay. And that only happened because the trial took place in another town far away from Telluride's influence. The vast majority of property owners get seriously ripped off when their property is condemned.

  • June 10, 2008

    10:46 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    brylynloz writes:

    Congratulations Colorado. One of the most magnificent in the state is preserved and open to the public. Neal Blue has fleeced the nation of millions with his war profiteering and nuclear proliferation. The company he now owns (General Atomics) built nuclear reactors for Iran. It's about time he had to bend to the will of the people rather than feeding from the public trough.

    Too bad he got $50 million for the land. It was worth less.