Garfield County sues High Lonesome Ranch over road access

Let us know how it goes - it read like they were just discussing funding for ongoing cases, but it doesn't sound like there's been any real movement on this in over a year...
 
Orion’s Breath said:
Let us know how it goes - it read like they were just discussing funding for ongoing cases, but it doesn't sound like there's been any real movement on this in over a year...
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It looks like the discussion will only be in executive session, so khunter probably won't be able to provide an update.
 
I'm confused about one item with this case and Google searching this topic has resulted in articles saying different things. Maybe someone on here has correct Intel.

If there is a gate right now blocking access on this road and its been like that since the 70s, it clearly isn't a public road anymore at least from that particular point onward. So then, is the idea here that some time in the 70s, it was indeed a maintained public road by the county and when the gate was installed no one from the county challenged it?
 
So, so many cases like this across the West. I knew a number of ranchers in NM who flat out said they didn't give a crap about public access and they were more than happy to gate county roads so they could keep "those d#mn city people off my land." (actual quote). Nevermind the fact that they were talking about 90% BLM land to their 10% private property. Almost every single county road intersection was on "private property" so they could control as much public access as possible. It was infuriating.

I feel this is getting better as more information is available to the public. People won't stand for paying taxes to fund a road system to land they can't access for very long.
 
seeth07 said:
I'm confused about one item with this case and Google searching this topic has resulted in articles saying different things. Maybe someone on here has correct Intel.

If there is a gate right now blocking access on this road and its been like that since the 70s, it clearly isn't a public road anymore at least from that particular point onward. So then, is the idea here that some time in the 70s, it was indeed a maintained public road by the county and when the gate was installed no one from the county challenged it?
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There are many cases where the county still maintains those roads even though they are blocked by the locked gate. The county road crews have keys or they call the landowner to open the gate. Been going on for decades.
 
Justabirdwatcher said:
There are many cases where the county still maintains those roads even though they are blocked by the locked gate. The county road crews have keys or they call the landowner to open the gate. Been going on for decades.
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So at the least the county has been maintaining "private" roads?
 
Just to be clear in this case there IS access up to the public you just can’t drive your truck up to it. I see people hunting it every year.
 
In Colorado if the county or entity that technically owns the road fails to maintain it after so many years. I can't find the statute anymore. I ran into that in Rio Blanco County Court when I tried to access a road to get to a block of BLM land. The rancher there locked a gate on a public road against court order. I ended up paying a $50.00 trespass ticket. The rancher though got charged with contempt of court and arrested because he was under court order to leave the gate unlocked and accessible to the public. EDIT: That is the way it used to be. Due to court case I found after my incident, common law abandonment of a road happens only when intent to abandon and non-use/maintenance of a road over a period of time are both proven. A lot of ranchers put gates on public roads and lock them during hunting season. That was my problem in Meeker, Craig and a few other locations in Colorado.
 
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"mute your phones" Like they can't mute the speaker?!

Maybe if some HTer has time to listen in, they can post a synopsis here.
 
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