Two of the property owners along the Blue River Trail's Segment 5 have agreed to let the Town of Silverthorne purchase the necessary easements to construct part of the social trail alignment.

“We were able to come to agreement with the property owners after reviewing the social trail alignment in detail and incorporating specific design elements they requested,” said Mayor Dave Koop. “It's great to be moving forward in a cooperative spirit with these property owners as we work to bring this trail segment to completion in 2012. The agreements are significant not just from the spirit of cooperation they represent, but also because they involve two of the larger easement expansions required for the project.”

Koop said the town remains ready and willing to discuss agreements with additional property owners, and hopes to cooperatively resolve all easement matters in the next few weeks.

At least one of the hold-outs, though, doesn't sound like she's ready to budge.

“For the past 20 years, the Town of Silverthorne's approach to acquiring our private properties has been to divide and conquer,” said property owner Laura Lyddy. “Our neighbors who have decided to deal with the town have never discussed their financial circumstances with me, so I cannot attempt to guess what prompted their decisions. I admit that it is not inexpensive to fight city hall.”

Eminent domain

The Silverthorne Town Council recently filed eminent domain — or condemnation — proceedings against three property owners of Blue River Mesa neighborhood, with the goal of acquiring private land to build a segment of the Blue River Trail.

The segment has been tied up in litigation, with the lawsuit going to a two-day trial in front of Judge Mark Thompson last year. Thompson has yet to issue a ruling on the case.

Eminent domain summons were served last week, giving property owners 21 days to answer. According to Lyddy, all three property owners have retained legal representation.

Meanwhile, the town is pushing forward.

“We await the judge's ruling on the public walkway easement litigation which largely focuses on the definition of ‘public walkway,' but we are moving forward with the agreements necessary to construct the trail segments that are outside of the existing public walkway easement. These portions are not involved in the lawsuit, and the town needs to move forward to have all the necessary social trail alignment easements and construction permits in place in time for the spring construction season,” Koop said.

Silverthorne spokesman Ryan Hyland said settlement offers have been provided to the property owners.

“We hope that they review the design alterations we've agreed to in the two agreements and that they contact the town to discuss how those designs might work on their properties,” Hyland said.

“My neighbors who have decided to wait for the judge's decision regarding the easement are strong in their resolve to stay solid, cohesive and determined to protect the natural environment along the river, as well as our property rights,” Lyddy said. “I am determined to do whatever it takes to keep the town from paving my paradise.”

A Silverthorne press release stated the social trail alignment enables the trail to be build with very limited impacts to trees and wetlands, and that it is less expensive to both build and maintain than the previous design. The town received the Conditional Letter of Map Revision approval required from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to proceed with the project. An open house will be held in the coming months when final design details have been competed. Several new photo simulations are currently available at www.silverthorne.org.