Monday, February 17, 2014

‘I Feel Like I Can’t Trust My Government’: The Story of a Couple’s Fight Against Eminent Domain Over ATVs That Will Leave You Scratching Your Head

Via avordvet

 The Barries purchased the property in the hopes that they could use it to relax in their retirement and pursue their hobbies (image source Facebook via Colorado News Day)

  You are 100% correct.

 Colorado couple’s dream to own land in the mountains has turned into a nightmare now that government officials have decided to come after them with eminent domain.

The view from the deck of the small, century-old cabin was perfect for Andy and Ceil Barrie — a sweeping panorama of 13,000 and 14,000-foot peaks towering above the forest of centuries-old bristlecone pines.

It convinced the couple to buy a 3-bedroom home in a subdivision below, where they could live year-round, and the 10-acre parcel surrounding the cabin in the midst the White River National Forest.

 Now the county government, alarmed that the couple drives their ATV up a 1.2-mile old mining road to the cabin, wants to take the Barrie’s land — and it’s doing so by claiming eminent domain. Rather than using the practice of government seizure of private property to promote economic development, the county is using it to preserve open space.

More @ The Blaze

6 comments:

  1. Sad. I had a run in with imminent domain a few years back. The Feds wanted to take my hay field claiming it was the only place they could put an FAA radar tower. My neighbor built a 200 foot grain elevator on his place right when the feds won the suit. They said never mind after that. I send that grain elevator a thank you note every year.

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    1. :) I assume they didn't ask to lease just the space required, correct?

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    2. No sir they were going to take it and in my opinion at a much reduced value. Their reasoning for wanting that land was it was the highest point within x number of miles and already cleared. They actually ended up putting it only about 2 miles away from me I guess at the second highest cleared point. The metal grain silo would have messed with their radar I guess.

      I had zero say in the matter and the courts told me that, yet apparently they had options they just didn't want to pursue them. Was easier to just take my land.

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    3. My Dixieland presently consists of 6 acres down from 3,500 in its heyday, but the 6 consist of the road in my front and right side which the state stole with no compensation, only if they didn't need it at some time I could have it back. How in the hell can they take something for nothing.? You'd at least think they would buy or lease it.

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    4. They did that with the Kaddie trail here in Missouri. Condemned it for railroad use and then after the railroad went under instead of giving it back they made some stupid bike trail out of it then claim it gets 100 times the use it really gets to justify it.

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