Colorado neighbors sue Oprah over lack of access to trails
Colorado neighbors sue Oprah over lack of access to trails
FILE: A man who lives near Oprah Winfrey's new property above Telluride, Colorado, is suing her for allegedly blocking access to hiking trails open to neighbors for decades. AP
DENVER A man who lives near Oprah Winfrey's new property above Telluride, Colo., is suing her for allegedly blocking access to hiking trails open to neighbors for decades.
Retired physicist Charles D. Goodman claims Winfrey's Yellow Brick Road company, the property's former owners and the town of Mountain Village made a deal to close access to the trails that cut across the land purchased for $10.9 million in March.
The Denver Post reported Thursday that the former owners, Hoyt and Carol Barnett, asked for a correction to records shortly before selling the land.
Goodman claims that erased easements allowing residents of nearby homes to use the trails.
Mountain Village denies the accusation. Town community director Chirs Hawkins said the correction only cleared up ambiguities and that the town and Winfrey's team want to continue to allow trail access.
In a , Yellow Brick Road spokeswoman Wendy Luckenbill said the company will to work with the neighbors ensure "reasonable" access for neighbors over portions of the land.
The trails were established in 1989 after negotiations between Goodman and the U.S. Forest Service, which owned the land at thetime .
Winfrey plans to build a mansion and guest home on the property starting this summer. Plans for the homes haven't been submitted yet but the project will require building a bridge over a ski run and cutting down an estimated 800 to 1,000 trees to comply with the town's wildfire mitigation policies.
Plans for the homes haven't been submitted yet but the project will require building a bridge over a ski run and cutting down an estimated 800 to 1,000 trees to comply with the town's wildfire mitigation policies.
What a shame to lose all of those trees.
''The trails were established in 1989 after negotiations between Goodman and the U.S. Forest Service, which owned the land at the time.''
Public land at one time. This is what can happen when ''public land'' is turned to private. People will build their mega mansions and what was usualy before becomes ''their land'' and they have to protect themselves from those that have enjoyed it for years.
Sad case, but not unusual.
I guess money allows one to do anything one wishes....sad.