Colorado Gov. Jared Polis releases Salazar recommendations to resolve southern Colorado land dispute
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis hopes a recent report will help resolve a dispute over land rights in southern Colorado.
The governor directed former U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar to bring together the heirs to a land grant and a private property owner in the San Luis Valley. Salazar himself is a native of the San Luis Valley.
The 80,000 acres in question are known as both La Sierra and Cielo Vista Ranch and lie in the southernmost part of Colorado, just north of the New Mexico border.
The land dispute dates back generations. Families have long used Cielo Vista Ranch to graze livestock and gather firewood. These families were given a land grant to use it in perpetuity thanks to an inherited easement affirmed by the Colorado Supreme Court.
"The status quo is this thing could be in litigation for many more decades, or we could try to find a better way," said Polis.
That's why the governor stepped in, appointing Salazar as a special envoy to provide recommendations for a path forward.
"To really dig deep and find out what do both sides really want and how can we get along better in a way that's mutually beneficial," Polis explained.
After a month of community engagement, Salazar's recommendations are finalized. His report calls for the state to acquire at least 10,000 acres of the property and make it publicly accessible to everyone, not just heirs.
"It's not going to be just unfettered access," Polis explained. "We'd have to work out with the heirs, 'Hey, is it 50 people on a weekend, or how many other people are able to access this without degrading the quality of your visitation?' And those other visitors, they won't have the wood gathering rights, the timber rights. They don't have any of that."
Polis also believes it will attract much-needed jobs to the area, becoming Costilla County's only piece of public land.
"Only a minority of the folks who live in the community have the rights associated with their land. But really, the entire community would love to have an area where they can go fishing and hiking with their family, just as we all do in Colorado," said Polis.
But access holder Shirley Romero-Otero has concerns.
"I am definitely concerned, both as a plaintiff and an access holder, and someone who lives in the community, if that's open to the public, and all the unintended consequences that could come from that," she said.
Romero-Otero co-founded the Land Rights Council in the 1970s to regain heirs' rights.
Another issue the community has raised is regarding an 8-foot fence that sits along 26 miles of the property. The landowner previously told CBS Colorado that he had it built after dealing with illegal trespassing and poaching. Community members say it endangers wildlife.
"Part of that fence, you know, maybe 20-30% of it is in the area that is recommended to be sold by the state, and so the state can decide what to do with that," said Polis. "I think for the other areas, the recommendation in there is that the landowner really work more with Colorado Parks and Wildlife."
While Polis says Salazar's recommendations make a lot of sense, Romero-Otero says the heirs will meet with their attorney over the weekend to discuss the report and decide how to respond.
Salazar says he's hopeful that the community can find a way forward together.
"I am optimistic that the local community, the landowner and the State can create a framework that turns the seemingly endless dispute into a historic and good result for the heirs and residents of the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant, the landowner, and the people of the State of Colorado," said Salazar.
The four key suggestions Salazar provided include:
- Acquire 10,000 acres, or additional land, from the landowner for public use.
- Continue allowing the heirs access across the remaining 67,000 acres.
- Create a Community Engagement Plan for recreational access to lands beyond the 10,000 acres.
- Create a San Luis Heritage Fund to preserve the history of the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant.
