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Eminent domain on the table as Steamboat moves forward with Core Trail expansion

Eminent domain on the table as Steamboat moves forward with Core Trail expansion

Steamboat Springs City Council members have given the city’s attorneys the green light to pursue legal action if necessary to obtain easements to complete a planned westward extension of the Yampa River Core Trail.

The City began planning the entire West Steamboat Trail project in 2021, creating a sequential design in three phases with the ultimate goal of adding 2.4 miles of trail to improve safety conditions for pedestrians and cyclists in the area west of downtown beyond the city limits beyond improving.

Fully funded in 2024, construction of the first phase of the project would result in the trail extending from Snow Bowl Plaza to Sleepy Bear Mobile Home Park along the south side of U.S. Highway 40. However, the start of work is expected to begin in early 2024. This year has been delayed.



Public Works Director Jon Snyder told council members at their meeting Tuesday that the city hopes to submit a bid for the first phase of the project “sooner rather than later,” but the delay was related to the need to get one Strip of land to be purchased owned by the Williams Family Partnership across from the Snow Bowl Steamboat.

The first phase of the project is estimated to cost about $5 million and includes grants from the Colorado Department of Transportation, Routt County and the Yampa Valley Electric Association.



“Phase 1 is currently fully funded, but we are stuck in the phase of acquiring an easement with the subject property,” Snyder said.

The city has secured easements on two properties, including a deal signed with the owners in August Sleepy Bear Mobile Home Park agreed to sell a 1,400-square-foot lot to the city for $1,390and is working on final easement agreements with four landowners necessary to complete the first two phases of the project.

Snyder said last week that easements for the second and third phases of the project would require an agreement with the housing authority, which has already announced support for the work, but only if the project’s previous phases are completed.

Also worth highlighting is another agreement with Steamboat Springs KOA Holiday.

With a deal to purchase land owned by the Williams Family Partnership – one of the four remaining required easement agreements – remaining pending, Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Bock said last week that the council’s approval would allow eminent domain applications in Routt County Circuit Court pursue, this does not mean that negotiations with the Williams Family Partnership are “currently at an impasse”.

“We had a virtual meeting with the property owner and the property owner’s attorney,” Bock said. “We have set out conditions that we are satisfied with. They countered, but we’re not sure we can do it, and that’s why we’re here in front of you tonight.”

The deputy attorney said the plan for the city is to “move forward in parallel steps” with the goal of reaching a negotiated agreement with property owners if necessary. She said the council’s approval of the legal action was needed “in the event that these (negotiations) stall and we have to file an application in the district court.”

“We can continue to negotiate even after we go to court. These things are often resolved before trial,” Bock added. “We told the owners’ lawyer that we only have a deadline. So if we ultimately have to go to court, we will go to court.”

The ultimate goal of the proposed project is to expand the city’s Core Trail to connect to the Yampa Valley Housing Authority’s Brown Ranch property.

A map shows the first and second phases of the West Steamboat Trail project.
City of Steamboat Springs/Photo courtesy

The second phase of the proposed trail development would construct an underpass section beneath US 40 to connect to the Overlook Park subdivision on the north side of the highway.

Snyder pointed out last week that the second phase of the project is fully funded in the 2025 city budget that council members approved, with an estimated cost of about $6 million – a figure supported by grants from various entities, including In August, the city received $2 million from the Department of Local Affairs.

The third phase of the project, which is not yet funded, would expand the trail through the housing authority’s property in Brown Ranch and provide connections to the Steamboat II and Silver Spur neighborhoods.

However, when this work might begin and how it would be financed is unknown.

Council members ultimately voted 5-0 at their meeting last week to allow city attorneys to file eminent domain applications in Routt County Circuit Court if action is needed to move the project forward and complete its first phase.

After the vote, Councilwoman Amy Dickson thanked city staff for their years of efforts to move the project forward.

“We know there is a need for safe pedestrian and bicyclist access to the western part of the city,” Dickson said.

“This is really important to what we envision for the west side of the city, so I support this resolution,” she added.

City Council President Gail Garey did not attend the discussion because her husband, an attorney, was involved in negotiations with the city. Garey said Thursday she didn’t know who her husband’s client was. Councilmember Dakotah McGinlay was not present at the meeting to vote.

Trevor Ballantyne is the city government and housing reporter. To reach him, call 970-871-4254 or email him at [email protected].