Saturday, April 12, 2014
Agenda 21 Strikes Again: County Uses Eminent Domain to Preserve “Open Space”
The views from the deck of Andy and Ceil Barrie’s small, century-old cabin were breathtaking. Unfortunately, their dreams became a nightmare when they found out that their local county was trying to take their property using eminent domain.
Open space “is all it’s ever been,” said Andy Barrie to the Associated Press. “I feel like I can’t trust my government.”
The property in question is a 10-acre parcel surrounding the cabin in the midst of 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.
The move shocked the Barries. They have allowed hikers to travel through their property, had no plans to develop the land and were negotiating with the county at the time it moved to condemn the property.
Summit County Attorney Jeff Huntley said the county had to act after the Barries insisted on being able to use motorized transport to get to the cabin. “People in this community are very intent on preserving the back country,” he said.
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