A long-running land-use dispute in Chaffee County has taken a significant turn following direction from the Colorado Court of Appeals.
District 11 Judge Amanda Hunter has formally reversed her earlier ruling that favored Alison Brown in her lawsuit against Chaffee County over a proposed dog kennel operation.
In her initial decision, Hunter found that the county had “abused its discretion” when it denied Brown’s application for a limited impact review permit to operate a kennel. She also granted Brown’s motion for summary judgment and rescinded two prior county decisions—one issued by the Board of Adjustment and another by the Board of County Commissioners.
However, the Colorado Court of Appeals overturned both of those rulings in August of last year and remanded the case back to District Court for reconsideration.
Following that directive, Judge Hunter has now reinstated the original county decisions. This includes upholding the Board of Adjustment’s interpretation of the terms “kennel” and “parcel,” as well as the County Commissioners’ denial of Brown’s permit application.
According to columnist Joe Stone, writing for Heart of the Rockies Radio, the latest ruling represents a major setback for Brown’s case. By affirming the county’s denial of the permit, the decision significantly weakens her legal challenge moving forward.
