San Luis: State lawmakers are stepping into a heated debate over a huge fence being built by a billionaire ranch owner in southern Colorado. This fence, part of the Cielo Vista Ranch, has locals pretty upset.
Last week, a bill was introduced that would require local government approval for big fencing projects on Sangre de Cristo land grant properties. The goal? To stop the expansion of an 8-foot-tall fence topped with barbed wire that’s causing quite a stir.
Locals say this fence stretches at least 20 miles and is blocking wildlife movement, damaging the land, and intimidating residents who have legal access to the area. It’s been a real point of contention.
Costilla County officials tried to halt the construction, but the ranch owner responded by suing the county, leading to a costly legal battle in this quiet rural community.
Rep. Matthew Martinez, who sponsored the bill, visited the site after hearing about it in the news. He was shocked by how massive and destructive the fence was. He felt compelled to help because it just didn’t fit in with the area.
This fence issue is just the latest in a long history of conflicts between various out-of-state billionaire owners of the 83,000-acre ranch and the roughly 3,500 locals living nearby, some of whom have rights to access the land that date back to before Colorado was even a state.
Families from the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant, who settled in the valley in the mid-1800s, still have rights to graze cattle and gather firewood on the property, which locals refer to as La Sierra.
Bernadette Lucero, part of the La Sierra Environmental Guardian Committee, called the situation an environmental and wildlife disaster. She pointed out that no one owns the elk and deer, yet they’re being fenced in.
Frank Vigil, a local who has access to the ranch, was seen reading a note on one of the gates. He’s part of the committee fighting against the 8-foot fence.
Jamie Dickinson, the attorney for the ranch owner, declined to comment on the new legislation due to ongoing litigation. However, representatives for the owner have said the fence is necessary to keep bison in and trespassers out.
The proposed House Bill 1023 would require anyone wanting to build a fence taller than 5 feet and longer than half a mile on these properties to apply for county approval. Local officials would then assess the need for the fence and its impact on the community and wildlife.
Any new fence must also allow for wildlife to cross. The bill states that the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant Lands are at risk of irrational and harmful fencing projects without local oversight.
If passed, the new rules would take effect on July 1 but wouldn’t apply to fences already built. Local governments could also choose to opt out of the application process.
Lucero expressed hope that lawmakers would find a way to address the concerns and foster better relations between the ranch owner and the community.
“We’re just trying to keep attention on it,” she said.
The bill will first go to the House Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources Committee, but a hearing date hasn’t been set yet.