Pitkin County has filed a lawsuit against Deadwood Ranch I LLC, a Florida-based owner of a Basalt property, alleging violations of a 2018 conservation easement. The suit claims the ranch constructed three unauthorized buildings—a 1,200-square-foot shed, a 4,000-square-foot shed, and a 1,500-square-foot horse stall—outside designated development zones, along with grading land for a riding arena that damaged natural habitat. The county seeks a court order to remove the structures, restore the land, and potentially recover damages and legal fees, arguing these actions undermine the easement’s purpose to protect open space and environmental values.

In a separate legal dispute, Fevaag Ranch LLC is suing Pitkin County after commissioners blocked its plan to build a home and caretaker unit on a 24-acre parcel near Snowmass Creek. The county denied access from Highway 82, and the alternative access via Snowmass Creek Road requires a bridge, which county staff rejected, suggesting an east-side site that Fevaag’s consultants say is unsuitable due to environmental and logistical issues. Fevaag Ranch contends the county’s denial was arbitrary and unsupported by evidence, seeking court approval of its original west-side building proposal and reimbursement of legal costs.