A property owner is suing the city of Cortez over the placement of a road‑closed barrier on North Adams Street east of City Market at 508 E. Main St.
Cortez Main LLC, the plaintiff in the case, owns property adjacent to North Adams Street and alleges the city installed the barrier without notice, interfering with its access to the street as well as access for emergency vehicles.
The owner says the road‑closure sign blocked an area from public view, leading to a buildup of trash, increased vandalism and the return of small homeless camps.
In the complaint, submitted in October 2025, the property owner calls the continued placement of the sign unlawful and seeks its removal. The attorney for the owner denied The Journal’s request for comment.
The city, in its response filed in November 2025, acknowledges the sign remains standing and was placed by city staff without direction from the City Council. However, it calls the complaint “groundless” and seeks the dismissal.
A trial is scheduled for Aug. 17, with the city required to attempt mediation by July 17.
“We’re working on getting a mediator lined up to see if there are solutions short of removing the sign entirely,” said City Attorney Patrick Coleman during a debrief of the lawsuit to City Council on Tuesday. He did not explain the reasons for the sign.
avanderveen@the-journal.com
