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City pauses public sale of Sky High parcel after discovery of 1919 deed restriction; quiet-title process underway
Summary
City staff withdrew a planned public hearing on sale of a portion of the Sky High tract after locating a 1919 deed that reserves much of the tract "forever for park purposes." The city has begun a quiet-title process and expects roughly 90 days for publication and conclusion.
City staff told the Monte Vista City Council that the public hearing on selling a portion of the Sky High tract was pulled after title research revealed a handwritten 1919 deed that appears to reserve about two-thirds of that property "forever for park purposes."
Gigi Mint, City Manager, said staff found the restriction while preparing sale documents and pulled the public hearing to complete legal review. Mint said the city engaged attorney Mike Trujillo to pursue a quiet-title action to remove or clarify the restriction in order to make the parcel marketable. The quiet-title filings will be published for five weeks; staff said only original signatories or their heirs can contest and that a contested filing is unlikely given the deed’s age.
Why it matters: The Sky High parcel already contains built facilities — including the Sky High building and event center — that may be affected by the historical deed language. Mint said the city will review all municipal deeds to identify other potential restrictions and avoid similar surprises in future land sales.
Staff timeline and procedure: Mint said the quiet-title process is underway, including litigation and publication steps, and that the full process will take roughly 90 days from the publication start. Attorney Trujillo is handling the title work and publication; staff will return to council with updates and any required follow-up actions.
Ending: Council received the update and asked for periodic reports; staff said supporting documentation and deed transcriptions are available for council review.
