Rico landowners press county on legal status of County Road N; Forest Service urges formal agreements

Matt Shiff, speaking for himself and an accompanying Christina, presented maps and asked the county to state its current position on the legal status of County Road N as it crosses their mining claim near Rico. "We're here to talk about road in as it goes through our property near Rico," Shiff said after showing slides of the area and the claim.

County staff said they are working with Chanty in Rico and a mining reclamation company to collect the road’s history and survey data. Shiff said he would like to review that history and any survey findings before making a claim about the road. He told the board he is trying to "have complete clarity" before building on the property and acknowledged the area could be a gray zone without a formalized right-of-way.

A Forest Service representative participating remotely said the road "doesn't show up on our [records]" and described Rico as a complicated place for roads and road history. The representative urged formalized agreements and paperwork so future county commissioners and district rangers have a clear record. "We don't have any formalized agreements with the county for pieces passing through for service," the representative said, and asked to be included in future discussions.

County staff said they will follow up with Chanty and the town, obtain the survey results and keep Shiff and other stakeholders informed. No formal county action or vote was taken at the meeting on County Road N; staff committed to returning with updates when more information is available.