Hudson and Lochbuie halt court actions amid settlement discussions

HUDSON and LOCHBUIE — Five lawsuits involving the Weld County towns of Hudson and Lochbuie are likely to be stayed as the towns continue settlement negotiations over competing annexations.

A stay halts court proceedings temporarily.

The towns have battled in court for months over annexations around BNSF Railway Co.’s planned 2,400-acre intermodal facility and logistics park, which will be located along BNSF tracks on the east side of Interstate 76.

BNSF has applied to Lochbuie for annexation, and Hudson and Lochbuie have initiated annexation proceedings for other parcels around the planned development. Some of the annexations overlap in terms of rights of way, leading to annexation litigation.

Both municipalities submitted stipulated motions to stay the proceedings until Oct. 15. The towns entered court-ordered mediation on June 10 and again on Aug. 8 and filed the joint motions to stay the proceedings on Aug. 20.

“The parties agree that it is in their best interest and in the interest of the Court for this case and all deadlines to be stayed pending completion of further settlement discussions and to permit Hudson and Lochbuie to work to resolve all annexation related disputes that are currently pending in Weld County District Court,” according to the filings.

Weld District Court judge Kimberly Schutt granted two of the five stipulated motions that day, with judicial orders expected in the other cases.

“The parties are ordered to file a Joint Status Report regarding the status of settlement discussions and set forth their respective positions regarding continuation or termination of the stay on or before October 15, 2024,” Schutt wrote in her order.

Lochbuie town administrator A.J. Euckert said that “there’s been some progress” in negotiations between the two communities.

“We are continuing to discuss settlement of global issues with Hudson related to the areas on the east side of I-76 surrounding the BNSF project in Lochbuie,” Euckert said. “I’m encouraged by the conversations we’ve been having, and I’m hopeful that we’ll come to a long-term agreement that we can restore some planning-area boundaries and just focus on economic development in each of our communities and kind of just get back to the business of doing what we do.”

Hudson town manager Bryce Lange could not immediately be reached for comment.