Neighbors Fight Over Property That Belongs To The City

DENVER (CBS4) - Neighbors in a Denver neighborhood are fighting over a piece of property which none of them own.

The dispute goes back a few years when a previous homeowner took a city-owned alley for himself.

Now, Garrett Gidley wants that alley opened up again so he can have access to his home. Others say it would be an expensive change for everyone.

Gidley bought the home four years ago which sits off Leetsdale Drive in the Hilltop Neighborhood.

He says getting in and out of his home has been a challenge. He says he bought the property with the idea of including a second entrance.

"When I was going through all the paperwork. I found out behind my house there's supposed to be an alley," Gidley said.

Assesor records show exactly where the alley should run. The property belongs to the city, but several years ago, homeowners decided it wasn't being used and expanded their yards.

Denver Public Works says that was done without any approval by their office.

"Apparently one neighbor tried to get the city to vacate the alley yeas ago, and couldn't get all the neighbors to sign. They got together and were like 'Look, we're just going to take it,'" said Gidley.

Where the alley should start is now a driveway which two of the neighbors use.

An overhead projection shows where the alley should be and what Gidley is proposing.

"They already paved half of it, all unpermitted, but it is paved and it is nice, but all I want to do is connect my portion," Gidley said.

The owner of the one home stands to lose the most. He wasn't available to speak on camera with CBS4, but says they purchased their home with the changes.

He argues against letting Gidley do any of the work on his own, and for the city, it would be costly.

The previous homeowners say the alley was never a functioning alley. They say it became an unused, open space. City council will decide the alley's fate.