KEENESBURG — A preliminary settlement between the 45-year-old Wild Animal Sanctuary and a neighboring residential developer has been approved by Weld District Court.
The nonprofit sanctuary, home to nearly 1,000 lions, tigers, bears and other animals, had sued the developer, Wigaard Smith Estates LLC, in September, seeking a permanent injunction against the developer until it fully complies with the terms of a 2010 agreement designed to ensure harmony between the sanctuary and nearby homeowners. It also called for a restraining order to temporarily keep the developer from building homes there.
In its lawsuit, the sanctuary expressed its concern “that people would buy property in the proposed Development with no idea of the practical challenges from being next door to the world’s largest concentration of predatory animals, and that buyers taking without notice of those challenges would significantly increase — if not guarantee — friction” with the sanctuary and likely lead to litigation to the detriment of the sanctuary “and its critical zoological and ecological mission.”
A hearing was held Nov. 14, with plaintiffs and defendants stating their opposite petitions. However, attorneys for both sides then met and worked out a settlement outlining the terms of a preliminary injunction instead — a plan reviewed and then approved Nov. 19 by Weld District Judge Shannon Lyons.
Under the terms of the temporary injunction, developers Sherry Wigaard and Velois Smith are ordered not to close any sales in the subdivision without the court’s permission but can still conduct any other development and marketing operations. It orders Wigaard and Smith to seat the sanctuary’s designated representative, currently Pat Craig, the facility’s executive director, on the subdivision’s homeowners’ association board.
The settlement directed the developers to conduct a meeting of the new HOA on or before next Tuesday, at which Craig is permitted to fully participate and vote. It directed that Craig be given access to all information and documents the other board members receive well in advance of the meeting.
Among actions dictated in the settlement, the HOA is directed to amend its rules “to require not only that prospective lot owners sign the disclaimer already contained therein, but that prospective lot owners, prior to closing on the purchase of a lot, sign a disclaimer stating that they ‘are fully aware and in complete acceptance of the sounds, smells, dangers and other potential issues that may exist with a wild animal sanctuary being located adjacent to the Subdivision into which they are choosing to move.”
The parties are directed to record the amendments in the property records of Weld County by Dec. 12, and then present to the court by Dec. 19 a stipulated permanent injunction requiring the developers and their successors to comply with the 2010 contract as amended.
If the parties all agree to the permanent injunction, Lyons wrote, the court will dismiss the litigation with prejudice and “immediately dissolve this Preliminary Injunction and permit the Defendants to close on the sale of lots.”
If the parties don’t agree to the permanent injunction, she wrote, they must file a status report with the court on or before Dec. 19, detailing the areas of disagreement, and then promptly contact the court clerk to set a hearing date.
This article was first published by BizWest, an independent news organization, and is published under a license agreement. © 2025 BizWest Media LLC.
Hence then, the article about wild animal sanctuary settles dispute with neighboring developer was published today ( ) and is available on GreeleyTribune ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Wild Animal Sanctuary settles dispute with neighboring developer )
Also on site :