CITY OF AURORA v. COLORADO STATE ENGINEER

No. 01SA412.

105 P.3d 595 (2005)

In the Matter of the Application for Water Rights of Park County Sportsmen's Ranch, CITY OF AURORA, a municipal corporation of the counties of Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas, acting by and through its UTILITY ENTERPRISE; Park County Sportsmen's Ranch, L.L.P., a limited liability partnership; and Kenneth J. Burke, former counsel for Park County Sportsmen's Ranch, LLP, Applicants-Appellants. v. COLORADO STATE ENGINEER, Harold D. Simpson, Division Engineer for Water Division No. 1; Colorado Water Conservation Board; Colorado State Division of Wildlife; City of Thornton; City of Englewood; City and County of Denver; County of Park; Center of Colorado Water Conservancy District; Elkhorn Ranch Home Owners Association; Upper South Platte Water Conservancy District; Board of Commissioners of County of Park; Park County Water Preservation Coalition; United States of America; Centennial Water and Sanitation District; Union Pacific Resources Company; the Frieda Wahl Trust; Steve Bargas; Kimberly Bargas; Frida Bargas; H.D. and Mary Catherine Coleman; James T. Benes; James T. Benes, Jr.; Cassandra L. Benes Trust; Tarryall Land and Cattle LLC; Magness Land Holdings, LLC; Estate of Bob Magness; Personal Representative of the Estate of Bob Magness; Town of Fairplay; Jim Campbell; James Campbell; Ruth Bartle; Indian Mountain Corporation; Jill E. Boice; Bob Burch; Robert W. Heckendorf; Michael and Vicki Lothrop; Richard A. Grenfell; David Wilson; Darrell Johns; David Johns; John Johns; Joseph G. and Joyce C. Minke; James E. Copanos; Central Colorado Cattlemen's Association; Gregory Snapp; Roy G. Doerr; Erik Taylor; Wildwood Recreational Village Assoc.; Mark and Carol Carrington; Hansludwig Kommert; and Stephen R. Cline, Objectors-Appellees.

Supreme Court of Colorado, En Banc.

As Modified on Denial of Rehearing February 14, 2005.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Duncan, Ostrander & Dingess, P.C., John M. Dingess, Linda D. Obernyer, James Birch (Special Counsel), Denver, for Applicant-Appellant City of Aurora acting by and through its Utility Enterprise.

Porzak Browning & Bushong, Glenn E. Porzak, Steven J. Bushong, Kevin J. Kinnear, Boulder, Gary L. Crandell, P.C., Gary L. Crandell, Denver, for Applicant-Appellant Park County Sportsmen's Ranch, L.L.P.

White and Steele, PC, John M. Lebsack, Jennifer L. Tryjan, David Jaffee, Suzanna Wasito, Denver, for Applicant-Appellant Kenneth J. Burke, former counsel for Park County Sportsmen's Ranch, LLP.

John W. Suthers, Acting Attorney General, Steven O. Sims, Assistant Attorney General, Susan J. Schneider, Assistant Attorney General, Natural Resources and Environment Section, Denver, for Objectors-Appellees Colorado state engineer, Harold D. Simpson, Division Engineer for Water Division No. 1; Colorado Water Conservation Board; and Colorado State Division of Wildlife.

Margaret A. Emerich, City Attorney, Dennis A. Hanson, Assistant City Attorney, Thornton, for Objector-Appellee City of Thornton.

Berg Hill Greenleaf & Ruscitti LLP, David G. Hill, Melissa M. Heidman, William I. Krasniewicz, Boulder, for Objector-Appellee City of Englewood.

Denver Water Department, Patricia L. Wells, Michael L. Walker, Mary B. Rastall, Anne E. Winans, Casey S. Funk, Henry C. Teigen, Denver, for Objector-Appellee City and County of Denver, acting by and through its Board of Water Commissioners.

Bernard, Lyons, Gaddis & Kahn, P.C., Jeffrey J. Kahn, Steven P. Jeffers, Madoline E.S. Wallace, Longmont, for Objectors-Appellees Board of Commissioners of County of Park and The Upper South Platte Water Conservancy District.

Felt, Monson & Culichia, LLC, James G. Felt, James W. Culichia, Colorado Springs, for Objector-Appellee Center of Colorado Water Conservancy District.

Vranesh & Raisch, LLP, Michael D. Shimmin, Lisa C. Ledet, Boulder, for Objectors-Appellees Park County Water Preservation Coalition, and H.D. and Mary Catherine Coleman.

US Department of Interior, Robert D. Comer, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Thomas R. Graf, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Office of Regional Solicitor, Lakewood, for Objector-Appellee United States of America.

Gilbert Y. Marchand, Jr., P.C., Gilbert Y. Marchand, Jr., Moses, Wittemyer, Harrison and Woodruff, P.C., Veronica A. Sperling, Boulder, for Objector-Appellee Centennial Water and Sanitation District.

Welborn Sullivan Meck & Tooley P.C., Stephen J. Sullivan, Molly Sommerville, Denver, for Union Pacific Resources Company n/k/a Anadako Petroleum Corporation.

Gilbert Y. Marchand, Jr., P.C., Gilbert Y. Marchand, Jr., Boulder, for Objectors-Appellees James T. Benes, James T. Benes, Jr., and Cassandra L. Benes Trust, and Tarryall Land and Cattle, LLC.

Tienken & Hill, L.L.P., Alan G. Hill, Louisville, for Objectors-Appellees The Frieda Wahl Trust, Steve Bargas, Kimberly Bargas and Frida Bargas.

Robert E. Schween, P.C., Robert E. Schween, Aurora, for Objector-Appellee Magness Land Holdings, LLC.

Petrock & Fendel, P.C., Frederick A. Fendel, Carmen S. Hall, Denver, for Objectors-Appellees Town of Fairplay, James Campbell, and Indian Mountain Corporation.

The Law Offices of Bennett S. Aisenberg, P.C., Bennett S. Aisenberg, H. Paul Himes, Jr., Denver, for Amicus Curiae Colorado Trial Lawyers Association.

No appearance by or on behalf of: County of Park; Elkhorn Ranch Home Owners Association; Estate of Bob Magness; Personal Representative of the Estate of Bob Magness; Jim Campbell; Jill E. Boice; Ruth Bartle; Bob Burch; Robert W. Heckendorf; Michael and Vicki Lothrop; Richard A. Grenfell; David A. Wilson; Darrell Johns; David Johns; John Johns; Joseph G. and Joyce C. Minke; James E. Copanos; Central Colorado Cattlemen's Association; Gregory Snapp; Roy G. Doerr; Erik Taylor; Wildwood Recreational Village Assoc.; Mark and Carol Carrington; Hansludwig Kommert; and Stephen R. Cline.


Justice RICE delivered the Opinion of the Court.

Plaintiff-Appellants, Park County Sportsmen's Ranch, LLP ("PCSR"), Kenneth J. Burke (PCSR's attorney at trial), and the City of Aurora, appeal from a judgment of the District Court for Water Division 1 dismissing PCSR's water rights application and awarding attorney fees and costs to objectors who successfully opposed the application. First, we affirm the water court's decision...

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