A judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed against the City of Cortez over a road closure.
On Wednesday, District Judge Todd Plewe issued an order dismissing the suit, which was brought by the company Cortez Main, LLC, in October of 2025.
At issue was a “No Outlet” barrier the city put up several years ago on North Adams Street, near City Market. The barrier blocks vehicles from driving to and from the large parking lot at 610 E. Main Street, which used to be the home of the video store Front Row Seat. People can still walk through the passage.
In the complaint, Cortez Main, LLC, owner of the commercial property at 610 E. Main, said it had “historically and lawfully been accessed from North Adams Street.” However, the city said in its reply that North Adams is a dead-end street there.
The city reportedly put the barrier up because of complaints about vehicles going through the passage at all hours. The complaint alleged that the barricade lowered the property’s value and led to “a problem with the homeless, youths and others, camping, leaving trash, committing vandalism and generally creating a nuisance for everyone.”
But on July 17, plaintiff’s attorney Jon Kelly filed a motion to dismiss the case, which was set to go to trial in August, because of “a change in circumstances.”
At Tuesday’s meeting of the Cortez City Council, city attorney Patrick Coleman said the plaintiff had health problems.
The city did not object, and Plewe dismissed the case “without prejudice,” meaning it could be refiled in the future.
Both parties are to pay their own attorney’s costs.
