PARK CITY — Two trailers at the center of a long-running dispute over alleged sewage contamination at the Homestead Apartments in Park City were removed Thursday following a court order, marking what many neighbors call a long-awaited step forward.
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The removal came nearly two weeks after a Feb. 1 deadline set by Stillwater County Judge Matthew Wald in December. The trailers had sat on the property and were ordered removed as part of ongoing litigation involving the property’s owner, Gary Weitz.
Related: Trailers remain on Park City property despite court-ordered removal deadline
For nearby residents, the move brought relief after months of frustration.
“Thank God that it's finally getting taken care of," said Jennifer Monger, who lives in Park City. “I just can't stress enough that we're just finally happy that something is being done about it.”
Neighbors have raised concerns for years about conditions at the complex. Those concerns escalated on Nov. 15, when sewage began backing up on the property, prompting a boil water order within a two-block radius after coliform bacteria was discovered in the area’s well system.
Officials later capped the complex’s sewer lines, and most tenants were forced to vacate the building.
“From what I have seen in the five years that I've been here, it's not changed at all. In fact, it probably has gotten worse,” said Monger.
The incident sparked multiple lawsuits and intensified an already contentious legal battle between Weitz, the Park City Sewer and Water Board and the Stillwater County Health Department.
Several residents have joined a class action lawsuit against Weitz, alleging the property created environmental and health hazards, as well as financial losses. Attorney Drew Falkenstein of AVA Law Group is representing plaintiffs in two active lawsuits against the owner.
Related: Park City residents meet with attorney as lawsuits mount over Homestead Apartments
Monger also organized a petition calling for action, gathering more than 300 signatures.
“We want something done, and we don't necessarily care whom it's done by, whether it's the judge or Gary himself or the prosecutor. We just want this taken care of because it's an eyesore," said Monger.
Weitz has strongly denied that his property caused contamination or elevated nitrate levels in the city’s water supply.
"I don't think I've ever been the cause of the water problems," said Weitz. “In fact, there's evidence that indicates that the high nitrates have come from the northwest of my property, if you look at the sampling data that was done previously."
Weitz said the property is currently vacant and that the sewer lines remain disconnected amid ongoing litigation. He said he hopes the problem will be resolved within the next several weeks so the lines can be reconnected and tenants can return.
The trailers removed on Thursday have been moved to the property Weitz owns in Shepherd. He said he plans to appeal the judge’s ruling and intends to move the trailers back if a higher court allows it.
“My lawyer feels that the judge didn't properly apply the law, so we will be appealing, and that process could take a few months," said Weitz. "I still plan to bring the mobiles back.”
He said the removal occurred after the Feb. 1 deadline because he was unable to secure movers sooner.
Weitz also said he is open to selling the property to the county if an agreement can be reached.
“I’m fine with selling it at a reasonable price. Of course, the price will be the question,” he said. "Appraisals are underway, and we'll see what happens with that.”
Weitz told MTN in December that he filed a lawsuit alleging the city and county violated his renters’ civil rights. He also said he recently filed a restraining order seeking to prevent city and county officials from entering his property.
While residents say the removal of the trailers is a positive step, many believe the broader dispute is far from resolved.
“Ultimately, we would want them torn down, and hopefully, if we can, something useful being put in its place," said Monger.
Even with the trailers gone, the legal battle over responsibility, contamination, and the future of the Homestead Apartments property is expected to continue in court. Still, Weitz maintains he has operated within his rights as a property owner.
"This property I have has been okayed by the (Montana Department of Environmental Quality) for four mobiles historically," said Weitz. “Hopefully, property rights will still be a relevant issue here in Montana and that landowners can do things within reason on their property.”
