Fremont rancher refuses to remove gate after city claims it blocks park access

"A hearing date has not been set but could happen as early as this month. He could face a minimum fine of $100 per day that the fence remains up, according to a notice the city served to the George family in November shortly after the gate's construction. The city's removal order came after the Alameda County Board of Supervisor late last year voted to hand responsibility of the 0.2-mile stretch over to the George family."

"In an earlier letter, Fremont City Attorney Rafael Alvarado Jr. told George and his attorney that the city legally took ownership of the road when it incorporated into Alameda County about seven decades ago. For the past seventy years, the public has used and enjoyed the roadway as a public right of way, and said public use of the roadway has been open, notorious, continuous, and adverse to any purported private interest of your client, Alvarado wrote."

"Rancher Chris George is fighting tooth-and-nail to keep the gate on Morrison Canyon Road in rural Fremont, despite city officials determining it was illegally constructed and blocks a city right-of-way. According to a notice signed by Israel VazquezComonfort, a city code enforcement officer, George had until Nov. 26 to immediately remove the gate that obstructs the use of the public street, or face penalties."

Rancher Chris George is appealing a city order to remove a gate he erected on Morrison Canyon Road that city officials determined was illegally constructed and blocks a city right-of-way. The gate was installed within two weeks after Alameda County supervisors handed responsibility for the 0.2-mile stretch to the George family, escalating a yearslong dispute over the 1,000-foot road providing access to Vargas Plateau Regional Park. A city notice gave George until Nov. 26 to remove the gate or face penalties, including a minimum $100-per-day fine. Fremont officials assert the city has owned and the public has used the road for about seventy years and that George has no legal authority to enclose the public right-of-way. George has refused to dismantle the gate and his attorney has appealed the city's removal order.

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