Lawyers for Telluride and the owners of the Valley Floor
faced off this morning before the seven justices of the Colorado
Supreme Court, arguing to determine the fate of the land at
Telluride's doorstep.

Justices grilled attorneys for both sides during the hour-long oral
arguments, which began at 9 a.m. In their questions, they tested the
eminent-domain powers of local governments, probed for blank spots in
the Colorado Constitution, and asked searched for fatal flaws in each
side's case.

Telluride argued that it has the constitutional right to use eminent
domain to buy the Valley Floor, 572 acres of land west of Telluride's
boundaries. Telluride wants to condemn the three-mile-long swath of
land to preserve it as open space.

Lawyers for the landowner, the San Miguel Valley Corporation, argued
the opposite point. They said the Colorado Constitution grants no such
power, and what's more, they argued that a 2004 law specifically
prevents towns like Telluride from taking land outside their borders
for open-space uses.

The court will decide whether a portion of that law, known as the
Telluride Amendment, is constitutional or unconstitutional.
If the court supports the law, landowner Neal Blue holds onto his
property. If they strike down the law, Telluride becomes the new
landowner.

Check back here for a full account of the hearings.