The Princes’ neighbors, Eric and Susan Hermann, recently filed an appeal seeking to reverse approval of the Prince's home plans, claiming the project isn’t in line with local development rules.
This week the Princes’ attorney filed a lawsuit against the Hermanns seeking damages for trespassing, private nuisance, and violation of a trail easement.
The complaint specifically calls out the Hermanns’ two Bernese Mountain dogs, Sasha and Mocha.
It says the dogs, each weighing over 100 pounds, are “menacing” and have aggressively chased and harassed those nearby. The suit also alleges the Hermann’s consistently walk the dogs unleashed on the Treasure Hill trail that runs along the perimeter of the Prince property, in violation of city code.
The complaint calls the Hermanns “elderly and frail,” claiming they can’t control the dogs. Attorney Bruce Baird, who is representing the Princes, declined to provide additional comment about the suit.
The Hermanns told KPCW they have never received a complaint about their dogs.
In a statement, Eric Hermann said the timing of the civil complaint is not shocking given their appeal of the Prince home. He said the lawsuit “not only falsely and viciously attacks our gentle dogs but also argues that all dogs should be excluded from pedestrian easements in Park City.”
Along with damages, the lawsuit is aiming to ban the Hermanns from bringing their dogs on the trail that connects to their backyard.
The Hermanns’ appeal of the Princes’ home, which is co-signed by eight other neighbors, will be reviewed by Park City’s three-member appeal panel April 30.
Matthew Prince is the founder and CEO of cybersecurity company Cloudflare, and the second wealthiest person in Utah with a net worth over $3 billion, according to Forbes. Matthew and his wife Tatiana own The Park Record.
