Locals in Park City are divided following a property dispute that saw an angry resident file a lawsuit against his neighbor’s dogs.
Matthew Prince, co-founder of technology company Cloudflare, was originally involved in a lawsuit over a rock wall over a property line with Eric and Susan Hermann. Lawyers for the billionaire subsequently filed suit against the Hermann’s two Bernese Mountain Dogs, Sasha and Mocha, claiming the two are “vicious and aggressive.”
Prince, who is worth $3.4 billion, has also claimed that the two dogs “aggressively approached, chased and harassed” him and his family.
Prince told the Wall Street Journal, “I understand we’re rich motherfuckers, but on some level I’m also a father and I have to protect my daughter.”
The Hermanns have denied the allegations, saying the dogs are “well-behaved, polite and non-aggressive.” They also say the lawsuits are retaliation after they appealed the city’s approval of its plans to build a mansion overlooking the city’s historic center.
While the two go after each other with lawsuits, the local population is left divided in their support for the dogs.
Matthew Prince, co-founder of technology company Cloudflare, seen here with his wife Tatiana, was originally involved in a lawsuit over a rock wall over a property line with Eric and Susan Hermann
Prince filed suit against the couple over the behavior of their Bernese Mountain Dogs, calling them “threatening.” The owners say they had never received such a complaint before the appeal and now claim they are being harassed by the billionaire couple.
Neighbors Eric Hermann and Susan Fredston-Hermann claim his proposal violates zoning laws — a statement eight others in the neighborhood support
According to the lawsuit, the 100-plus-pound dogs also loudly barked and relieved themselves on Prince’s property.
Herman said the Wall Street Journal: “If something like that ever happened, we would obviously clean up the dog poop,” adding that he had never seen his dogs urinating there.
He also told the newspaper that he believes the lawsuit against his beloved canines amounts to harassment.
Price said the two dogs had threatened his 82-year-old mother and barked, growled and attacked his toddler.
The Hermanns said he never asked them to leash their dogs before the filing, and that “the dogs have not interacted with the Princes.”
Since the fight over the two puppies broke out, locals have supported Sasha and Mocha by making ‘Free Sasha & Mocha’ stickers.
The outlet said the stickers are appearing on signs, fence posts and car bumpers around the city.
Blaire Dernach, a local bartender, described the dogs as “big, fluffy and beautiful.”
While neighbor Teri Toelcke, 79, said she was concerned about the dogs: “They don’t want you near their people.”
Prince claims the rock wall (circled) crosses the property line between the lot he bought a few weeks ago and the lot next door. The Hermanns say he purposely bought the lot a few weeks ago out of spite
The Cloudflare queen — who is reportedly worth $3.4 billion — moved to Park City from the Bay Area after the pandemic
The rock wall that started it all belongs to Eric, 71, and Susan, 68, and is part of their $11.5 million mansion.
They claim a rock wall coming out of their home crosses the property line into the vacant lot Prince bought last March.
The pair have emerged as two of Prince’s fiercest opponents in an ongoing ownership battle. Earlier this year, they appealed after Prince received approval. They claim his proposal violates zoning laws — a statement that eight others in the neighborhood, including some friends, support.
They also say he purposely bought a second piece of land after the first lawsuit so he could file a second one.
In February, the Park City Planning Commission gave preliminary approval to the couple’s plans to raze two houses on the hill where the Hermanns live to make way for their new home, under the pretense that they would be subject to a set of conditions and a design assessment.
The conditions include limiting the home to less than 7,500 square feet, as well as restrictions on lighting to limit impact on neighbors.
The committee approved the proposed property by a narrow vote of 4 to 3. However, the Hermanns were unconvinced and filed an appeal on March 1 to overturn the approval of the prince’s house plans.
The couple says the project does not comply with local development regulations, and that the planning commission did not adequately consider the impacts the house will have by not properly enforcing the city’s development code.
The wall is owned by 71-year-old and 68-year-old Hermanns, who also own this $11.5 million mansion. The pair have thus emerged as two of Prince’s fiercest opponents in an ongoing ownership battle
Price married his wife in 2017, with the couple since purchasing local publication Park Record. The neighborhood appeal will be reviewed by Park City’s three-member appeals panel on April 30, after which the case will be decided
Residents have complained that the plans for the house are too large and violate codes for a maximum footprint of 3,500 square feet.
It would also have an interior height of 17.5 meters, which is 5.5 meters more than what officials think is allowed, according to a commission report.
The Hermanns wrote in a summary: “It will loom over the old city, glowing at night and reflecting the morning sun on the rest of the old city.”
The princes argued that the city had miscalculated by claiming that only 3,475 square meters would be used as the above-ground “building footprint.”
The total living space would be 2,300 meters and the interior would be 10 meters high.
Neighbor Pat Sweeney said, “All he’s doing is replacing a house with a new house.”
Prince said that the relationship between himself and the Hermanns began in 2022 when he and his wife Tatiana went to their house to “talk about their plans.”
After learning that the Hermanns owned a vacant lot next door, Prince inquired and offered to pay one and a half times the market price.
The Hermanns declined and acknowledged their Bernese’s behavior in a text message, saying, “Next time we will arrange your arrival so that the dogs are cozy and not scary.”
Hermann told the magazine it was a joke, while Prince said they had been aggressive.
The neighborhood case will be reviewed by Park City’s three-member appeals panel on April 30, after which the case will be resolved one way or another.