Valley County accepts deeded public rights-of-way, approves 12 road names; Riverbend Lane approval tied to Forest Service agreement

The Valley County Board of County Commissioners on Oct. 15 voted to accept deeds and validate 12 roads as public rights of way offered by DF Development LLC, and to add the proposed names to the county’s official road list. The board’s action, taken after a public hearing, includes conditions that Riverbend Lane not be accepted until a U.S. Forest Service cost-share agreement is terminated and that the roads be constructed to fire-code standards before dedication.

The move will add named roads and clarify access for emergency responders across a roughly 13,436-acre holding that DF Development said will not create new parcels. Planning staff and the applicant said the primary goals are to ensure future access to public lands, improve addressing for emergency services, and create circulation between Clear Creek and Horse Thief Road.

Planning staff opened the hearing by telling the board, “I would like to be very clear that this application does not create a subdivision.” Applicant attorney Josh Leonard of Clark Wardle LLP told the commissioners the deeds would transfer long stretches of Clear Creek Road and Horse Thief Road to the county and that the developer “gains no additional entitlements by deeding these roads to the county.” Leonard also said the applicant expects to build a new bridge on Longmeadow Drive and to construct the named roads to fire-code…