Council opens public hearing on conditional use permit for 10‑tee driving range at Country Ridge Road

The City Council opened a public hearing Aug. 18 on an application for a conditional use permit (CUP) to operate a golf driving range at property addressed as 1905 Country Ridge Road. The applicant, Jared Jordan, told council the 40‑acre parcel would host a 10‑tee driving range with a concrete tee area, a gravel parking/turnaround for about 10 cars and no new buildings proposed initially. City planning staff described the proposal, reviewed the site plan and summarized recommended conditions: a three‑year expiration of the CUP subject to review and possible extension; limits to daylight hours only; no outdoor lighting permitted under the current approval; requirement that the existing gravel access be improved and maintained at a minimum 26‑foot width to meet the International Fire Code (IFC) Appendix D for fire access; a pre‑opening staff inspection; and a requirement that any expansion or additional buildings must return to the public hearing process. Why this matters: the property is adjacent to the McBride subdivision and to existing residences, so council and neighbors focused on traffic, safety, noise and the risk of golf balls leaving the property as development progresses nearby. Staff explained the short CUP period (three years) gives the planning commission and council a chance to evaluate real‑world impacts such as ball dispersion, traffic volumes and whether paving or additional mitigation (netting, reorientation of tee boxes) will be needed. Key questions and clarifications: council members asked whether engineering documentation for the improved gravel access would be obtained and enforced; staff and the city’s permitting representative confirmed an engineer’s design and a final inspection would be required prior to opening. Council also discussed restroom requirements: because the proposal does not include new buildings, building‑code triggers for restroom facilities were not activated. The applicant said the range would be card‑operated and largely self‑service, and that he envisioned the driving range as a temporary test use with potential future expansion toward a nine‑hole course. Public comments and next steps: nearby property owners attended the planning commission and some were at the council meeting; concerns raised included lighting, traffic and whether the CUP’s three‑year sunset could lead to disputes later. Council asked staff clarifying questions about enforcement, signage and responsibility for road maintenance. The public hearing remains open; staff requested a first reading of an ordinance authorizing the CUP and noted the planning and zoning commission had recommended approval with conditions.