Park County planning board recommends approval of Grasshopper first-minor subdivision; neighbors voice concerns about water and access

The Park County Planning Board on April 17 voted to recommend approval of the “Grasshopper 1” first-minor subdivision preliminary plat, a proposal by Adrienne and Paige Savage to divide a 14-acre agricultural-exemption parcel into two residential lots. The board’s recommendation will be transmitted to the County Commission for final action.

The board’s decision followed a lengthy presentation and staff report that reviewed the county subdivision regulations and the statutory review criteria — including impacts to agriculture, water and utilities, local services, natural resources, wildlife and public health and safety — and listed conditions that staff recommended as part of approval.

Applicants and staff Adrienne Savage, one of the applicants, told the board the family bought the 14-acre parcel as a location to build if their current home were flooded; the lot was designated an agricultural tract and the family needed subdivision review to lift the agricultural restriction to allow residential building. Planning staff summarized the application as a first-minor subdivision because there have been no prior divisions of the parent tract; the applicants propose two lots of roughly 6–7 acres each, with building envelopes and on-site wells and septic…