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Routt County approves special-use permit for private parking lot with new drainage condition
Summary
Routt County commissioners approved a special-use permit for a private parking lot in downtown Pittsburgh contingent on a new drainage condition requiring enlarged culvertwork and a deadline for reconstruction to prevent water backing into neighboring yards.
Routt County commissioners on May 13 approved a special-use permit for a private parking lot (PL20240068) after staff and neighbors raised drainage concerns that had not been fully addressed at the planning commission stage.
The permit includes a newly added specific condition requiring the applicant to reconstruct drainage facilities on the south and west sides of the property “prior to issuance and prior to 08/01/2025.” The condition requires a culvert of at least 18 inches, a drainage grade lower than the adjacent alley so it does not back up, and a requirement that drainage be directed south and east and “must not leave the site any further west than the current outfall to the ditch on the south side of the property,” language Michael (planning staff) read into the record.
Why it matters: Neighbors reported springtime flooding that had not been visible during site visits in late winter. County staff and Road and Bridge inspected culverts on and upstream of the property and found a 12-inch culvert under a patio that acted as a bottleneck between larger upstream and downstream culverts (16- and 24-inch). The new condition is intended to eliminate that bottleneck, allow the county to require additional mitigation if the fix fails, and limit the shift of runoff onto adjacent properties.
Key facts and debate: Michael, the planning presenter, said Road and Bridge recommended the condition after on-site photos and measurements showed a sequence of culvert sizes (16" upstream, 12" through the site, 24" under State Highway 131 downstream). Neighbor Sarah Cherry testified that the historical drainage path went straight to the roadside ditch before recent grading and wanted assurance the revised flow would not be routed onto the storage-unit property to the east. Michael pointed to the condition text that restricts how far west water may leave the site and said staff had crafted the wording to avoid directing new impacts onto neighboring parcels.
Action taken: The board approved the SUP with the standard general conditions and the new specific Condition 14 requiring reconstruction of drainage facilities (18-inch minimum culvert, lowered grade, drainage directed south/east, no further west outfall) prior to 08/01/2025. The motion was seconded and passed by unanimous voice vote.
What’s next: The condition gives staff and Road and Bridge authority to require additional mitigation if the reconstructed culvert or ditch does not adequately convey runoff. The permit approval remains contingent on the applicant meeting the condition by the stated deadline.
Ending: Commissioners thanked neighbors and Road and Bridge staff for the site visit and additional work to refine the condition before the vote.
