Laramie County Planning Commission recommends three land-use approvals; neighbors raise drainage and groundwater concerns

The Laramie County Planning Commission on a unanimous voice roll call recommended approval of three separate land‑use items to the Laramie County Board of Commissioners: a zone change for Tract 2 of Cheyenne Irrigated Gardens, a corrective motion to attach missing PUD documents to a previously adopted zoning resolution for Terry Ranch Business Park, and a subdivision plat for the four‑lot Pee Wee Ponderosa subdivision.

The recommendations matter to nearby landowners because the subdivision and the zone change affect access, surface drainage and groundwater use in the Hillsdale area along County Road 143, where residents told the commission they have seen repeated flooding and expressed concern that new wells or undersized culverts could worsen erosion and property flooding.

The commission first considered a corrected motion to change the zoning for Tract 2 of Cheyenne Irrigated Gardens from Light Industrial (LI) to Mixed Use (MU). Justin Arnold, Laramie County Planning and Development, presented the corrected staff report and recommended that the Planning Commission "recommend approval of a zone change from ally light industrial to MU mixed use for Tract 2 Cheyenne Irrigated Gardens, Third filing to the Laramie County Board of Commissioners with no conditions." Shane Hansen of Style Surveying Services appeared for the applicant. There was no public comment on the item and the Planning Commission voted in favor by roll call (Commissioner Stottle: yes; Commissioner Tafoya: yes; Commissioner Gasper: yes; Vice Chairman Watkins: yes).

The commission then considered a corrective motion to attach the planned unit development (PUD) regulations as an exhibit to a previously adopted zoning resolution for the Terry Ranch Business Park. Arnold said the PUD document was not attached to Resolution 240319-26 when the Board of County Commissioners adopted it on March 19, 2024, and that the corrective motion would add the missing PUD regulations to the record. Staff recommended the Planning Commission "recommend approval to the Laramie County Board of Commissioners with no conditions." Brad Edmonds, identified in the record as an agent for the applicant, was present to answer questions. There were no public comments on this item and the commission voted to recommend approval (Stottle: yes; Tafoya: yes; Gasper: yes; Watkins: yes).

Agenda item four opened as a public hearing on the Pee Wee Ponderosa subdivision, a proposal to plat roughly half of an 80‑acre parcel addressed at 1679 County Road 143 in the northwest quarter of Section 29, Township 15 North, Range 63 West. Bryce Hamilton, Laramie County Planning and Development, told the commission the application would divide 40 acres into four residential tracts of approximately 9.585 acres each and leave a 40‑acre remainder. Staff said the lots would be served by individual wells and septic systems and cited Wyoming Statutes 18‑5‑301 through 18‑5‑306 and relevant sections of the Laramie County Land Use Regulations governing subdivisions and the LU zone district.

Several nearby property owners testified at the public hearing, raising drainage, erosion and groundwater concerns. Amy Lansbury, who lives at 1671 County Road 143 immediately south of the subject parcel, said, "My basement has flooded 3 times," and asked that culverts be sized properly so flows do not wash out local roads or inundate houses. Casey Epler, a long‑time local landowner, said he disagreed that adding four wells would have no effect on local water resources, noting historical declines in local well performance. Brad Waffle, another neighbor, presented county drainage calculations and urged that any private easement used by the subdivision be improved to county standards and that culverts be engineered to handle runoff; he said two existing 36‑inch culverts convey substantial flow at the site.

County staff and public‑works reviewers responded that access permits and floodplain or floodplain‑development permits would require culverts and engineering where crossings are within mapped flood areas, and that Laramie County Public Works had commented that the portion of the access easement to be dedicated with the plat should be built to county standards. Molly Bennett, Laramie County Public Works, told the commission she recommended that the section of the access easement included on the plat be constructed to county standards so access spacing along Route 143 could be managed.

After hearing public comment, the Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of the Pee Wee Ponderosa subdivision plat to the Board of County Commissioners with no conditions (Stottle: yes; Tafoya: yes; Gasper: yes; Watkins: yes). Commission discussion and public comments identified potential follow‑up actions for the Board and for permitting staff: engineering review of any culvert or low‑water crossing, floodplain development permits where applicable, and that access permits from Public Works will be required before construction of driveways or crossings.

Votes at a glance

- Zone change — Tract 2, Cheyenne Irrigated Gardens (LI to MU): Recommended to the Board of County Commissioners with no conditions; roll call 4–0.

- Corrective PUD attachment — Terry Ranch Business Park / Resolution 240319-26: Recommended to the Board of County Commissioners with no conditions; roll call 4–0.

- Subdivision plat — Pee Wee Ponderosa Subdivision (four lots from 80‑acre parcel): Recommended to the Board of County Commissioners with no conditions; roll call 4–0.

The Planning Commission’s recommendations are advisory; final action on the zone change, the PUD exhibit attachment, and the subdivision plat will be taken by the Laramie County Board of Commissioners at a later date.