Larimer County planning commission recommends approval of Stonewall Estate subdivision

The Larimer County Planning Commission voted 7-0 to recommend that the Board of County Commissioners approve the Stonewall Estate Subdivision, file number 21Land4194, a preliminary plat to divide an existing 19.97-acre parcel east of Dry Creek Reservoir into four single-family lots.

Planning staff told the commission the proposal would create one lot with the existing house and three new residential lots, served by on‑lot septic and Little Thompson Water District water service. County planner Justin Curry said, “development service teams recommend that the planning commission recommend to the Board of County Commissioners approval of the Stonewall Estate Subdivision, file number 21Land4194, subject to the conditions noted in the staff report.”

The commission heard that the property sits in the RR-2 (rural residential) zoning district and that the proposed lot sizes are approximately 4 acres, 3 acres, 3.5 acres and 6.5 acres, though Curry and the applicant acknowledged there is a small discrepancy between acreages listed in the project description and those shown on the survey plat. Curry told commissioners the plat acreage prepared by the surveyor is the more accurate figure and that the applicant can correct the project description prior to any final action.

Applicant representatives described access and infrastructure plans. An engineer representing the owner said access will shift northward to a new entrance on County Road 23, including dedication of 40 feet of right-of-way, and that the existing driveway will be closed. The engineer said no point discharge is proposed for stormwater and that drainage will be handled as sheet flow. He also said Little Thompson Water District provided a “will serve” letter and that three additional water taps have been purchased to serve the new lots.

Neighbors voiced concerns about traffic, sight distance, dust, drainage and the potential for additional subdivisions on similar long, narrow lots along County Road 23. John Ellis, who said he has driven the local school bus route for 16 years, told the commission, “There is so much traffic out there. I wish somebody would do a traffic study.” Another neighbor, Steve Govan, said portions of the proposed north access flood in wet springs and questioned whether a road could be built at the proposed location and grade.

Engineering staff and the applicant’s engineer told the commission a traffic impact study and a drainage report were completed. County engineering staff explained the road will be built to Larimer County rural area local low‑volume standards, with roadside drainage and a crowned surface. Staff also noted the applicant’s geotechnical borings did not encounter high groundwater at depths of concern, though the Dry Creek Irrigation Company’s comments flagged that subsurface water can be near the surface in places.

Commissioners discussed the tension between property owners’ expectations for rural character and the explicit zoning for the parcels. Commissioner comments noted the application meets the county’s review criteria for preliminary plats and emphasized that other nearby lots already zoned RR-2 would follow the same approval process if subdivided in the future.

After deliberation the commission moved to recommend approval to the Board of County Commissioners subject to the conditions listed in the staff report. The motion carried on a 7-0 roll call vote.

The commission record shows five public comments were filed during the preliminary plat review and that the development services team’s recommended conditions are included in the hearing packet for the Board of County Commissioners’ consideration.