Commissioners approve minor modification to Rock Gardens PUD, require fencing, lighting and floodplain moves

The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners on April 7 approved a minor modification to the Rock Gardens planned unit development, allowing 11 RV spaces in place of a former rafting operation and imposing conditions to repair fencing, revise exterior lighting and relocate structures from river setback areas.

County planning staff recommended the change, saying it reduces daily visitor traffic from the prior rafting operation and brings the resort’s structures into closer compliance with the PUD’s floodplain and setback rules. "This will reduce the wastewater or the water usage," a staff presenter said, noting the rope course and commercial rafting activity are being removed and replaced by on‑site guest uses.

Why it matters: The Rock Gardens PUD sits on both sides of the Colorado River in the No Name area. Neighbors raised concerns about trespass, smoke from campfires and lighting; the board’s conditions aim to reduce those impacts while allowing the property owner to modernize onsite lodging and utilities.

The board adopted 10 conditions of approval. Among the highlights: repairs or replacement of the continuous fence along the property’s west side where it borders a private neighbor; all exterior lighting (new and existing) must comply with the PUD’s lighting standards and point downward; riverfront cabins that sit within the 30‑foot high‑watermark setback must be relocated or otherwise removed from the setback; and updated engineering drawings and utility plans must be submitted before construction work begins.

Neighbors and applicant: Melissa English, an adjacent resident, addressed the board during public comment and said she had met the resort manager and felt the proposals addressed her concerns. "I met with Kevin Peterson, very comfortable that they have he's a has addressed all my concerns," she told the commissioners. Applicants’ representatives said the ownership and management have agreed to coordinate the fence replacement with neighbors and will document relocation plans for the cabins and glamping tents.

The board also extended several compliance deadlines. The resolution as approved lengthens the schedule for design and relocation work but requires that engineering drawings and final site changes be submitted for review before the county signs the final resolution.

What happens next: County staff will prepare the final resolution and a revised PUD guide that incorporates the required site plan changes and updated definitions (including definitions for glamping tents and park models). The board will sign the final documents after staff confirms the required submittals are complete.

Quotes and attribution: "This will reduce the wastewater or the water usage," a County staff member said while describing how removing the rafting operation changes the PUD’s daily impacts. "I met with Kevin Peterson, very comfortable that they have he's a has addressed all my concerns," resident Melissa English said during public comment.

The decision tape: Commissioners voted to approve the modification; the motion as recorded in the meeting minutes called for adoption of the five findings of fact and the ten conditions of approval included in staff’s memo.

The board’s action consolidates decades‑old approvals and requires the property owner to bring several infrastructure items and setbacks into current compliance.

Ending: County staff will circulate the revised PUD guide and site plan to the applicants and affected neighbors for final review and will return the signed resolution to the board once all required signatures and submittals are complete.