The Routt County Planning Commission on June 5 approved an initial use permit for High Desert Ranch and Outfitting LLC, allowing guided large-group hunts staged from an existing house at Williams Park Ranch and use of nearby state land under a Colorado State Land Board lease.

Petitioners Randy Sloan and Cheyenne Sloan told the commission the outfit has operated in northwest Colorado for 15 years and seeks to stage seasonal guided big-game hunts from a 3-bedroom, 2-bath ranch house on the property. They said they will operate seasonally, September 1 through Dec. 1, and requested a maximum of 10 guests at a time and up to five guides; they noted they usually take eight clients during rifle season and four during archery season.

Michael, Routt County planning staff, said the permit is required because the operation involves permanent lodging or staging facilities rather than a staging-only guided-tour use that would be permitted by right. He described the site as roughly 1,600 square feet for the house, with a permanent septic and well, and noted planning staff had concluded the proposal met the relevant UDC standards. "This is the High Desert Ranch and Outfitting LLC at Williams Park Ranch conditional use permit," Michael said, summarizing that the operation would be seasonal, use the existing house, provide portable toilets per health-department advice, and offer no food service initially.

A contiguous neighbor, Judy Green, spoke during public comment and said she uses an access road that crosses state land to reach the north side of her property and asked that access be preserved so she can tend fences, move cattle and spray weeds. Green said the fence lines have historically been handled by a "gentleman's agreement" and asked for assurance she would not be locked out. Michael advised that private access and easement issues generally are matters for the landowners to resolve and suggested a written easement could replace a prescriptive access arrangement.

Staff also told commissioners that the house's floor area is below the county threshold that would require formal employee housing (2250 square feet), so the applicant's portable lodging for seasonal staff falls within the county's camping rules and does not trigger a permanent-employee-housing requirement.

Commissioners asked about land ownership and permits for use of adjacent federal and state lands; petitioners said they operate on BLM, state land and some private land and that they hold or will seek necessary federal or state authorizations for hunting on those parcels. They also discussed local emergency response distances and clarified that any future expansion (for example, adding food service or a larger lodge) would require separate review.

A motion to approve PL20250031 with the general and specific conditions in the staff report passed by voice vote; the chair recorded the petition as approved and advised the applicants to formalize neighbor access agreements where appropriate.