Pueblo County upholds zoning violation for Pratt Show Cattle, refers case to county attorney

Pueblo County commissioners on Aug. 14 upheld a zoning administrator determination that the Pratt Show Cattle operation on South Road is classified as a feedlot and voted to refer enforcement to the county attorney’s office while preserving options for the owners to seek compliance through rezoning, a PUD amendment or other remedies.

The decision came after extended testimony from Pratt representatives and neighbors, technical input on water and drainage concerns, and debate about whether mediation under the county’s right-to-farm policy should be required before enforcement. County planning staff had asked the board to decide whether the county zoning administrator’s stop-work/notice of violation (VZ20-50) was appropriate; the board voted to uphold the administrator’s decision and directed staff to prepare a resolution requesting that the county attorney pursue legal action if voluntary compliance is not reached.

The ruling matters because it converts an administrative stop-work determination into a formal enforcement posture that can lead to county court action or settlements that impose binding conditions on the use of the property. Planning staff outlined several paths for compliance if the decision is sustained: voluntary cessation of the current use, rezoning, amending or rescinding the PUD, or seeking a special-use permit that would include conditions to address stormwater, nuisance and water-quality concerns.

Attorney Alan Curtis, representing the Pratt family…