Jefferson County board pauses Lost Trails campground special-exception after E‑911, boundary and water concerns

Sam Simons, the applicant seeking a special‑exception to transfer a 2021 conditional use permit to Lost Trails LLC, told the Jefferson County Board of Zoning Appeals on an application he would “withdraw my application right now, just table it” and asked to pause the process while he works on site identification, water and boundary matters.

The request followed a lengthy hearing in which board members and staff clarified that an approved special exception would apply to the Lost Trails entity and replace the existing conditional use permit, and that a denial would leave the originally granted conditional use permit in effect. The board also heard technical concerns about emergency (E‑911) addressing, the number and type of camping units on the site, and a separate water‑company dispute that the applicant said had compelled him to drill a well.

The matter matters because the board heard that E‑911 addressing practices affect first‑responder routing, that existing structures could be nonconforming under newer rules, and that unresolved utility or ownership questions could change who legally may use the property. The board urged clearer on‑site identification and boundary resolution before taking a final land‑use vote.

What the board considered

At the hearing, a staff member disclosed…