Park County commissioners approve short‑term rental permit, accept Willwood Road reconciliation and clear several subdivision plats; auditors give clean opinion

Park County commissioners voted on a slate of land‑use, construction and administrative items, approving a special‑use permit for short‑term lodging in Chief Joseph Estates, accepting a reconciliation change order and release of retainage for the Willwood Road project and signing off on three final subdivision plats. Auditors also presented the county’s 2024 financial audit and issued an unmodified (clean) opinion.

The most consequential finance item was the board’s approval of a reconciliation change order that decreased the Mountain Construction contract and the release of retainage tied to the Willwood Road Improvement Project. Brian Edwards, Park County engineer, summarized the multi‑phase road program that began design work in 2023 and was substantially complete Nov. 15, 2024, with final completion Dec. 10, 2024. Edwards said the project “went about as good as a construction project can go.”

Engineering consultant Cody Schatz told the board the contractor ‘‘came in under budget, a $152,000 from that original contract that was that you guys awarded’’ and recommended releasing the retainage. The board approved the reconciliation and authorized release of retainage. Staff recorded the decrease in the contract (change order decrease: $152,032.10) and a retainage release of $147,823.43; the contract total discussed during the meeting was $5,006,341.84 after reconciliation.

In land‑use actions, the board approved Special Use Permit (SUP) VAR‑SUP‑262, an application from landowner and applicant Emily Hoffert to operate a lodging business on a 22‑acre parcel in Chief Joseph Estates. Park County planning staff summarized the proposal: the applicant will use an existing 1,700‑square‑foot residence as a short‑term rental…