Douglas County approves Lone Creek Farm, Gillies Pumpkin Patch and Colorado Highland Games; continues two road/easement items

Douglas County commissioners on Sept. 9 approved three major entertainment events for 2025–2029 and continued two land‑use easement and road‑vacation items to Sept. 23.

The board granted a five‑year amendment to the Lone Creek Farms fall festival at 3879 N. State Highway 83 to add Wednesday and Thursday dates during the seasonal run; it approved the Gillies Pumpkin Patch major event at 1433 Lake Gulch Road with a modification removing a proposed maximum employee limit; and it approved a five‑year major event for the Colorado Highland Games (formerly Colorado Scottish Festival) at 6359 Airport Road. County staff presented conditions for each approval requiring permits, inspections and agency approvals prior to each event.

Lone Creek Farms Brad Witherall, owner of Lone Creek Farms, told commissioners the extra midweek days are needed to accommodate school field trips and related programming. “We really needed the Wednesday and Thursday for the school trips,” Witherall said. The board approved the amended five‑year entertainment event for Sept. 19–Nov. 2, 2025, with the same conditions carried forward for 2026–2027 as described in staff materials. The motion to approve was moved by Commissioner Cherry and seconded by the Board Chair; the motion carried unanimously.

Gillies Pumpkin Patch Staff said Gillies Pumpkin Patch applied to operate Thursdays through Saturdays on three weekends in September and October, with a maximum attendance of 500 per day. The applicant (Christa/"Krista" Sheffield identified in the record as the property owner) said the operation is largely family‑run and thanked staff for flexibility on employee counts. “We are mostly family run… I appreciate that we would have the ability to do more if we did need that,” the applicant said. The board approved the major entertainment event and explicitly removed the proposed maximum‑employee condition from the staff list of conditions; the motion carried unanimously.

Colorado Highland Games (formerly Colorado Scottish Festival) Heather Miller, games marshal for the Colorado Highland Games and a representative of the Saint Andrew’s Society of Colorado, described the event as a volunteer‑run nonprofit festival that preserves Scottish culture and heritage and cited economic and cultural benefits to the county. “Our mission is to preserve and share Scottish culture and heritage,” Miller said. Staff reported the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office will provide uniform traffic control at Louviers Boulevard and Airport Road and South Metro Fire approved the event’s special event permit. The board approved a five‑year major entertainment event (2025–2029) with the standard conditions and required permits; the motion carried unanimously.

Continuances and other procedural items Two land‑use agenda items were continued to the Sept. 23 Board hearing at 2:30 p.m. at the request of applicants: acceptance of three right‑of‑way and three slope and drainage easements related to the Twin Mesa Metropolitan District (project DV2025‑300) and the Twin Oaks/Clarks Circle road vacations (project SB2025‑026). Both continuance motions were moved by Commissioner Cherry and seconded by the Chair and carried 2–0.

Permits and conditions For each approved entertainment event, staff emphasized the approvals are contingent on obtaining required permits and inspections prior to the start of the event (floodplain permits, building/electrical permits, fire inspections, Colorado State Patrol traffic permits where applicable, food vendor licenses and any required temporary structure removal after events). If applicants propose significant changes to duration, structure, activities or participant numbers, county staff noted new permits or additional board review may be required.

Votes at a glance • Lone Creek Farms (3879 N. State Highway 83) — Amended five‑year major entertainment event approved (motion by Commissioner Cherry; second by Chair). Passed unanimously. • Gillies Pumpkin Patch (1433 Lake Gulch Road) — Major entertainment event approved, amended to remove the proposed maximum employee limit. Passed unanimously. • Colorado Highland Games (6359 Airport Road) — Five‑year major entertainment event approved with conditions. Passed unanimously. • Twin Mesa easements (DV2025‑300) — Continued to Sept. 23, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. Passed 2–0. • Twin Oaks/Clarks Circle road vacations (SB2025‑026) — Continued to Sept. 23, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. Passed 2–0.

The board’s next land‑use public hearing was scheduled for Sept. 23, 2025 at 2:30 p.m., per the meeting record.