Gully Ranch event center and cabins approved after lengthy public opposition over traffic, runoff and safety

The Washington County Planning Board voted on June 9 to approve a conditional-use permit (CUP) and a preliminary large-scale development (LSD) application for "Gully Ranch," a proposed event center, residence and five short-term rental units on a roughly 69.3-acre property along East Black Oak Road.

Planning staff described the proposal as a 3,375-square-foot event center with an on-site septic system, engineered driveways, three detention ponds to manage runoff, and up to 116 parking spaces (five ADA stalls included). Staff reported the development would disturb about 10 acres of the site; events could be scheduled by appointment and operate Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., with a maximum event capacity of about 300 guests and an estimated 116 vehicles per event. Staff said it had received roughly 30 letters in favor and 35 in opposition prior to the hearing.

The hearing drew extensive public comment. Dozens of neighbors and adjacent property owners spoke against the project, citing these concerns: increased traffic on narrow rural roads (Black Oak Road), dangerous sight distances for vehicles turning onto and off the property, a high number of expected vehicle trips per event, a high local deer population and the risk of alcohol-related crashes, potential septic overload and downstream impacts to private ponds and wells, nighttime light pollution and noise, and the effect on property values. Speakers described prior highway safety incidents on area roads and asked whether emergency services could respond quickly to accidents involving large event crowds.

Applicant owner Fred Gulley and his design team, including engineer Braden Wise and surveyor Justin Reed, responded that the project footprint is small relative to the property acreage, that detention ponds and engineered drainage would mitigate runoff and erosion, that a 20-foot fire access road is proposed and the site would meet county and fire-department standards, and that the owner planned to live full time onsite and operate the facility with staff and site controls. Gulley described an educational componentchildrens camps and agricultural programmingin addition to occasional weekend events.

Planning staff reported they had coordinated with the road superintendent and the sheriffs office on accident data and that the county planned to perform or has scheduled improvements to a stretch of Black Oak Road within the county road program. The staff report included multiple proposed conditions, including hours of operation, limits on staff and parking, alcohol service controls and stormwater and erosion controls.

After public comment, a board member moved to approve the CUP and the preliminary large-scale development subject to the staff conditions; the motions carried by voice vote. Several neighbors spoke loudly afterward in disagreement at the boards decision; the meeting record shows approvals were completed that night and the applicant must proceed to final engineering, septic design and large-scale permitting.

Planning staff said the approvals are contingent on the applicant meeting conditions in the staff report and on subsequent technical reviews required before construction or events can begin.