Commission moves to approve long‑term Red Creek Quarry conditional use permit with conditions to address road, permits and wildlife

Fremont County planning staff recommended the Planning Commission approve CUP 24‑001 for Wholesome’s Red Creek Quarry, a proposed limestone and sandstone mine and transport corridor located near 3500 U.S. Highway 120 in Florence. Staff said the conditional use permit (CUP) application covers 1,492 acres with a 219.72‑acre material‑transport access corridor (M‑Tech) and that the operator proposes a roughly 5.7‑mile enclosed conveyor with 13 wildlife crossings and a 40‑foot wide access roadway.

Staff described the site as having two sections in Fremont County and four sections in Pueblo County; Wholesome expects to submit required Pueblo County mine permits separately. Staff said the application complies with Fremont County zoning resolution provisions and recommended approval with conditions: comply with roadway maintenance agreements for County Road 112, apply for building and vault permits for structures, and finalize an agreement with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW).

Representatives for Wholesome — introduced to the commission by Angela Boatman — described a timeline in which the company aims to submit multiple state and federal permits in 2025, begin corridor and quarry construction in 2026 and commence mining operations in 2027. Wholesome representatives said the Bear Creek Quarry, the plant’s current limestone source, is near the end of its working life and that Red Creek Quarry is intended to supply the plant for roughly the next 100 years. Staff said current plant demand is approximately 3,200,000 tons of limestone per year and about 20,000 tons of sandstone annually.

Wholesome told the commission the project includes site improvements such as a 184‑by‑70 foot metal building, a sanitation vault, a water well, and a 20,000‑gallon double‑walled above‑ground fuel tank with concrete crash protection. Staff noted an approved noxious weed control plan, weekly waste pickup by Waste Management, a 2,000‑gallon propane tank for natural gas replacement at the site, and that CDOT approved an access permit for State Highway 96 improvements already performed.

Commission discussion focused on oversight, permit reviews and construction impacts. Staff said the county will conduct annual inspections for CUPs, SRUs and commercial developments, and will respond to complaints outside the inspection schedule. Commissioners asked about the projected construction workforce; Wholesome estimated the construction contractor (an EPC firm) would bring roughly 100 personnel over the construction period, not the larger numbers circulating in the community. Wholesome also said certain drainage crossings will require U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permits and that air and water permits will be submitted to CDPHE and the Air Pollution Control Division.

A motion to approve CUP 24‑001 with the recommended conditions (roadway maintenance agreements, building and vault permits, and agreement with Colorado Parks and Wildlife) was made and seconded. The transcript does not include a roll‑call vote tally; commissioners and applicant representatives exchanged statements of thanks after the motion and second were recorded.

If the commission’s recommendation is adopted, follow‑up steps include finalizing CPW coordination, securing the necessary DRMS (Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety) mine permits, completing required state water and air permits, and submitting the Pueblo County special use application for the four sections in Pueblo County.