Custer County planning commission recommends denial of feed‑store special‑use permit at 129 County Road 155

The Custer County Planning Commission voted to recommend that the Board of County Commissioners deny a special‑use permit to operate a retail feed store at 129 County Road 155, following hours of public comment from neighbors who said the site is not appropriate for a commercial retail outlet.

Neighbors said the property lies in a residential‑agricultural zoning district and warned that allowing a retail storefront would set a precedent that could change the valley’s rural character. Planning staff reported the commission received at least six formal written complaints before the hearing; speakers also raised worries about delivery truck traffic on narrow, frost‑boil prone roads and whether the applicant had the required water and sewer capacity.

Applicant comments and operations: The applicant told the commission the operation has been primarily delivery‑based and that he planned to continue deliveries and limited walk‑in sales. He said deliveries arrive by flatbed and currently occur about every one to three months, with weekly customer deliveries on Wednesdays and occasional extra delivery days expected if business grows. He acknowledged he had temporarily posted a “closed until further notice” sign after initiating the permit process.

Letters and testimony: Planning staff presented multiple written complaints from adjacent and nearby landowners. A letter read at the hearing by planning staff cited concerns that the proposed retail activity would “transform the original intent” of the Sunray Crystal District zoning and that Sandry/Sunray Supply was operating without proper registration. Neighbors argued the property is in Zone 2 under the Custer County Zoning Regulation and the Land Use Master Plan, which they said is intended to promote a rural residential environment where open space and agriculture are prioritized.

Neighbors described specific local impacts: increased heavy‑vehicle traffic on County Roads 150 and 155, accelerated road maintenance costs for County Road and Bridge, noise and lighting that could affect the Dark Sky character of the valley, and reduced openness where several properties are in conservation easements. Several neighbors pointed to a prior, denied commercial application elsewhere in the county as precedent for denying this request.

Commission discussion and vote: Commissioners questioned the applicant about how long he had been operating from the site and the frequency of deliveries. Staff noted the county maintains CR 150 past the applicant’s parcel but that maintenance ends on adjacent private property. After discussion focused on zoning consistency with the master plan and the risk of setting a retail precedent in a residential‑agricultural district, a commissioner moved and a second was recorded to recommend the county commissioners not approve the special‑use permit. The motion carried on a unanimous recorded voice vote; the commission’s recommendation now goes to the Board of County Commissioners for a final decision.

Next steps: The planning commission’s recommendation is advisory; the Board of County Commissioners will schedule its own hearing and vote. Planning staff said the public will be notified when the item is placed on the county commissioners’ agenda.