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Outdoor Vehicle Storage Approved Near Highway 342 Over Planning Commission Opposition
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Summary
Commissioners approved Conditional Use Permit CU‑25‑005 for an outdoor vehicle storage operation on a 13.72‑acre parcel adjacent to Highway 342 with five staff‑recommended conditions, despite a 0‑3 planning commission recommendation to deny. The applicant said screening, gravel surfacing and a security gate are planned.
Sheridan County commissioners on Nov. 4 approved Conditional Use Permit CU‑25‑005 to allow an outdoor vehicle storage use on a portion of a 13.72‑acre parcel near State Highway 342, subject to five staff conditions intended to address screening, drainage, signage, access and lighting.
Mark Reed, county planner, said the parcel is zoned agricultural and the proposed storage use is not a permitted use in that zone; the CUP was required. Staff recommended approval with five conditions: limit signage to a single freestanding sign not exceeding 100 square feet, obtain any needed Wyoming Department of Transportation access approvals, submit and install a professional engineered drainage plan prior to commencing storage operations, provide a professionally prepared landscape/screening plan (with installation within one year of use commencement), and install fully shielded exterior lighting per submitted plans. Reed said planning staff reviewed topography, floodplain and slope issues and identified no regulated steep slopes or floodplain on the site.
The Planning and Zoning Commission voted 0‑3 to recommend denial. At the commission hearing members noted concerns (including visibility and scale) and requested additional information. The applicant, Rich Taylor, and several supporters testified at the county hearing in favor of the project; Taylor said he plans to use gravel or scoria to control dust, install screening trees and a security gate, and focus on storage of RVs, boats, trailers and recreational equipment rather than hazardous materials. "I'm gonna put down a rock right on top of the existing dirt," Taylor told the board. Anne Collins said she helped Taylor start the permit process and disputed claims that off‑site owners would be harmed.
Despite the planning commission’s recommendation, the board approved the CUP by voice vote. Commissioners said they would rely on the staff conditions and that annual CUP inspections are part of county follow‑up to ensure compliance.
Why it matters: The decision permits a storage use on agricultural land near a state highway and highlights differences between Planning & Zoning recommendations and final board action; conditions address visual screening, drainage and public‑safety considerations.
Details: Staff’s five conditions address signage, DOT access approval, engineered drainage, landscape/screening installation within one year and fully shielded exterior lighting. The board discussed dust control, screening timelines and annual inspections as implementation tools.
