Commission approves zone change for proposed King's Peak Lumber sawmill

The Garfield County Commission voted to approve a zoning change that clears the way for King's Peak Lumber LLC to build a sawmill roughly four miles north of town.

The planning commission recommended the change after public discussion about access and a required turning lane. Speaker 7 said about 15–20 members of the public attended the planning meeting and that the commission was satisfied that the access concern could be mitigated. Speaker 1 summarized the county's role and noted that the state agency (UDOT) controls the adjacent right-of-way and would be responsible for any required turning-lane improvements.

"I'm pro sawmill," Speaker 1 said during the county discussion, framing the project as an economic opportunity that could make use of timber the county has available. Commissioners discussed truck routing and noted that timber sales approved in recent years should provide supply for a local facility; Speaker 2 and Speaker 7 said truck traffic would likely come from the south.

The commission moved and seconded the planning recommendation and approved the zoning change by voice vote. The commission record does not include conditions beyond the planning commission's mitigation of turning-lane and access concerns. The approval moves the project forward to whatever permitting and state-right-of-way actions UDOT requires.

Planning staff and the applicant will follow up with any required state permitting; the action before the commission was a local zone change, not a state highway decision. The planning commission's report and the county vote were the primary local approvals recorded at the meeting.