Park County commissioners deny Green Creek Inn & RV Park special-use permit

The Park County Board of County Commissioners voted to deny Special Use Permit 264 for the Green Creek Inn & RV Park after a public hearing that spanned staff presentation, agency input and robust commissioner debate.

Planning staff presented the April application from Riley Olson of Morrison and Merley on behalf of Mountain Lodging LLC and said the proposal would add 26 RV sites with full water, sewer and electricity on an 8.8-acre parcel; staff and the applicant stated the finished total of RV sites on the property would be 29. Staff summarized agency reviews: Rocky Mountain Power can provide service, the State Engineer approved two well applications, and the Department of Environmental Quality provided water-quality permits and a draft UIC permit but not a final UIC permit. Wyoming Game and Fish advised that, because the property lies in crucial deer winter range and bear country, the use should have no activity from Nov. 15 through April and recommended specific wildlife-protection measures.

The hearing record included 16 written public comments delivered to staff (all in opposition) raising safety, environmental, septic and light/noise concerns, and additional emails the planner said represented more than 20 residents who opposed the project. Staff read the principal community concerns into the record and offered 15 conditions that would apply if commissioners approved the SUP; those conditions included a required long-term noxious-weed plan, evidence of DEQ approval for the domestic water and wastewater systems, state electrical plan approval, closure of one access, and a seasonal no-activity requirement of Nov. 15–Apr. 30.

The applicant’s representative, Riley Olson, said he was available to answer questions and confirmed the applicant’s position that utility and design measures (on-site sewer containment, dark-sky lighting, routine water testing and overflow parking near the bathhouse) would mitigate many impacts. “There will be 29 finished RV sites,” Olson said.

Commissioners debated compatibility, density and highway safety. Multiple commissioners said 26 additional RV sites concentrated on roughly 2.5–3 acres of the parcel created a density problem and could harm neighbors’ property values and rural character. One commissioner raised crash-safety concerns on the North Fork corridor and said a turning lane—something the Wyoming Department of Transportation would have to evaluate and approve—would be needed to address egress and ingress safety. “I feel strongly it’s a huge safety issue with that stretch of highway and that many people trying to turn in and out of there,” a commissioner who moved to deny said during deliberations.

Another commissioner said planning and zoning’s recommendation of denial did not fully account for the record of state permits and argued that conditions could address many issues, including traffic safety if YDOT would consider a turning lane. Several commissioners suggested a scaled-back proposal (one suggested reducing to about 15 sites) could be acceptable if it resolved density and safety concerns.

A motion to deny the SUP, citing incompatibility with the neighborhood, highway access and egress safety concerns, and the density of the proposal, was moved and seconded. The board voted to deny the special-use permit by a 3–1 margin; the chair noted that a denial would prevent reapplication for one year unless the board reopens the hearing to consider a revised proposal.

The denial was reflected in Resolution 2025-79. The board also approved unrelated administrative housekeeping later in the meeting (see separate article).