Committee moves annexation of 16 county pockets amid farmers’ pleas to exempt two parcels

A Cheyenne committee voted to recommend to the full council the annexation of seven county 'pockets' totaling 16 parcels, advancing the mayor’s multi-year effort to fold fully surrounded county parcels into the city despite sustained public pleas to exclude two agriculture parcels.

Mayor Patrick Collins told the committee the administration has sought to limit financial impacts of annexation — staff no longer would require curb, gutter and sidewalk improvements or immediate connections to city water and sewer unless property owners choose to do so — and that planners intend to zone the farm parcel AG so current agricultural uses may continue. Collins acknowledged some uses that are currently allowed in the county (for example livestock) are protected by state law as nonconforming uses but said certain activities such as discharging firearms would not be permitted after annexation.

Planning staff explained how they would classify each parcel on annexation, recommended AG for the farm parcel, and distributed a land-use documentation form for the Nicely family to record nonconforming uses. Staff also cited UDC Article 4.3.07 regarding off-site improvement triggers; the mayor and an engineer noted the traffic-trigger standard is 25 peak-hour trips in a location with 35 mph and 10,000 vehicles per day, and staff estimated the corridor currently carries about 5,200 vehicles per day (staff said the 10,000 daily-vehicle threshold likely would not be reached until roughly 2045).

Owners and supporters of Y Fresh — including Tommy Nicely, David Nicely and volunteer Chelsea McCourt — urged the committee not to rush the parcel 4 annexation or to carve those farm parcels out of the current ordinance. David Nicely described personal and health impacts of the process and said he was not notified until Jan. 28; other neighbors and speakers said the March 9 timeline for completing the annexation felt arbitrary and too fast to codify protections such as livestock rules, well-drilling allowances, and permitted agricultural structures.

Councilman Mark Moody proposed an amendment to remove Parcel 4 and the southern parcel of Pocket 7 from the annexation; the committee debated and a motion to postpone failed for lack of a second. Doctor Aldridge said she planned to vote no on the annexation unless more answers are provided; despite dissent the committee recorded a recommendation to approve the annexation as presented and forwarded the package and related zoning ordinances to the full council.

The annexation package will be considered by the full council at the next meeting; several residents asked that the city provide a liaison and a written Q&A that clearly documents how agricultural uses, livestock protections and other farm-specific questions will be handled post-annexation.