Lincoln County approves special‑use permit for private storage building on 1.08‑acre lot

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved Special Use Permit (SUP) 516, allowing Steven (Steve) Sharp to place a private storage building on a 1.08‑acre parcel on the east side of Beth Haven Church Road in Catawba Springs Township.

The permit was approved after the board held a quasi‑judicial hearing and accepted the applicant’s proposed findings of fact. County Attorney Megan Gilbert opened the matter by explaining the procedure: “a quasi judicial hearing is considered an evidentiary hearing ... these findings must be based on competent, substantial, and material evidence in the record as required by law,” and warned participants would need to avoid unsupported opinions.

Applicant Steve Sharp told the board he owned a lot that previously held a doublewide mobile home that burned; he said he donated the unit to the Denver Fire Department for training, cleared the lot and later subdivided the property to refinance. “I donated it to the Denver Fire Department ... and after I cleared the lot up ... I started the permit process,” Sharp said, describing why he is seeking permission to site a garage on the parcel.

Staff described the property as located in the Transitional Residential zoning district and noted the county’s Unified Development Ordinance defines private storage as an accessory, residential‑character structure that must be owned and used solely by the owner of the property and cannot be rented. With no other speakers signed up, the board closed the public hearing and moved to adopt the applicant’s findings of fact and approve SUP 516. Commissioner Cecena made the motion; the chair declared the motion approved.

The board did not attach additional conditions in the public record; the applicant incorporated his submitted findings into his testimony. The county will now complete permit processing in accordance with the approved SUP and applicable permitting procedures.