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Board approves Gold Mountain Ranch guest‑ranch special‑use permit with conditions to protect wildlife and infrastructure
Summary
After a continued public hearing, the Ouray County commissioners approved a special‑use permit allowing guest‑ranch operations at Gold Mountain Ranch, subject to conditions including pre‑installation of septic flow monitors, dark‑sky lighting, bighorn‑sheep avoidance measures, and an initial two‑year term with administrative review.
The Board of County Commissioners approved a special‑use permit Dec. 16 allowing Gold Mountain Ranch to operate as a guest ranch, contingent on multiple conditions designed to protect wildlife, public access and infrastructure.
The application, a continuation of hearings started May 6 and Aug. 26, included technical reports on traffic, water, onsite wastewater treatment and geohazards. Applicant Keller Herron, operations manager for Gold Mountain Ranch, told the board the permit would formalize an existing on‑site lodge and allow staff‑led experiential programming such as guided rides and supervised access to the Via Ferrata.
Several public commenters — local guides, wildlife advocates and residents — urged strict protections for the county’s bighorn sheep herd and for continued public access to roadside climbing and historic trails. "If you see a bighorn, take a photo and upload it," one volunteer scientist urged, recommending participation in the Mountain Studies Institute citizen‑science monitoring project.
The board’s approved conditions require that: the applicant maintain dark‑sky lighting standards as stated in their narrative; flow monitors be installed on the onsite wastewater treatment system before guest‑ranch activities commence; guest activities in any immediate area be suspended if bighorn sheep are observed there; and the permit explicitly not apply to any future property acquisitions by the owner. The board agreed to an initial two‑year permit term with administrative review and a staff report back to the BOCC; renewal terms will be set following that review. The board also removed language proposing a road‑impact fee after reviewing traffic counts and testimony that existing traffic on County Road 14 was within use‑by‑right levels.
Regarding water and sanitation, applicant representatives said the site has over 30,000 gallons of cistern storage and an existing well system; engineers advised that the OWTS can be upgraded as needed. The board required flow monitoring and a protocol to use porta‑potties if peak use exceeds the system’s design until upgrades are completed.
The motion to approve was made on the record and carried unanimously after conditions were clarified and additional safeguards added. Commissioners said the two‑year initial term will allow the county to verify the operation’s practices and to ensure that wildlife protections and public‑access commitments are enforced.
The county attorney will prepare a formal resolution for adoption at a January meeting to codify the permit terms.
