Commissioners approve liquor license for Bitter Wyoming Ranch, conditioned on approved site plan

The Laramie County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously Nov. 4 to grant a retail liquor license to Bridal Ventures LLC for Bitter Wyoming Ranch at 470 Happy Jack Road, but the board attached a condition that the license be tied to a site plan approved by the board.

The decision followed an extended public hearing focused on access, public-safety and federal-land issues. The applicant, recorded in the hearing as “Miss Bridal,” told commissioners she had completed the lease and site planning work tied to an earlier postponement and stood ready to proceed with the liquor-license step. “We completed…we needed to get approval for our lease, which we've completed,” she told the board.

Neighbors and nearby homeowners warned the board of safety risks from narrow, steep and easement-driven roads that lead to the barn venue. John Eisbart, representing the Cheyenne Pass Homeowners Association, asked the county not to approve the license, saying “the last thing that this area needs is…more consumption of alcohol in this very small bridal residential area.”

Several residents described concerns about routing and federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) crossings. Lisa Zimmerman, who said she and her sister own property adjacent to the site, warned that private easements and BLM land would complicate access and maintenance and said past events at the property did not serve liquor. “Granting a liquor license under these conditions would be irresponsible, especially given the safety and access,” she said.

Opponents questioned whether roads that GPS systems show through BLM and private easements would be feasible for regular event traffic and emergency vehicles. Jo Zimmerman urged denial on safety grounds, saying a portion of Wildcat Trail has a steep (about 16 percent) grade where vehicles have slid off or become stuck.

Applicant counsel Jeffrey Bolt said the operator plans to shuttle guests by bus from Cheyenne to the barn so guests would not independently travel the private easements or BLM routes. “Everyone is gonna be shuttled out there,” Bolt said, arguing that many objections concern planning issues for other agencies and should be addressed in subsequent permit processes.

Justin Hesser, representing LL Trust, cited state law (statute 12-4-104) that requires a licensing authority to find that a license will not “adversely and seriously affect” the welfare of nearby residents. Hesser said the board could deny the license on the evidence presented or, at minimum, make issuance conditional on completion of site-plan approvals and other permits. He noted the applicant’s lease does not begin until May 2026.

County Attorney Mark Boss and staff clarified process points: the State Liquor Division reviews application materials and leases, site-plan approval and county regulations are separate requirements to operate a commercial business in the county, and the county may condition a local issuance on reasonable standards. Boss also noted that a license not used within a year can be revoked.

Commissioner Thompson moved to amend the approval so the license be conditioned on an approved site plan by this body; the amendment passed on roll call, and the final motion to approve the license with that condition carried unanimously.

The liquor license approval does not authorize the venue to operate until applicable planning approvals, permits and any required federal approvals (including BLM authorizations) are obtained. The board said the site-plan review and any future public hearing on that plan will be conducted before the commission as a separate proceeding.

Next steps: the applicant may pursue the board-approved site plan and any required federal or county permits; the local liquor license is conditioned on those site-plan approvals.