Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Rezoning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Stewardship committee warns 235-acre rezoning could allow up to 1,175 homes near Slick Rock Trail
Summary
Andrea Brand read a stewardship committee letter at the April 14 Trail Mix meeting urging denial of a rezoning application for a 235-acre parcel that committee members say could permit large-scale resort-commercial development and require roadway upgrades that would alter trail character and harm local recreation businesses.
At the April 14 meeting of the Grand County Trail Mix Committee, Andrea Brand, director of the Sand Recreation Area stewardship committee, read a letter urging the county commission to deny a rezoning application from Mini Lee Ventures LLC for a 235-acre parcel at 1021 North Hell's Revenge Trail.
The letter warned that changing the property from "range and grazing" to "resort commercial" would allow development "at the highest intensity permitted under the land use code," potentially permitting about five residential units per acre at full buildout — a density Brand said could equate to roughly 1,175 residential units on the parcel. By contrast, resort special zoning was described in the letter as allowing about 0.22 units per acre (roughly 47 cabins) while preserving recreation uses.
"Reszoning this property from range and grazing to resort commercial would allow development at the highest intensity permitted under the land use code," Brand read. The stewardship committee said the higher-density option could require roadway improvements to commercial standards along Hell's Revenge access, paving portions of the trail approach and fundamentally changing the character of the trail system.
Committee members and attendees raised concerns about impacts to the Slick Rock Bike Trail and Hell's Revenge, noting that parts of the Slick Rock Bike Trail run through or adjacent to the parcel and that access currently depends on a limited class D route. Andrea also told the group the stewardship committee believes the rezoning would affect about 75 local businesses that operate under BLM permits and that the change would undermine resource protection, orientation and visitor-safety arrangements currently in place.
Brendan and others urged Trail Mix members and attendees to submit written comments to the county commission before the deadline. Brendan said the group was told the planning-and-zoning commission voted in favor of the application by a 5–2 margin and that the county commission is scheduled to vote on the proposal on the 21st; meeting participants were told the public comment period would end the day after the Trail Mix meeting.
Members of the Trail Mix group agreed to publicize the stewardship committee letter and to encourage citizens to file comments with the county commission. "Please make sure that whatever your comments are, you get them submitted to the county commission before the end of tomorrow," Brendan said during the meeting.
The Trail Mix Committee did not vote on a formal position at the April 14 meeting. The stewardship committee's recommendation to deny the application was read into the record and participants were encouraged to engage with the county commission record prior to its vote.
What’s next: The county commission vote is scheduled for the 21st and the public comment deadline referenced during the meeting was the day after the April 14 meeting. Interested residents should consult the county commission's public comment procedures and the posted planning materials for precise submission instructions and deadlines.
