Cheyenne planning panel backs new regional entertainment overlay to manage historic horse‑racing venues

The Cheyenne Planning Commission on May 18 recommended that the City Council adopt a text amendment creating a Regional Entertainment (RE) overlay and new development standards for historic horse‑racing (HHR) and off‑track betting facilities.

The commission’s unanimous staff presentation and discussion led to a vote to forward the ordinance after amendments. Charles Bloom, Cheyenne’s planning and development director, told commissioners the package aligns city code with changes in state statute and gives the city new review authority over HHR facilities inside city limits. "The purpose of this code amendment is to make modifications to the nonconformity section of our code…creation of a regional entertainment overlay district which is designed to encourage these uses to go in specific areas of our community," Bloom said.

Why it matters: Council members had previously expressed concern that state licensing and county processes left the city without meaningful control over where HHR venues appeared. Council member Dr. Mark Renie, speaking during public comment, said the council’s failed 2025 legislative effort left zoning as the available local tool: "We want them to come through us…we want development in these four areas," he said, identifying Reed Avenue, 15th Street, West Lincoln Way and the High Plains interchange as the council’s preferred targets.

Key provisions and limits: The draft ordinance (PLTA‑26‑1) would - add a defined RE overlay and permit HHR as a permitted use inside that overlay when parcels meet adjacency and other criteria; - allow HHR as a special use in the Central Business (CB) and Central Business District (CBD) zones with a 500‑foot separation from sensitive uses and an adjacency requirement to a collector or arterial street; - add mailed (300 ft) and posted notice requirements for special uses; and - add two new review criteria for special‑use decisions, including a nexus test for mitigation conditions and a test asking whether the use contributes broader public benefit.

Staff emphasized the overlay is targeted to four market areas and that the draft does not itself set any sunset date for existing facilities, although the ordinance would allow the governing body to adopt a sunset provision in a separate enabling ordinance if it chose. Bloom said the staff draft "does not establish a sunset date whatsoever. It just establishes the ability for a governing body to do that."

Contested items and amendments: Commissioners debated language that would make several ancillary uses (liquor stores, bars, campgrounds, RV parks) permitted by right inside the RE overlay regardless of the underlying zone. Commissioner Tony Lair moved to exclude bars and liquor stores from the list of newly permitted uses; that amendment failed on roll call. Commissioners later approved an amendment from Commissioner Justin Trip to make the childcare‑buffer test apply to the presence of a childcare facility "at the time of application," rather than only if the childcare occupies an independent building.

Outcome and next steps: The commission voted to recommend the package to the City Council as amended. Roll call on the final recommendation recorded votes of Bob Mati (yes), Justin Trip (yes), Amy Hernandez (recorded as 'I'), Tony Lair (yes) and Megan Connor (no). The City Council will consider the text amendment at its upcoming meetings, with staff aiming for an introduction at the May 28 meeting and finalization in June or July to align with state statute timing.

What to watch: The council’s choices—whether to preserve conditional review for uses such as liquor stores, whether to adopt any sunset language, and the final overlay map from GIS—will determine how tightly the city can steer HHR development and which existing facilities must seek new approvals. The staff will supply a finalized overlay map and any redrafted definition language prior to council hearings.