Planning commission recommends denying Shepherds Canyon’s special‑use request for 270 Veronica Lane

The Village of Four Seasons planning and zoning commission voted 3–2 on a motion Wednesday to recommend that the Board of Trustees deny a special‑use permit request from Shepherds Canyon Retreat to operate week‑long counseling sessions at 270 Veronica Lane.

The applicant sought permission to use a 1.17‑acre R1 property as the full‑time residence for a host pastoral couple while allowing up to six week‑long counseling sessions a year, with up to four guest pastors (and their spouses) staying overnight — a configuration the applicant said would yield no more than eight overnight guests at any one time. Shepherds Canyon representatives said licensed counselors and chaplains would lodge off‑site and that the house would not be advertised or operated as a short‑term rental.

Staff favored approval with conditions. Building Official Dwight “Ike” Newman told the commission that the parcel’s existing driveway and on‑site parking should prevent on‑street overflow and that inspectors would review smoke detectors and other safety systems; his written staff report concluded, “Staff therefore recommends approval as outlined above,” and listed restrictions the commission could attach, including a firm limit of six events per year, an overnight guest cap of eight, off‑site lodging for counselors, no short‑term‑rental use, on‑site parking only, limits on signage, and routine inspections.

Shepherds Canyon attorney Butch Miller and director Reverend Kevin Bueltmann framed the proposal as a residential parsonage with infrequent, structured counseling events rather than a commercial retreat center. Miller told commissioners the application seeks authorization under the zoning category that permits parsonages, rectories and similar religious uses; Bueltmann said the organization has moved away from charging attendees and that much of the cost is covered by donors and grants. The application and public materials also contain language used to solicit donors that lists per‑participant program costs; Chair Darrell Barber quoted a newsletter line saying the organization had listed a $5,000 fee for one person and $6,000 for a couple in earlier communications.

Former homeowner and local pastor Reverend Dr. Kris Morris, who sold the property to Shepherds Canyon, gave emotional testimony about the house’s history and said, "I trust you with my house," urging the commission to allow the ministry to continue its work locally. Supporters said the program is quiet and ministerially important.

Opponents — including the Four Seasons POA president John Forti and several nearby residents — raised three main concerns: that the proposed activity may exceed the village’s home‑occupation limits (which restrict on‑site business operations in residential districts), that granting a special‑use permit would set a precedent enabling further, incremental commercial uses in the neighborhood, and that the organization’s historical fee structure and national scale made it effectively a nonresident business rather than a simple parsonage. Resident Mary De Michelle argued the proposal “looks like a business” and that the application does not comfortably fit the home‑occupation rules the ordinance contains.

The commission’s public record included numerous written comments (the clerk reported about 19 e‑mails/letters) and roughly equal numbers of in‑person speakers on both sides. Several residents urged enforceable, written conditions if approval were recommended; attorney Miller said the applicant would accept firm limits such as the six‑event and eight‑guest caps to address slippery‑slope concerns.

Commissioner Larry Bayliss moved to recommend approval with the staff’s list of conditions and an added commitment that Shepherds Canyon not purchase additional property in Four Seasons; Commissioner Charles Phegley seconded. The roll‑call vote produced two votes in favor and two opposed; Chair Darrell Barber cast the tie‑breaking vote against the motion. Barber said the vote reflected concern about precedent and the comprehensive plan’s emphasis on single‑family residences. The commission will draft findings of fact and forward its recommendation and record to the Board of Trustees for final action.

The trustees are scheduled to consider the application on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 5:30 p.m. in the same meeting room; the clerk said a Zoom option will be available and the meeting will be recorded.

What happened next: the commission closed the public hearing and adjourned. The trustees will make the final decision; they may accept the commission’s recommendation, modify the proposed conditions, or approve the permit despite the commission’s recommendation.

Why it matters: the case raises questions about how the Village treats faith‑based support services located in residential zones, how the Village balances neighbors’ expectations with charitable uses, and whether narrowly drafted conditions can prevent unanticipated expansion of nonresidential activity in single‑family neighborhoods.