Commissioners approve preliminary plat for Castle Rock Ridge subdivision near Rexford with 15 conditions

The Lincoln County Commission voted Sept. 10 to grant preliminary plat approval for the Castle Rock Ridge subdivision, a proposed first minor subdivision that splits roughly a 67‑acre parent parcel into two lots near Rexford.

Planning staff described the project as a two-lot split with one proposed lot of about 5.89 acres that contains an existing home and a larger remainder (the report cited 61.88 acres for the other proposed lot). The parcel is bounded by Highway 37 to the west and Black Lake Road to the south. Staff noted steep slopes exceeding 30 percent on the southern and western flanks, an existing shared well and a separate well, underground electrical conduit service by Lincoln Electric and Interbel, and that Big Horn Estates subdivision lies immediately to the north (preliminarily approved in Dec. 2023 but not yet final-platted).

Staff said the project met the seven state subdivision review criteria and recommended approval subject to 15 standard and site-specific conditions. Specific conditions called for turnouts at approximately 400‑foot intervals (or as recommended by the Eureka Volunteer Fire Department) because the private access driveway exceeds the 1,000‑foot standard; emergency vehicle access must be confirmed by the fire department prior to final plat. Staff also recommended labeling all areas over 30% slope as no-build zones on the plat and establishing covenants that assign road‑maintenance responsibility. Planning staff concluded that, while wells in the area are deep and the recharge rate of the bedrock-hosted aquifer is uncertain, both lots already have wells with existing water rights and the subdivision does not propose increased water usage beyond those rights.

Applicant representatives from 406 Engineering were present. Maggie Lance thanked the commission for the thorough review and noted the parties reported about "3 point something acre-feet" of water rights in the record. Property owner Jeff Williams spoke to confirm the historic primary access via Stone Mountain Road (the court‑ordered easement) and stated well yields of approximately 12 gallons per minute and 28 gallons per minute for the two wells, asserting the site has adequate water. Commissioners raised concerns about potential future subdivision of the remainder parcel and use of the easement but were satisfied with the conditions; a motion to approve the preliminary plat and the 15 conditions passed by voice vote.

Provenance: planner presentation through approval recorded in transcript from SEG 530 through SEG 918.