Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Large Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Developers propose 60‑unit, low‑visibility resort at Old Fort Ranch; commission seeks use agreement before rezoning
Summary
Applicants proposing a 60‑unit hotel/retreat on Old Fort Ranch described on‑site water rights and conversations with Fredonia and the water conservancy; public comment supported low‑impact ecotourism but urged strict permitted‑use limits. The commission directed staff and legal counsel to draft a development/use agreement listing permitted uses prior to recommending rezoning.
Developers seeking to build a 60‑unit, low‑density hotel and retreat on a portion of Old Fort Ranch asked the Planning Commission Feb. 11 for a rezoning from Agriculture (AG) to Commercial Two (C‑2) (Ordinance 2026‑04). Applicants Jennie Peterson and Greg Wyatt described hospitality experience and said the project would provide year‑round jobs and local hiring.
The applicants told commissioners they hold on‑site water rights and are in discussions with Fredonia and the water conservancy to model water supply and fire protection needs. They said access is primarily via a private easement road, not a county road, and that limited widening and culvert repairs are planned while preserving the largely dirt character of the access to maintain the low‑visibility experience.
Public comment was largely supportive of a low‑impact, ecotourism‑style resort if safeguards are included: Sam Noel and others said the project would bring outside investment and jobs; several commenters urged explicit limits on density and incompatible future uses (one commenter asked that no helicopter pad be included). Some commenters, including Maria VanHart and Ali Route, urged clear protections for community character and safeguards in case future ownership changes the project’s character.
Planning Commissioners and staff discussed the level of detail needed at this stage. They agreed a development agreement with a defined list of permitted uses could substitute for full engineering plans during initial rezoning consideration; the commission directed staff and county legal counsel to draft such a use‑agreement before forwarding a rezoning recommendation to the County Commissioners.
