Commissioners approve zoning change and impound permit to let Crone Towing expand

Sweetwater County commissioners voted unanimously April 15 to approve a zoning map amendment and a conditional use permit for a 27.7-acre parcel requested by Zachary and Elizabeth Crone to expand a towing and recovery operation.

County planner Cassidy Brown told the board that the parcel meets the minimum district size for light industrial use, that the applicants have obtained an intent for an access easement from an adjacent landowner and have coordinated with Sweetwater County Public Health on septic and temporary office arrangements. Brown also said she had spoken with the county fire warden, who confirmed the access road is adequate for fire response. "They will have legal access to that parcel once everything has gone through with the zone map amendment, conditional use permit, and they decide to go ahead and purchase the property," Brown said.

Brown reviewed agency comments, including pipeline-right-of-way cautions from Phillips 66 and requests to perform 8-1-1 locates prior to any ground-disturbing work; she said the applicants’ site plan avoids encroaching on the pipeline easements. The Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended approval. Commissioner Slaughter moved approval of resolution 25-04-ZO-01 (the map amendment) and the board adopted it and the companion conditional use permit (resolution 25-04-ZO-02) subject to staff conditions.

Why it matters: the approvals clear the way for a private towing and salvage business to site operations along Interstate 80, a location county staff said is compatible with surrounding agricultural zoning but requires coordination with pipeline owners and road authorities. The planning report notes the conditional use permit would be two years in term initially, with staff recommending continued compliance monitoring.