Gunnison County commissioners split on holding extra public hearing for Lower Verzuh Ranch sketch plan

The Gunnison County Board of County Commissioners debated whether to schedule another public hearing for a major-impact sketch plan for the proposed Lower Verzuh Ranch subdivision and voted 2-1 not to hold one.

Commissioner Laura Puckett Daniels, the board chair, said she was unable to access the Planning Commission meeting because of a widespread internet outage and urged the board to either hold another public hearing or defer the decision to ensure robust public input. "The level of public interest is very high and the highest she has seen in her time with the County," she said, stressing a need to steward a process that allows the public's voices to be heard fairly. Commissioner Puckett Daniels also said she was unsure why the Planning Commission's vote changed from 2-2 to 5-0.

Commissioner Jonathan Houck moved that the board not hold another hearing on application LUC-25-00004; Commissioner Elizabeth Smith seconded the motion. Houck said he did not expect substantially new information to surface and that questions left unanswered at the sketch-plan level could be resolved in later stages of review. "I do not believe there will be substantially new information," Houck said. The motion passed with Houck and Smith in support and Puckett Daniels opposing.

Despite rejecting an extra public hearing, the board decided to postpone taking a final decision on the LUC-25-00004 application until its regular meeting on Aug. 18, 2026, preserving additional time for review and future public comment if the proposal advances. Staff present for the discussion included Assistant County Manager for Community and Economic Development April Kroner and Planning Director Hillary Seminick.

The special meeting was called to order at 11:05 a.m. and adjourned at 11:49 a.m.