Planning commission approves amended conditional use permit for Great Guest Ranch with added conditions

The Eastern Summit County Planning Commission on April 20 approved amendments to a conditional use permit for the Great Guest Ranch, a guest‑ranch and motorcycle‑training facility at 8835 North Park East Road. The commission voted to accept staff's recommended conditions, including verification of a final stormwater plan and compliance with the county's lighting and noise requirements, before full operations begin.

Staff told the commission the parcel, zoned AG‑80 and about 47.08 acres, had been approved in 2021 for a guest ranch and a motorized training course with conditions that addressed dust and noise and required a one‑year operational review. The applicants, Carrie Joop and Carrie Woodruff, proposed several site changes: reconfiguring the parking area and ingress/egress (adding two driveways), using on‑site shipping containers surrounded by a pavilion for storage, a separate bathhouse of roughly 270 square feet with ADA access, relocation of a solar array, and replacing the originally approved 2,800‑square‑foot, two‑story "barndominium" with a roughly 2,600‑square‑foot single‑level "brush‑tech" structure placed on a concrete platform.

An applicant representative told the commission the new main building and bathhouse will sit on concrete slabs with radiant heating and interior plumbing, which the applicant said supports durability and winter operation. "We're putting it on concrete, both the main structure and the bathhouse on concrete slabs that will have radiant heating and plumbing inside," the applicant representative said.

Neighbors raised concerns during public comment about trespass, noise, lighting and litter. Local resident Richard Tanga said he worried about visitors trespassing on adjacent land and noise from motorcycles, and urged protections for neighboring parcels. "We're kinda concerned about trespassing onto our property … and noise issues with motorcycles," Tanga said.

In response, applicant representatives said they will use a berm along the property's eastern border, barriers and on‑site markers to discourage off‑site riding, and down‑lighting consistent with the county's ordinance. Staff emphasized that the original conditions — including restrictions on snowmobiling, hours of operation and limits tied to the county noise ordinance — remain in effect and will be enforced in addition to the newly added conditions.

Commissioner Reed moved to approve the amended conditions of approval consistent with the staff findings of fact, conclusions of law and the listed conditions; Commissioner Rich seconded. Several commissioners said "aye" and the chair declared the motion carried.

Next steps: the applicants must finalize and obtain required stormwater permits and any necessary building permits, and staff will verify lighting and solar array compliance under the new ordinance before the facility is fully operational.