Owner wanted land rezoned to rural, have PUD phase 1 final plat vacated

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Garfield County has approved a developer’s application to revoke the Spring Valley Ranch Planned Unit Development (PUD) near Glenwood Springs. The applicant, Spring Valley Holdings, LLC, filed for the revocation along with requests to rezone to rural, and to vacate the Spring Valley Ranch PUD Phase 1 Final Plat.

The PUD was comprised of four parcels, all of which are owned by Spring Valley Holdings, LLC. The land consists of agricultural pastureland, high meadows, and mixed forests, according to the narrative report.

Garfield County Principal Planner Philip Berry told the Board of County Commissioners that the applications for the 5,908-acre property are essentially clearing the existing entitlements. He said the rural rezoning will bring the properties in line with the surrounding area.

“The intent of this is to return all of these properties to our code’s base zoning and remove the previous subdivisions so that they can take a different approach to development,” Berry said. “The comprehensive plan has this area as residential low density in the future land use map.”

John Fredericks with LANDWEST Colorado LLC, who spoke on behalf of Spring Valley Holdings, LLC, said the applicant was asking to “unwind this property back to 1983.”

“We’re looking for a clean slate,” he told the board. “We’re requesting to unwind things in reverse chronological order, starting with the final plat, unwind the PUD agreements, and lastly unwind the zoning and go back to the rural zone district.”

The revocation of the PUD, rezoning request, and vacation of the final plat were all approved unanimously, 2-0, with Commissioner Mike Samson excused from the meeting.

Group voices concerns about public safety, wildlife impacts

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – A group of concerned citizens representing the Sweetwater Lake community spoke before the Board of County Commissioners at its regular meeting on July 21, voicing concerns about public safety, impacts on wildlife, and changes to the area’s rural character if a proposed state park is built.

A development proposal featuring expanded campsites, cabins, parking, and more is currently undergoing the federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, which began in 2024. The U.S. Forest Service acquired the property in 2021, and if a state park is approved at the site, it would be managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife under a special use permit provided by the Forest Service.

Commissioner Tom Jankovsky said that because there is only one road in and out of Sweetwater, it can be very difficult to evacuate people in a timely manner if a wildfire or other disaster occurs. He expressed concerns for public safety if a large campground was built in Sweetwater and scores of recreationists needed to evacuate during an emergency.

“I want to highlight that you had a major wildfire up there a year ago and it affected your entire community,” he said.

The citizens speaking before the commissioners said that the Sweetwater community, located in eastern Garfield County northwest of Dotsero, is “unanimously opposed” to the proposal in the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The group said it has roughly 900 petitions, both on paper and digital, from people who are opposed to the state park.

The proposed action (alternative 2) “would create eight recreational zones to help spread out recreational use and minimize user conflicts,” according to the draft EIS.

Sweetwater resident Maria Summerlin told the board that the draft EIS was concerning because of potential impacts on the area’s wildlife from development. She noted that peregrine falcon had moved into the cliffs over the lake to nest since the amount of people visiting the lake has declined in recent years.

“They said that the campgrounds that are being proposed are close to the half-mile boundary for the restriction under standard 9, and they said that the activity could disturb the peregrine falcons, but it’s not likely,” she told the board. “What they completely omit is the construction that is going to start at 800 feet from their nests and extend within a half mile, all in a line of sight from the nest, where they’re putting their fishing piers, cabins, the education center, the lodge, and the nine acres of employee housing.”

Standard 9 restricts human activities within one half mile of occupied peregrine falcon nests between March 15 and July 31, according to the draft EIS.

“They’re also proposing to start construction before breeding season to potentially deter the peregrine falcon from nesting there so that they don’t violate standard 9,” she added.

“It’s not just 10 years of construction, it’s also perpetual use,” added Commissioner Jankovsky.

Sweetwater resident (Eagle County) Mary Stevens told the board that the wilderness concept of “leave no trace” resonates deeply with her, and that the proposal in the draft EIS betrays that tenet, adding that it will decimate the wildlife in the area.

“Organizations such as the U.S. Forest Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife are supposed to be the people who maintain that we can leave these areas for generations to see,” she said. “When I first came to this country and walked upon the lake, I’d never seen anything like it in my entire life. I remember riding up there with campers and we lost count … of elk at 600. There had to have been well over 800 and maybe 1,000.”

“I can sum it up: the proposals there will not benefit wildlife,” added Commissioner Perry Will.

The U.S. Forest Service is accepting comments on the proposal through Sept. 23, 2026.

Exchange would provide public access to 8,900 acres of BLM land near Rifle

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Garfield County has approved a resolution supporting a federal land exchange between a private landowner (Out of Bounds Ranch) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for properties located in the west-central and eastern parts of the county. The proposal would provide public access for numerous outdoor recreation opportunities on 8,900 acres of BLM land northwest of Rifle.

If passed by Congress, the proposed bill, the Greater Access for Multiple-Use Experiences Act or GAME Act, would see 2,158 acres of federal land near Glenwood Springs exchanged for 2,103 acres of private land at Timber Valley Ranch (1,020 acres) and Cow Creek Ranch (1,083 acres). The bill has yet to be introduced in Congress.

Commissioner Perry Will said the greater good to the public was a determining factor in his support of the exchange. He added a recommendation that the property near Glenwood Springs would not be developed in the future.

“I’m quite familiar with that stretch of BLM land and the wildlife value connected to that parcel,” Commissioner Will said. “I understand that the greater public good, as far as access, is on Cow Creek. … In order to support this, I want to make sure that the property that it’s being traded for is not developed. Therefore, I’d like to see a deed restriction to maintain that property and its character as wildlife habitat, and for agriculture and ranching uses.”

The BLM property is located adjacent to High Aspen Ranch, a gated community comprised of 35-acre ranchettes off Red Canyon Road northeast of Spring Valley. The private properties being swapped are located west of Highway 13, northwest of Rifle.

The exchange would help consolidate fragmented private holdings within the privately-owned Out of Bounds Ranch. Several residents of High Aspen Ranch spoke in opposition to the land exchange, voicing concerns about impacts to their property values and quality of life by losing a boundary with public lands.

Jeff Small, a partner at the public affairs firm 76 Group, told the Board of County Commissioners that unlocking hunting access is the key to the land exchange.

“That’s the crux of why this land exchange is so important,” he said. “It allows the agencies to better manage the lands that they’re responsible for. It would allow better use of the private lands that are being exchanged. Essentially, we’re cleaning up these checkerboards of land.”

Small added that they see Garfield County as a cooperating agency in the land exchange, possibly filling a coordination role in the process. Moreover, the proposed exchange meets the policies contained in the county’s adopted Federal Lands Natural Resources Coordination Plan and Polices.

“There will be opportunities throughout the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process … for the county to provide comments,” he said.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife noted that the private lands in the swap are home to “some of the highest-value big game hunting habitat in the state,” according to the resolution. Game Management Unit (GMU) 22 provides opportunities for elk, deer, and turkey hunting.

“In GMU 22, particularly in the high elevations and steep terrain of these ranches and the currently inaccessible northern BLM parcel, hunters have strong opportunities to encounter large 6-point bull elk, and the area is widely known for consistent success on mature bulls,” the proposal notes.

The private properties also offer access for ATV and off-road vehicles, snowmobiling, and other winter sports, along with hiking, climbing, fishing, and mountain biking opportunities.

“I hear every one of your concerns from High Aspen Ranch, and I get it,” said Commissioner Will. “But the greater public good for the citizens of Garfield County is for this exchange.”

The Board of County Commissioners approved the resolution, 2-0, with Commissioner Mike Samson excused from the meeting.