Riverside talks Green Mountain

The Riverside Town Council meeting January 9, in large part, was an update from guests Sid Fox, Carbon County Planning Director, and Sue Jones, Carbon County Commissioner, regarding Brush Creek Ranch’s ski area. The County Commissioners had approved some conditions for the Carbon County/Encampment Ski Area in the form of covenants back in 2001.

Fox said, “They couldn’t get any permits for dwellings without coming back for zoning approval, site specific zoning” with the original approval.

According to Fox, not much happened after that, but in June of last year he started receiving phone calls about what was going on up on the mountain.

“We knew a little bit and we didn’t know some of the details. I was in communication with some representatives of Brush Creek Ranch about what was going on. They began logging and doing some work up there. But, we started communicating a little bit, the feed back I was getting late summer,early fall, was that, yeah, we’re thinking about it and doing some timber work. So, for a few months in early fall they were telling me that they were going to come in.” Fox said, “I told them they need a PUD (Planned Unit Development). You need a zoning act from the county commissioners to operate out there. They said, ‘ok, ok we’re working on it’ and in the mean time they are doing some logging. I didn’t feel the logging was something that needed county approval … they kept doing work and, soon enough, we had a ski area up there from the trails, the logging and the grooming.”

Permits were issued for yurts for private use, not for use as rental or commercial operations.

“The rule of thumb at the county is, if you are doing commercial work and its not already commercially zoned, you need some type of zoning review and conditional use permits, typically, or re-zone for commercial activities” said Fox.

Brush Creek Ranch wanted to be able to operate the ski hill and provide guest services this winter.

“So, we took it to the County Commissioners to review the old covenant from 2001. So that was the most recent action.” Fox continued, “In December we got before the County Commissioners and entered into a new agreement, its a resolution, which allows them to operate, provide guest services, this winter in a limited way, up to 30 people.”

“In that agreement, they have to come into the county with a PUD sketch plan, that’s a concept plan. So they are operating in a limited way this winter right now. The resolution by the county requires them to come back. They can operate until, I think, April 30. Then, by May 15th, they have to come to the county with a plan, a concept plan. Its not really a zone change, its a concept”said Fox.

Fox went on to say that if Brush Creek complies, a public hearing can be held to check to see how things were progressing. If all goes well, Fox indicated that they can continue under the current approval until May 15, 2021. After that time, Brush Creek would need to submit a zoning application.

Jones relayed that Brush Creek Ranch is asking for two years, or two seasons, in order for their experts to determine if the ski area is viable or not. Mayor Leroy Stephenson asked if, while they are making their determination, anybody else is allowed up on Green Mountain.

“So far as we know, its just their people.” Jones said, “right now, what their commercial operations consisted of, their first day was December 20th thru January 7th, then February thru April, is just food and drink at the bottom of the hills in the yurts.”

Concerns were raised by attendees of the meeting regarding parking and access issues for the public who want to perform winter activities such as snow shoeing in the Bottle Creek area. Vehicles have been seen blocking county road 550 and the parking lot by the Bottle Creek turn.

Jones said “They had a request into the Forest Service to use the Bottle Creek turn.”

“That was a state park back in the day, there was a court case or something where the access rights on that are a little more solid than other in-holdings in the forest.” Fox said, “The Forest Service controls the access. Anything off the private property is on forest and they have permits.”

Another concern was voiced about soil and erosion control and run off down stream.

“DEQ and, I think, EPA is up there” Fox added, “I was pushing for them to get their plan into the county this fall but they kept saying, ‘we got to figure it out first, we don’t know what we are doing,’ but they are working on a stewardship plan for the whole ranch. Its not something they share with the county nor are they required to.”

The multiple new construction sites along highway 130 were also questioned as to if they were permitted and if there was a zoning change. Jones said, “we caught up with them.”

Fox explained, “Now we have conditional use permits, its a function of zoning, its technically not a zoning change, its a permit.”

Research after the meeting found that Brush Creek Ranch has already started to advertise the ski area on their website. On September 5, 2019 an article was posted to the Brush Creek Ranch website, titled ‘Brush Creek Luxury Ranch Collection to Open Green Mountain in December.’ “Eventually, Brush Creek Ranch plans to install four surface lifts. Green Mountain and the surrounding national forest also features miles of cross-country skiing and snowmobiling trails, and endless snowshoeing terrain. For warming up, lunch and après ski, four luxury yurts can be found around the mountain.” (https://www.brushcreekranch.com/news-press/brush-creek-ranch-to-open-green-mountain-in-december).

Forbes ran an article on November 8, 2019 alluding to Brush Creek Ranch’s plans. “Crowds will not be an issue. There will be a maximum of 30 skiers/snowboarders allowed on the mountain at a given time. Lift lines are also not a problem, since guests will ascend the 1,100 feet of vertical via snowcat. There’s both groomed and backcountry terrain to explore, with beginner’s terrain and double black diamonds. Note that there are also four surface lifts in the planning stages.” (https://www.forbes.com/sites/everettpotter/2019/11/08/the-lodge--spa-at-brush-creek-ranch-now-has-a-private-ski-mountain/#16c312015754).

The Robb Report ran an article on September 16, 2019 touting they had exclusively learned “Brush Creek has recently acquired the 600-plus-acre Green Mountain, with plans to launch it this December as a guests-only hub for downhill skiing and snowboarding, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and tubing.” (https://robbreport.com/travel/resorts/luxury-wyoming-ranch-opening-private-ski-resort-2869475/).

Another article about Brush Creek Ranch’s acquisition of Green Mountain and plans for a guest-only downhill ski hill was posted on September 20, 2019 by Snow Brains. (https://snowbrains.com/exclusive-ranch-private-skiing-wyoming/).

An aerial view of Green Mountain can be seen on Brush Creek Ranch’s website (https://www.brushcreekranch.com/green-mountain).

The next meeting of Riverside Town Council will be at 6 p.m. on February 13 at the Riverside Town Hall.