‘Please engage’: Stagecoach Mountain Ranch takes procedural step ahead of meaningful meetings slated for next year
- Dylan Anderson
- Nov 19, 2025
- 3 min read
Routt County Commissioners stressed the importance of public meetings about the project, adding that the project’s approval isn’t a given.
While the Routt County Commissioners took a procedural vote on the proposed Stagecoach Mountain Ranch project Tuesday, meaningful consideration of the sprawling gated community, designed to offer private skiing for its wealthy, part-time residents, is likely months away.
In a unanimous vote, commissioners tabled consideration of one of the 11 applications submitted by developer Discovery Land Company as part of the project. This decision will come back next year when Routt County Planning Staff completes its review of the project, a process that is well underway.
Stagecoach Mountain Ranch has already created more than 1,000 pages of documents to review. Those pages have been sent to more than 30 referral agencies locally and at the state level for comments on the project. Additionally, Routt County has hired six outside consultants to assist in the consideration of the development.
“Additional information continues to come in,” said County Planner Alan Goldich. “Staff is currently receiving comments pretty regularly.”
While Commissioners opted not to take public comment on Tuesday, they emphasized that they want to hear from community members about this project as it is considered. Commissioner Sonja Macys said she was recently asked by a member of the media whether the hearings about Stagecoach Mountain Ranch really matter.
“I wanted to make sure that that individual and anyone who is listening is aware that they matter a lot,” Macys said. “This is a very big project and we will be listening to every single person who speaks to us, whether it is a written comment, whether it’s in person. … These are important hearings for our community.”
Commissioner Angelica Salinas reiterated that point, stressing how much preparation is going into considering Stagecoach Mountain Ranch.
“They definitely matters; it would be a waste of [county staff’s] time and our time if they didn’t matter,” Salinas said. “It does matter; we want to hear from you. Please engage.”
Tuesday’s tabling was for the project’s 1041 permit, an additional state process that was triggered for Stagecoach Mountain Ranch by county officials due to the significant infrastructure improvements it will require in the Morrison Creek Water and Sanitation District. State law requires commissioners hold a hearing about the 1041 permit within 60 days of the application being deemed complete.
“This shortened timeline does not provide sufficient time to review all of the application materials, and therefore this application is recommended to be tabled at this hearing so that all the applications can be considered concurrently,” Goldich said.
Goldich said county staff anticipates sending developers a “correction letter” by the end of this week, outlining various clarifications and comments that Discovery Land Company needs to address. Once they have addressed those comments and resubmitted materials, Goldich said the planning department would then go through another round of commenting with referral agencies.
“We’ll go through that process … to get a good grasp on the application and to have all the concerns addressed and everything, and then at that point we will schedule it for public hearings,” Goldich said.
There is no specific timeline for when those hearing will occur beyond the vague, early next year window. The county is exploring alternate venues for those hearings, with places like Allbright Auditorium at Colorado Mountain College and SOROCO High School being considered.
“If they can attend, attend,” Macys said. “If they can’t attend, write us a note, call our planning staff. However you can get documents to us, we would appreciate everyone’s input.”
Comments can be made through the Planning Department’s public comment link or by emailing planningdept@co.routt.co.us. When providing comments through the public comment link, select 'Stagecoach Mountain Ranch Applications' in the 'Planning Application Number' selection menu.
Planning staff have also created an information page for the project that will be updated when hearings are scheduled.