HomeMy WebLinkAbout20260297 Summary of the Weld County Planning Commission Meeting
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
A regular meeting of the Weld County Planning Commission was held in the Weld County Administration
Building, Hearing Room, 1150 0 Street, Greeley, Colorado. This meeting was called to order by Chair
Butch White, at 1:30 p.m.
Roll Call
Present: Barney Hammond, Butch White, Calven Goza, Cole Ritchey, Hunter Rivera, Michael Biwer,
Michael Palizzi, Michael Wailes, Virginia Guderjahn
Also Present: Angela Snyder, Department of Planning Services, Mike McRoberts, Development Review,
Karin McDougal, County Attorney, and Kris Ranslem, Secretary.
Motion: Approve the December 2, 2025 Weld County Planning Commission minutes, Moved by Michael
Palizzi, Seconded by Virginia Guderjahn. Motion passed unanimously.
Case Number: USR25-0019
Applicant: 70 Ranch, LLC
Planner: Angela Snyder
Request: Use by Special Review Permit for Open Mining and Processing of Minerals(sand
and gravel), outside of subdivisions and historic townsites in the A(Agricultural)
Zone District.
Legal Description: All of Section 25,Township 5 North, Range 63 West of the 6th P.M.,Weld County,
Colorado.
Location: South of and adjacent to County Road 54 Section line; north of and adjacent to
vacated County Road 52; east of and adjacent to vacated County Road 71;
approximately one(1)mile east of County Road 69.
Angela Snyder, Planning Services, presented Case USR25-0019, reading the recommendation and
comments into the record. Ms. Snyder noted that no written correspondence or telephone calls were
received regarding this application. She added that the closest residence is approximately 1 mile away
from the site. The Department of Planning Services recommends approval of this application along with
conditions of approval and development standards.
Mike McRoberts, Development Review, reported on the existing traffic, access to the site and drainage
conditions for the site.
Commissioner Wailes asked to clarify the truck traffic for this proposed project. Mr. McRoberts replied that
there will be 520 semi-truck trips per day and clarified that these are trip ends and not round trips. Mr.
Wailes said that this is in addition to any other activities on the 70 Ranch and asked what the traffic count
is outside of this proposed project. Mr. McRoberts said that this portion of County Road 69 has 339 vehicles
per day so the 520 semi-truck trip ends and the 28 passenger vehicles per day are in addition to the 339
vehicles per day.
Kyle Regan, 8308 Colorado Boulevard, Firestone, Colorado, stated that there will be 11 outbound truck
trips per hour expected and improvements will be necessary at the County Road 69 and Highway 34
intersection. The operation will be 24 hours per day and mining will start in the northeast corner and
progress southwest. He added that the life of the mine will be approximately 10 years. The reclamation
plan will be 224 acres of water storage. The site will provide about 24 million tons of frac sand for oil and
gas development in Weld County.
Commissioner Hammond asked if there will be lighting on the site since it is a 24/7 hour operation. David
Bieber, Chief Technical Officer,APEX 70 Sand, 3618 Pikes Peak Road, Parker, Colorado, said that APEX
70 Sand will be the operator for the facility and added that they will be running three-phase power to the
site so it will be powered off of line power.
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Commissioner Wailes asked if APEX will be the single operator or will multiple vendors be hauling material
away. Mr. Bieber said that multiple vendors will be accessing the site.
The Chair asked if there was anyone in the audience who wished to speak for or against this application.
No one wished to speak.
The Chair asked the applicant if they have read through the Development Standards and Conditions of
Approval and if they are in agreement with those. The applicant replied that they are in agreement.
Motion: Forward Case USR25-0019 to the Board of County Commissioners along with the Conditions of
Approval and Development Standards with the Planning Commission's recommendation of approval,
Moved by Michale Wailes, Seconded by Michael Palizzi.
Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes= 9).
Yes: Butch White, Barney Hammond, Calven Goza, Cole Ritchey, Hunter Rivera, Michael Biwer, Michael
Palizzi, Michael Wailes, Virginia Guderjahn.
Case Number: USR25-0020
Applicant: Jose and Susan Garcia
Planner: Angela Snyder
Request: Use by Special Review for an Event Facility outside of subdivisions and historic
townsites in the A(Agricultural)Zone District.
Legal Description: Lot B Recorded Exemption, RE-2786; being part of the NW1/4 of Section 18,
Township 6 North, Range 64 West of the 6th P.M.,Weld County, Colorado.
Location: East of and adjacent to County Road 49;approximately 0.4 miles south of County
Road 70.
Angela Snyder, Planning Services, presented Case USR25-0020, reading the recommendation and
comments into the record. Ms. Snyder noted that no written correspondence or telephone calls were
received from surrounding property owners regarding this application. The Department of Planning
Services recommends approval of this application along with conditions of approval and development
standards.
Mike McRoberts, Development Review, reported on the existing traffic, access to the site and drainage
conditions for the site.
Susan Garcia, 33546 County Road 49, Greeley, Colorado, stated that they found there was a need for
affordable venues in Weld County. Their oldest daughter was married in 2019 and when looking at venues
they found that the fees were not affordable so they built a barn to have their daughter's wedding in and
had received multiple requests to host weddings at their site.
The Chair asked if there was anyone in the audience who wished to speak for or against this application.
No one wished to speak.
The Chair asked the applicant if they have read through the Development Standards and Conditions of
Approval and if they are in agreement with those. The applicant replied that they are in agreement.
Motion: Forward Case USR25-0020 to the Board of County Commissioners along with the Conditions of
Approval and Development Standards with the Planning Commission's recommendation of approval,
Moved by Michael Biwer, Seconded by Cole Ritchey.
Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote(summary: Yes= 9).
Yes: Butch White, Barney Hammond, Calven Goza, Cole Ritchey, Hunter Rivera, Michael Biwer, Michael
Palizzi, Michael Wailes, Virginia Guderjahn.
The Chair asked the public if there were other items of business that they would like to discuss. No one
wished to speak.
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The Chair asked the Planning Commission members if there was any new business to discuss. No one
wished to speak.
Meeting adjourned at 2:05 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
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Kristine Ranslem
Secretary
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