July 28, 2026
Gunnison County Board of Commissioners - 1 -
Minutes of July 28, 2026 Special Meeting
Approved by BOCC August 4, 2026
GUNNISON COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
July 28, 2026
The July 28, 2026 meeting was held in the Board of County Commissioners’ meeting room located at 200
E. Virginia Avenue, Gunnison, Colorado. Present, either in person or via Zoom, were:
Laura Puckett Daniels, Chairperson Matthew Birnie, County Manager
Elizabeth Smith, Vice-Chairperson Holly Perry, Deputy County Clerk
Jonathan Houck, Commissioner Others Present as Listed in Text
Matthew Hoyt, County Attorney
GUNNISON COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SPECIAL MEETING:
CALL TO ORDER: Commissioner Puckett Daniels called the meeting to order at 8:32 am.
MAJOR IMPACT SKETCH PLAN; LUC-25-00004; LOWER VERZUH RANCH DELIBERATION:
Assistant County Manager for Community and Economic Development April Kroner, Planning Director Hillary
Seminick, and applicants Marcus Lock, Bill Lacy, and Dan Dow were present for discussion.
- A Resolution Approving LUC-25-00004, A Land Use Change Permit Application for Sketch Plan
Review of a Major Impact Project for Lower Verzuh Ranch Subdivision
Commissioner Puckett Daniels explained the process and thanked the public for their attendance and their
due diligence in looking at the proposal. The Board did note they have received correspondence after the
Public Hearing and asked for direction from CA Hoyt regarding it.
Commissioner Puckett Daniels then relayed the criteria for opting for an additional Public Hearing.
Commissioner Houck stated that he does not think an additional Public Hearing would provide any additional
information. However, he would like to consider remanding the issue back to the Planning Commission for
them to dig a bit deeper into the application information and the Land Use Resolution’s (LUR) standards
and doing so would also preserve the Board the option to have an additional Public Hearing.
Commissioner Smith agreed with Commissioner Houck’s recommendation. She commented she felt the
Planning Commission not giving a recommendation to them does not give the Board adequate information
and would like a more refined understanding of their perspective. Commissioner Houck noted they did not
toggle back to the LUR standards and would like to have a recommendation based on their decision in
relation to the LUR.
CA Hoyt informed the Board that, according to the LUR, they would need to make a decision within 60 days
of the Planning Commission recommendation and that timeframe would need to include an additional Public
Hearing if the Board goes that direction. Commissioner Smith asked if the missing Planning Commission
member would be able to participate in the vote after not being present for the Public Hearing. CA Hoyt
noted that it is up to the member because everything is on the record. S he can decide if she has enough
information. Planning Director Hillary Seminick also noted the Planning Commission bylaws do not state
anything regarding that issue and there will be a full recording which she can listen to.
Commissioner Houck wants to have the Planning Commission state their reasoning for their view and toggle
it to the LUR standards that their decision is based on. Commissioner Smith agreed. Commissioner Puckett
Daniels then read out the LUR standards that state the criteria for remanding the issue back to the Planning
Commission.
Commissioner Puckett Daniels expressed hesitation regarding dragging this application out further. She
asked the Board how the Planning Commission recommendation plays in their decision. Commissioner
Smith noted she wanted to understand, in analytical detail, how they reached their decision. Commissioner
Houck agreed with Commissioner Smith and further explained he wanted a more specific opinion of the
Planning Commission. Furthermore, he relayed the Planning Commission will meet on August 6
th
, and The
BOCC can meet on this later in August with a clearer understanding. Commissioner Houck emphasized he
would not have wanted to take this path if the opportunity for an additional Public Hearing was not there.
Commissioner Puckett Daniels explained that with an additional Public Hearing, she is not necessarily
looking for more information but rather giving more people of the public opportunity to participate.
Commissioner Houck also noted that due to the fifth Planning Commission member having a family
emergency ten minutes prior to the hearing, he feels if the full Planning Commission participated, there
would be a recommendation either way. Moved by Commissioner Houck, seconded by Commissioner Smith
to, at this moment, choose not to have an additional Public Hearing and move to the discussion of what
this Board would like to do with the application. Motion carried with Commissioner Houck and Commissioner
Smith voting in favor, and Commissioner Puckett Daniels voting in opposition.
In reiteration, Commissioner Smith noted they would like the Planning Commission to apply the criteria on
what leads them to a yes or no vote for them and Commissioner Houck desired to see a more robust
July 28, 2026
Gunnison County Board of Commissioners - 2 -
Minutes of July 28, 2026 Special Meeting
Approved by BOCC August 4, 2026
recommendation from the Planning Commission. Moved by Commissioner Smith, seconded by
Commissioner Houck to remand back to the Planning Commission for more analysis pursuant to our
discussion today, LUC-25-00004, for Lower Verzuh Ranch to get a more refined understanding of the basis
of their decision and a more robust discussion of their conditions in the event that they decide to move the
application forward for a recommended approval. Motion carried unanimously.
Commissioner Puckett Daniels expressed gratitude to the public once again and emphasized the Board
doing their due diligence on this project. Commissioner Houck reiterated that this does preserve the ability
to have an additional Public Hearing if desired.
Mr. Lock relayed thanked the Board for their attention and careful consideration of this matter.
ADJOURN: Commissioner Puckett Daniels adjourned the meeting at 9:12 a m.
Laura Puckett Daniels, Chairperson
Elizabeth Smith, Vice-Chairperson
Jonathan Houck, Commissioner
Minutes Prepared By:
Holly Perry, Deputy County Clerk
Attest:
Kathy Simillion, County Clerk