GUERNSEY – On a beautiful piece of windswept prairie west of Guernsey, a sign reading, “Rabbit Bush Ranch Subdivision,” has been recently covered over with black trash bags. A development company is attempting to build a subdivision while subverting zoning and permit laws and adjacent landowners are rising up in protest. 
The issue was addressed at the March 5th Platte County Commissioner’s meeting. The property in question is located on Wendover Road, about three miles west of Guernsey. A representative of the company that currently owns the property contacted Jon Kalev, Platte County Planner, and stated that they knew they were supposed to have the area rezoned from agricultural to residential subdivision for their project, but asked if he could just, “look the other way,” so they wouldn’t have to go through the hassle, paperwork and fees. He refused on the grounds that his job was to serve the county and he was required to do his due diligence.  
Several landowners from the area came to the meeting to share their objections. 
“I am concerned that this is above my property. All of their waste would come down to me. We’re looking at 42 septic tanks and other animal waste, things like that. I am concerned as to how that would affect my water and well, also their water consumption,” said landowner Becca Simpson. “I’m also worried about my property values and the increased traffic on the road. I am also worried about the loss of grazing in the area. I was forced out and I have to go somewhere else to graze.”  
“I live on Cottonwood. The area that is timbered and canyoned, is a fawning and rearing area for about 60 head of mule deer,” Ted Stanfield pointed out. “I don’t know if Game and Fish would have any concerns about that.”  
Dennis Miller’s land borders the property and is already having problems with neighboring dogs causing a nuisance to his livestock. He is worried that if there are a large amount of extra people moving in, there will be even more issues with dogs.  

“The dog problem could huge,” Miller said with a grim tone. “They make coyotes look like friendly things.” 
Derek Farmer from the Wyoming Hunters and Anglers Alliance requested that the lot sizes be as large as possible to reduce the disruption to the wildlife in the area. In addition, anything that is attacking livestock can be disposed of. Not the answer people like to hear, but it is the reality.  
Commissoner Sandy Kontour asked if any of the land owners had tried to contact the company. 
“We tried,” Donna Miller replied with exasperation. “They had a website on their sign, but we went on the internet, there’s nothing there.” 
Kontour said the best way to proceed is to contact the owners and talk to them about their concerns, but she did not know how to find out who they were when asked. The assessor’s office was mentioned as a place to start looking. 
“My disappointment with this group is that when they initially purchased this, we were told they were going to set up a ranching operation and the roads they were putting in were just ranch roads. We had no idea it was anything more than that until very late in that process,” Stanfield pointed out. “They certainly haven’t made any attempt whatsoever to contact any of their neighbors. Most of us would be fine with a ranch next door. I don’t think anybody is thrilled about the idea of having a subdivision next door.” 
“At this point, we don’t have anything in our rules and regulations that would keep them from doing this,” explained Commissioner Steve Shockley. “I sat on a committee that went through the rules and regulations line by line for a year. General consensus of that committee is that we would rather have less constrictive rules in Platte County. With that in mind, we eliminated a lot of things that were bothering a lot of people in the county. When we were done with that draft, it went before the Planning and Zoning board, they had public hearings and then ultimately passed those rules. If we’re going to change them again, that would be the proper procedure to do it. We have a number of these in the county where the zoning has not been changed for the type of business or home that resides in these areas.” 
Commissioner Ian Jolovich agreed that the development appears to be against zoning laws. 
No decisions were made and the matter is not resolved to date. The Commissioners encouraged the landowners to stay in communication with them and to try and contact the owners to voice their objections and discuss options.