Storied Development held a public information meeting regarding updates to their proposed Spring Valley Ranch development on April 9th. Amendments to the initial proposal included public access hiking and biking trails, a general store, and a 24 hour fire department for the entire surrounding area.
What community members worried most about, however, was water.
One resident noted, "Your straws are a lot deeper than my straw. What happens if we have tough years, which we do have and which we will have, sometimes we don't get any rain. And the aquifer drops down, and I go to take a shower, and your straws are deeper than mine, and I have no water."
The proposed development that is expected to break ground in 2026 includes a golf course and a ski slope. Both of these luxury amenities require a lot of water. However, developers say that their total annual water demand is already supplied by wells in and around the Spring Valley area.
Development staff had this to say, "We shrunk the golf course to about 200 acres in order to preserve water."
Another issue at the forefront of community members' minds is wildlife habitat. While the updated proposal includes over 1,000 acres for wildlife habitat, locals point out that the elk who live in the area need to remain undisturbed and as far from humans as possible.
Another resident stated, "The potential development that's being discussed will be right on top of the winter range and the calving area as well."
Story development is in the process of buying the land from its current owners.
