County approves Carbondale event center permit changes
Modification to existing land use permit allows for 52 large events per year, and no limit on smaller gatherings
PRESS RELEASE
December 16, 2024
Garfield County has approved a substantial modification to an existing land use permit allowing a Carbondale events facility to expand the number of occasions it hosts annually. The Gianinetti Community Event Center (Spring Creeks Ranch) has been hosting events since 2018 on its property located along County Road 166.
When first approved, the 2018 land use permit allowed for 30 events per year at the event center, which exists on roughly four acres of the overall 83-acre property. The application requested an increase in the number of events the facility can host; the option to host larger special events (of up to 1,000 people); and changes to its defined peak season to allow for year-round operations. The event center has an occupancy of 273 and features a 4,800-square-foot event barn.
“When the family successfully received the land use change (in 2018) with the event limitation, they didn’t realize the limitations this would truly have on the business model, nor could anyone have forecast COVID and the hardships this specifically caused the event center,” the application notes. “The family has diligently worked to navigate and adapt to the changes they have encountered in the last five years. The family’s goals for the property have not changed but the economics, overhead, and demand for the services the ranch provides have changed immensely within in this time.”
Garfield County Community Development staff did not recommend approval of larger events, such as concerts, without a separate administrative review. Staff added that a secondary access may be required for larger events, as well as additional traffic control that coordinates with the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, Town of Carbondale, and Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District.
Staff provided an option (A) for approval of the remaining requests with conditions, including capping large events with more than 150 people at 52; no restriction on the number of smaller events; and requiring the owners to conduct a new traffic study for events larger than 200 attendees to assess potential impacts.
“They represented in the application that the peak season events would primarily be one event per weekend, with the possibility of hosting intermittent small gatherings in the middle of the week,” said Garfield County Community Development Director Glenn Hartmann. “That’s been a pretty consistent message that we’ve heard from the applicant: they’re looking for fewer limits on the number of smaller events that could round out their schedule.”
The application noted that the average number of weekend event attendees would be roughly 150 people and that mid-week events would be much smaller in attendance. The 10 p.m. quiet hours remain in place; however, the permit now reflects more flexibility for later vendor access and events extending until 11 p.m. During all events, per the original permit, no amplified music (louder than 55 decibels) is allowed after 10 p.m.
Tanner Gianinetti, general manager of the event center, told the Board of County Commissioners that more events must take place for the business to better serve the community’s needs and to remain financially viable. He noted that the original business plan was designed for the outdoor pavilion area and that the focus has since shifted to the more captivating event barn.
“From 2019 until now, there’s definitely been a big learning curve,” he told the board. “With the original application, much of the model and vision for the property was molded off what the pavilion structure was serving. That’s where that 30-event limitation came into play. … With the family’s discretion, I believe they were thinking that the event barn would be utilized in the same capacity (as the pavilion) but the design and what it manifested into became a lot more elegant.
“It’s been extremely hard to leverage trying to create a model to amortize the property giving only 30 events a year for revenue, especially after COVID and the losses incurred and the effect that had on the number of gatherings and events,” Gianinetti added. “We’ve had to face a lot of challenges.”
“The board approved the land use permit modification with findings, conditions of approval, and provided an option B with a 200-person trigger for larger events, unanimously, 2-0, with Commissioner John Martin excused.
“I love how this is going. Whenever something like this is proposed there’s always going to be some opposition but the opposition that I’m hearing is not strenuous and coming with pitchforks and torches,” Commissioner Mike Samson said. “I’m very pleased with Tanner and the Gianinetti family in the way you have run this facility. It’s been done very well and is a great asset to the Town of Carbondale.”