Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Laramie County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
34 issues with medium priority
Bridge resiliency grant application
The county accepted completion of the federal bridge program project that removed the old East Pershing Boulevard bridge over the Union Pacific tracks after it was replaced by the Christianson Bridge overpass.
Saddleback Acres 3rd Filing subdivision
A 14.8-acre residential property will be split into two roughly 7.4-acre tracts, meeting the 5.25-acre minimum needed for well and septic in the aquifer recharge zone. Commissioners noted the odd, jogged lot line works around a leach field.
Carey Ave courthouse HVAC project cost increase
Remodeling the historic courthouse's HVAC system exposed old wiring that wasn't up to code, adding nearly $300,000 to the project so tenants and county employees have a safe building.
Sheriff's office records release fees
The Sheriff's office has fielded 4,353 records requests this year — 877 in just the last month or so — and wants to charge reasonable fees to cover the staff time. The public gets 45 days to weigh in before final adoption.
Archer Complex Sewer Line Project
Six-plus miles of new sewer line will connect the Archer Complex to Cheyenne's treatment plant, paid for by the sixth-penny tax voters approved. The route was shifted south of I-80 to avoid tapping out city sewer capacity — opening the door for future development east of Cheyenne.
Early Voting Announcement
Laramie County officials say early voting starts October 6, giving you more chances to cast your ballot before Election Day. If your schedule is packed, this is a useful backup plan—just check the clerk’s office for locations and hours.
Planned change to planning commission appeal process
The county formally added language spelling out how appeals from Planning Commission decisions work. A resident's written suggestions for further changes were kept in the record but deferred to future rulemaking due to the 45-day notice requirement.
PlanCheyenne Future Land Use Map Amendments (Hitching Post and Orchard Hills)
The city is seeking the county's comments on two land-use map changes tied to annexations — one near the future Rodeo Hall of Fame site and one at Orchard Hills. Commissioners gave input but took no formal action; final decisions rest with the City Council after annexation.
Community Prevention Grant with Cheyenne Regional Medical Center
A $901,640 grant agreement funds programs to prevent tobacco, alcohol, and drug misuse and suicide across fiscal years 2027 and 2028.
Highway Safety Enforcement Grants
The sheriff's office gets overtime funding for impaired-driving and seat-belt enforcement campaigns, plus a large training grant for drug recognition experts. These aim to reduce drunk driving and injuries on county roads.
Immigration Lawsuit Appeal
The ACLU is appealing its immigration-related lawsuit against the Laramie County sheriff to the Wyoming Supreme Court. The case could shape how local law enforcement handles immigration enforcement and what oversight courts apply. If you care about local policing and immigration policy, this is the case to watch.
Winner's Circle Dog Boarding Facility zone change
A residentially zoned 0.57-acre parcel in the Tatum Subdivision would be rezoned to mixed use so the property owners can build a small kennel building (~24x24, about six kennels) for a dog boarding business. It now goes to the county commissioners for a final vote.
Community Wildfire Protection Plan adoption
The county finally adopted a four-years-in-the-making wildfire plan with 40+ treatment recommendations across 19 communities, plus a public map website residents can use to see risks near their homes.
2026 Mill Levy Correction
The county set its 2026 property tax mill levies. Most rates were unchanged because most districts already levy their maximum allowed mills; the main changes were small increases for LCCC bond payments and the county fire authority.
R & R Heights subdivision near Highway 211
52 new single-family lots on 319.71 acres were approved at the tricky Highway 211/CR 215 intersection, with access reconfigured and $52,000 in public safety fees partly applied to fire-authority-requested cistern access work.
County Approval / Event Venue Permit
Laramie County has given Bit-O-Wyo Ranch the OK to reopen in phases, so its events can start coming back. If you’ve missed the ranch’s gatherings or you live nearby, this is a local win.
R & R Heights subdivision
Fifty-two new single-family homes are planned at the notoriously difficult Horse Creek Road/Road 215 intersection, with the developer required to reconfigure access away from Horse Creek Road and fix the intersection.
Powder River Apartment Complex
A 48-unit apartment complex planned near Allison Draw got its conditional use permit. A neighbor flagged rough roads, parking, dumpsters, and floodplain worries; road and parking details come later in the site-plan review.
Lucky Star Ranch 2nd Filing replat paves way for future growth
The Lucky Star Ranch, 2nd Filing hearing was pushed to July 21 because the Planning Department missed its deadline for staff materials.
Primary Election Early Voting
Early and absentee voting for Laramie County’s primary starts July 21, giving residents a chance to shape which candidates make the November ballot. If you want a say but can’t make it on Election Day, this is your window to vote early.
Public notice adequacy for major zone changes
A South Fork resident told the commission neighbors got zero direct notification of the RV proposal because notices go to property owners of record, not renters, within a 500-foot buffer. Staff explained the four required notice methods; the complaint may matter to how future hearings are publicized.
Victim Services Funding
A $149,068 state contract continues victim services for all crimes through June 2027.
Fertig Ranch Subdivision
The 13-lot Fertig Ranch subdivision was recommended for approval with strict conditions requiring the developer to build Railway Lane, Fertig Ranch Road and Raymond Trail to county standards before plat recordation.
Coroner Office Renovation
The county hired The Design Studio for $131,256 to expand and upgrade the coroner's office within the next year.
Division Avenue and Wallick Road Upgrades
HDR Engineering gets $77,880 more and extended deadlines for street and infrastructure upgrades, including coordination with the new school near Wallick Road.
Library FY27 budget and Pine Bluffs annex
The library will spend $350,000 from reserves on one-time capital projects, including minimum upgrades — ADA restroom, roof, heating/cooling — to open the Pine Bluffs annex. It's also launching a career online high school scholarship program funded by donations.
Detention Center TV Filming Proposal
Sheriff Kozak wants a TV show ('120 Hours Behind Bars' — coming to HBO Max, Discovery+ and Hulu) to film inside the county jail, but commissioners put the brakes on until the deal gets proper public notice.
Election Candidate Profile
Laura Pate is running for Laramie County clerk, the office that runs elections and keeps official county records. This quick Q&A is meant to give voters the basics before they cast a ballot.
Lodging tax continuation on November ballot
The 2% optional lodging tax — about half of Visit Cheyenne's funding — will go before voters again on November 3. Tourism brought $485 million in visitor spending and 3,720 jobs to the county last year.
Community well-being amid rapid growth
A new resident told commissioners the city's schools, police, fire, EMS, and mental health services are overwhelmed, and asked what's being done for people already here before growth accelerates further.
Rural growth straining emergency services
Longtime resident Charlie Brown warned that 'willy-nilly' subdivisions across the county are stretching sheriffs, EMS, and fire thin. Commissioners pointed to development impact fees that fund rural fire suppression, but acknowledged growth planning is imperfect.
Combined Communications Center maintenance
The county ratified a maintenance contract with Motorola, up to $258,674.04, keeping the 911/dispatch communications center running.
Captain Soltierra rural subdivision and groundwater
Sixteen new 5-to-9-acre tracts with individual wells and septic systems in an area where neighbors say the water table can't support it. Staff pointed to the state engineer's rules and the AMEC memo, but the debate over rural water supply is clearly not going away.
Immigration Enforcement
Laramie County’s sheriff is partnering with federal immigration agents so aggressively that the county led the nation in immigration arrests in April. That means more local resources and jail space going toward immigration enforcement—and bigger questions about cost, trust, and who gets swept up.