Fremont Commission rules on appeal for Henrys Lake hotel project

ISLAND PARK — The Fremont County Commission on Tuesday voted unanimously to deny Ensign Hospitality LLC’s appeal to build the Flat Rock Hotel project along the Henrys Lake Flats, citing zoning issues as the basis for their decision.

The vote affirms the county’s original denial issued last November. At a public hearing last month at Fremont County High School in St. Anthony, county residents urged commissioners to stand by that decision.

With little fanfare and limited discussion, commissioners did just that at a well-attended meeting on Tuesday.

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Commissioner Rick Hill, who made the motion to uphold the Planning and Zoning decision, said the county code doesn’t treat “hotel” and “guest lodge” as interchangeable terms and that a project of this scale would require a rezone.

“Regardless of my personal feelings, the development code is the law and I’m here to uphold it,” Hill said.

Commissioner Mark Chandler agreed, framing the issue as a matter of land use.

“This is a large-scale development,” Chandler said. “I’m not opposed to private landowners doing what they want on their land, but this does not fit the zone.”

Commissioner Blair Dance also characterized the application as a large-scale proposal.

“The commissioners make decisions that respond to the demands of code and satisfy proper uses of land without undue influence from one group or another,” Dance said.

Opponents of the project applauded the outcome. Alison Brown, co-director of the Henry’s Fork Wildlife Alliance — a group that has consistently opposed the proposal — called the vote “a big win for Henrys Lake Flats and the irreplaceable ecosystem services that the Flats provide.”

“It also sends a message to developers that Fremont County’s rural base zone is meant to preserve open space, wildlife habitat, and the agricultural heritage of the county,” Brown added. “It’s not a place for commercial or other large-scale projects.”

EastIdahoNews.com reached out to Ensign Hospitality’s attorney, Jared Nelson, who said, “I’m not prepared to make a comment at this time.”

This story will be updated if Ensign Hospitality officials provide additional comment.

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