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Routt County commissioners approved initial plans for a proposed general store in Stagecoach, which could be the area's first commercial development.

"I think this is a step forward for the Stagecoach community," Routt County Commissioner Doug Monger said. The store would help create a "whole community" in Stagecoach and has been supported by local residents, he said.

More detailed plans will be heard by the Routt County Regional Planning Commission and county commissioners in the coming months.

The general store of about 4,900 square feet, with gasoline pumps, a restaurant, a liquor store and space for other commercial uses, has been proposed by Stagecoach Ski Corp. Plans include a large outdoor area to provide a "community gathering place," land planning consultant Peter Patten said.

The store would sit on a 2.2-acre site at Routt County Road 212 and Schussmark Trail. It's a location central to the 500 planned and existing homes in the area, said Chris Wittemyer, an owner of Stagecoach Ski Corp.

If all goes as planned, Wittemyer said the store could be built next summer, concurrently with some other proposed developments in the area.

The permit that Stagecoach Ski Corp. is requesting keeps the door open to future development phases on the parcel, which Wittemyer said will be planned depending on what the community needs.

Wittemyer told county commissioners that plans for the development would keep stands of aspen intact, giving a backdrop to the building and helping to keep the desired rural feel.

In previous meetings, he has described the vision for the store as making it similar to the Clark Store in North Routt County.

Before county commissioners approved the zone change to commercial and initial plans, James Funk, a board member of the Stagecoach Property Owners Association, said the association backed the project.

"We really feel that it is a growing need for that community out there that is growing," Funk said.

Property owner Jim Walters agreed, adding that he thought the general store would be a very positive addition to Stagecoach.

-- To reach Susan Cunningham, call 871-4203 or e-mail sbacon@steamboatpilot.com