Property attracts truck stop

Two parcels of land west of Green River could be the home of a Love’s Travel Stop in the future.

The parcels, located along Highway 374 and near Exit 85 on Interstate 80, will be the focus of a zone change in December. Jim Zimmerman with the Sweetwater County Planning and Zoning Department, said the Love’s chain is interested in using the parcels to build a truck stop. Zimmerman said both parcels are currently zoned for agricultural use and need to be shifted to commercial zoning. The initial hearing for that zone change takes place before the Sweetwater County Planning and Zoning Board Dec. 12. If the board approves the zoning change, the issue will go before the Sweetwater County Commissioners Dec. 18 for final approval. Zimmerman said a conditional use permit would be needed after the zoning change to allow for the truck stop to be built, which could be accomplished in January.

The land is part of a larger area recently made developable due to expanded water service from the Jamestown Rio Vista Water and Sewer District. The district completed work on a new water system which both provides residents of the district with water and greatly expands the amount of developable land in the area.

“I think you’re going to see an explosion of development over there,” Kael Jasperson, vice chairman of the district’s board of trustees said during an interview earlier this summer. “There’s no doubt that Jamestown will grow.”

Dave Shillcox, chairman of the board said Love’s plans are directly influenced by the availability of water.

“I believe (water) had everything to do with it,” Shillcox said.

Shillcox believes the only developable land for Green River exists either south, towards the Greater Green River Intergalactic Spaceport or west, past Jamestown. The city, under Mayor Hank Castillon, was interested in purchasing two parcels of land owned by the Bureau of Land Management west of Green River.

However, the city ultimately passed on making a bid for the land when it was made available to sell.

Shillcox said that decision, as well as declining to help the water and sewer district when it sought support for a new water system, hindered potential growth for the city. Shillcox thinks the truck stop will attract additional commercial business nearby and said discussion is underway regarding a housing subdivision near the Rolling Green Country Club.

“There are a lot of tax dollars out there and a lot of investment,” Shillcox said. “I think you’re going to see a lot of things happening in the next year.”