Brown Ranch renamed Slate Creek Neighborhood as governance group moves forward

The Brown Ranch Governance Group agreed March 26 to refer to the long‑proposed project as the Slate Creek Neighborhood, and the group is working to define a governance structure and membership as Phase 2 planning remains pending; the group will meet April 30–May 1 to discuss its title, end state and timeline.

The Brown Ranch Governance Group has shifted to using the name Slate Creek Neighborhood as it works to establish a governance and decision‑making structure for the long‑proposed affordable‑housing project. The change follows a 2024 annexation defeat that paused earlier plans and led local leaders to pursue a broader, more inclusive community process. A 40‑member Deliberation and Stewardship Team (DST) completed Phase 1 meetings with consultants last year, and the governance group has been meeting this spring to refine membership and next steps. Key developments: - The governance group reached consensus on March 26 to refer to the property and initial development efforts as the Slate Creek Neighborhood. - The group is convened by members of the Steamboat Springs City Council, Routt County leadership and the Yampa Valley Housing Authority. - A 40‑member Deliberation and Stewardship Team completed Phase 1 facilitated by consultants The Civic Canopy and Community Builders, which included inquiry teams and small stakeholder meetings. - Consultants indicated in December they were finalizing a Phase 2 scope focused on governance and technical planning, but several DST members say they have heard little from consultants since early December. - The governance group listed its intended membership (two City Council seats, one city staff, one county commissioner, one county staff, two YVHA board members and one YVHA staff member) and is scheduled to meet April 30–May 1 to discuss its formal name, end‑state goal and a decision‑making timeline. Summary: The governance group has adopted Slate Creek Neighborhood as the working name and is concentrating on defining how decisions will be made and who will represent participating entities. The DST’s continued role is still being determined, and the group will meet April 30–May 1 to refine its end‑state goal and timeline; timing for a formal Phase 2 start remains undetermined at this time.