Proposed 132-room Henrys Lake hotel and resort at center of public debate
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ISLAND PARK — Fremont County residents will have a chance to share their thoughts on a controversial proposed large-scale hotel and resort on the Henrys Lake Flats to the Fremont County Commissioners during a public meeting at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 13 in the South Fremont High School Auditorium in St. Anthony.
According to a news release by Alison Brown, co-director of Henry’s Fork Wildlife Alliance, the meeting comes after Ensign Hospitality, LLC, appealed a Fremont County Planning and Zoning Commission decision last November to deny the project.
The proposal calls for a 132-room hotel with 5,000 square feet of meeting space, a spa, restaurant, and bar, 10 houses, 25 units of employee housing, and related infrastructure.
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According to Brown, the site, located in Henrys Lake Flats, is zoned Rural Base — the least disturbed zoning designation in Fremont County’s development code. While “guest lodges” may be permitted in this zone, opponents argue the massive scale of the project — with an estimated 60,000-square-foot hotel footprint — is more akin to a commercial hotel, which is not typically allowed in rural districts.”
“A previous appeal meeting was canceled after public comment was not allowed, but county commissioners have now scheduled the Aug. 13 meeting to include time for residents to speak,” said Brown.
Supporters and opponents are expected to comment on the project’s environmental, economic, and community impacts.
“The Henrys Lake Flats provide irreplaceable ecosystem services like water filtration, flood control, aquifer recharge, and habitat for wildlife ranging in size from grizzly bears to insect pollinators,” Brown concluded. “The Flats also stand as a testament to the long history of agriculture and ranching in the Island Park area.”