Flat Rock Hotel – Ensign Hospitality

The application submitted by Ensign Hospitality, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, proposes building a large hotel/resort development on a 60-acre parcel of land in the Henrys Lake Flats, west of US-20. The parcel is zoned as Rural Base (the least developmentally impacted zone). The project will consist of: a three-story Marriott hotel with 132 rooms (based on some rough calculations of drawings submitted by the applicant, the footprint of the hotel alone may be around 60,000 sq ft); 5,000 sq ft of meeting space; a spa; a restaurant and bar; 10 singe-family rental units; 25 units of employee housing; associated parking lots, exterior space, and other infrastructure.

Here’s the history of the public hearings that have been held to discuss this permit application:

• November 9th, 2024: The Fremont County Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission denied Ensign Hospitality’s class two permit application. In a 5-1 vote, the P&Z Commission stated that the application was improper for what the developer was asking for and instead called their request a “large-scale development.” The commission also determined that this development was indeed a “Hotel,” which is not allowed within the rural base zoning.
• June 23rd, 2025: A public hearing was scheduled for the Board of County Commissioners to hear Ensign Hospitality’s appeal of the P&Z decision. This meeting was cancelled just hours before it was set to begin. The applicant is basing their appeal on the argument that a “guest lodge” and “hotel” are treated the same in the Fremont County Development Code. Therefore, since their project can be labeled as a guest lodge, the application should be approved.
• August 13th, 2025: Update on the Ensign Hotel Appeal! Thank you to every single person that showed up or tuned in online to watch the appeal hearing this evening. Twenty-three community members testified, all opposed to overturning the P&Z’s decision to deny the Flat Rock Hotel in the Henry’s Lake Flats. Although we didn’t take an accurate count, we estimate that 80 people made the trip down the mountain to attend this meeting in St. Anthony. The County Commissioners have taken this matter under advisement and will make their decision within 60 days. We’ll let you know when we see their decision come out! Here’s a story from the East Idaho News on this issue: https://www.eastidahonews.com/2025/08/public-to-speak-on-controversial-henrys-lake-resort-proposal/
  • A full copy of the Appeal and associated files are available for public review online at www.co.fremont.id.us/196/Planning-Building under “August 13, 2025 Public Hearing – Ensign Appeal”; and at the Fremont County Clerk’s office, located at 151 W. 1st North, Suite 12, St. Anthony, Idaho, and open from 8 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday.
• September 2, 2025: At their meeting, the Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to UPHOLD THE P&Z’s DENIAL OF THE ENSIGN HOTEL APPLICATION!!! 👏👏👏 This is a big win for the Henry’s Lake Flats and sends a message to developers that the rural base zone is meant to preserve open space, wildlife habitat, and the agricultural heritage of the County. It is not a place to site commercial or other large scale projects. Thank you to everyone who has shown up at meetings, written letters, and followed this story!

Points of Concern Include:

• An examination of the FCDC reveals that the application for a Class II Permit in Rural Base Zoning to develop such a large project was inappropriate. This project constitutes a large-scale, commercial development but has not gone through the proper application process which would require requesting a zone change to commercial zoning.
• An examination of the FCDC reveals multiple examples of Hotels and Guest Lodges being treated as separate and distinct uses. Chapter 4 establishes zoning districts; in increasing order of permitted developmental impacts, the zones are as follows: Rural District, Residential District, Commercial District, and Industrial District. The objectives of the Rural District (the least developmentally impacted district) are designed to encourage protection of agricultural and open lands from undue impacts of adjacent development; to allow for seasonal and limited recreation and very low density residential development; and to direct higher density development into Residential Districts. Allowable commercial lodging uses in any Rural District (with a Class II Permit) include: Bed and Breakfasts, Cabin Rentals, and Guest Lodges. Motels/Hotels are not included in the list of allowed uses in the Rural District. They are, however, specifically listed as an allowed use in the Residential District demonstrating that the intended treatment of Motels/Hotels is separate and distinct from Guest Lodges in the FCDC.