Real Estate and Builder's Guide 2015

2015 Real Estate & Builders Guide2

Colorado’s Wet Mountain Valley: A Great Place to Call Home!Situated in Colorado’s southern mountains, Custer County and its Wet Mountain Valley (with an elevation of around 8,000 feet) contains some of the West’s most scenic views; here is a shot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range which includes a quarter-million acre federal wilderness area. The county’s 734-square miles are home to around 4,000 year-round residents, and the adjoining towns of Westcliffe (the county seat) and Silver Cliff are home

to great shops and restaurants, an outstanding school and medical clinic and a thriving arts scene, all surrounded by limitless outdoor recreational opportunities and dozens of historic ranching operations. Come stay for a night, and you just might decide to stay for a lifetime.

--Photo by Paul Leach

2015 Real Estate & Builders Guide 3

Maybe it’s the high altitude and pioneer heritage. Maybe it’s the rural lifestyle, horses, cattle and wide ranchlands. Maybe it’s the wildlife, elk, bear, bobcat. Or maybe it’s just the jaw-dropping landscape that draws people to Westcliffe.

A lot of folks visit the Valley and decide to purchase a full-time home, a seasonal getaway or a section of scenic land in Colorado’s beautiful Wet Mountain Valley.

Here are some points to consider:– Price: a purchaser can pick up

a smaller slice of acreage for a few thousand dollars. Or one can spend multiple millions on ranch prop-erty or an estate-worthy mountain mansion. Also available are middle range homes in town or outlying residential areas. Buyers should be realistic about what they’re capa-ble of spending.

– Full time place or a weekend get-away? If one is thinking of a summer or weekend retreat, a smaller, rustic and fairly isolated home or cabin might be perfect. But a buyer should consider its accessibility in winter months, and carefully determine an appropriate size. Once friends or family know that a person has a weekend place near Westcliffe, they’re likely to experience a steady stream of visitors.

– Thinking of a full-time residence? Most properties are located on or near well-maintained county roads. But some subdivisions don’t have county roads. Instead, the roads are maintained by the Homeowner’s Association. Many folks get dreamy-eyed thinking about a very isolated 40-acre property with no nearby neighbors, but sometimes, extreme isolation wears thin. If a resident likes

to walk or bicycle to restaurants, the theater or grocery store, they might consider a place in or around Westcliffe/Silver Cliff proper. If a buyer desires a more rural setting, consider the driving time to town and the availability of nearby utili-ties.

– Residents in Westcliffe and Silver Cliff generally have access to water and sewer services through the Round Mountain Water and Sani-tation District. But everywhere else in the county, homes must rely on water wells and septic systems. A soon-to-be resident should familiar-ize themselves with the gallon-per-minute capabilities of the water well. One also should consider the size and age of the septic system. Most of these systems work well for decades, but can be expensive to maintain or replace.

– And how about other utilities? Black Hills Energy provides electri-cal service to homes in and near Westcliffe. Much of the rest of the county is serviced by one of two rural electric associations: Sangre de Cristo Electric for most of the Wet Mountain Valley, and San Isabel Electric in the eastern portion of Custer County.

Additionally, homes requiring some sort of gas service for heat or water must rely on propane. Sev-eral companies deliver propane to properties, typically to fill a 500 gallon tank, but delivery trucks may have a tough time getting to more isolated properties. While electric service is reliable, storms and other factors can knock out service for hours or (less frequently) days at a time. A new resident might add back-up solutions in the form of off-grid solar systems,

generators, or a cozy woodstove.– Build or buy? Building a dream

home is everyone’s dream. There are a number of reputable contrac-tors and builders who can construct small log cabins or large mountain villas. Those wishing to build should be aware that many local construc-tion companies may be booked up months or even years in advance. As an alternative, a buyer might think about purchasing an existing home or cabin. These frequently are on the market for considerably less than replacement values, are move-in ready and often are suit-able for remodeling and/or new additions.

– If a new resident is buying prop-erty in Custer County, they need

expert advice. There are several local real estate agencies that can help find that perfect home, cabin or property. The county or town zoning offices can help with some of those pesky details like snow-loads for roofs, water and septic issues and the like.

Custer County, as all who dwell here can attest to, is a great place to live or visit. There are plenty of friendly folks, abundant social events, including music, theater and a thriving arts scene. Not only does this provide a great lifestyle, but the county has good schools and lots of volunteer and social activities. But before anyone makes the plunge, they should do some homework and talk to experts, then start packing.


Colorado’s Wet Mountain Valley:This beautiful area is a great place to visit; an even better place to call home!

The Wet Mountain Valley’s thriving arts scene is just one of the elements that contribute to the great quality of life here in Custer County. Here, the annual Shakespeare in the Sangres summer festival at the outdoor Feed Store Amphitheater in downtown Westcliffe.

When a homeowner thinks about landscaping, often they imagine the sweeping yards belong-ing to Hollywood stars. However, Oasis Outdoor Improvements offers equally beautiful work but at a price that won’t break the bank.

“You don’t have to be rich to landscape your yard,” Trish Deatherage said.

Oasis Outdoor Improvements has been busy since it opened over a year ago, much of their business coming by word-of-mouth. Sam Deatherage has worked both unique and every-day jobs, but some of the most notable have included Indian sunset stonework for A Painted View Ranch owner, Donna Hood. The stonework went in front of the rental house on the ranch, which is often used for weddings.

Deatherage also built a unique red flagstone patio for The Cliff’s Edge owner, Cathy Snow.

One of the most unique jobs he has completed over the past year included fencing for a woman who is on the board for the Cloud Foundation, which is a wild horse preservation organization. The fencing had treated four-inch rails that were placed on ten-foot centers. The ends were cut out and put together with bolts so it looked like a continuous rail.

“We had another client who is very sick with cancer and wanted something simple done to his front yard so he wouldn’t have to do much to maintain it,” Sam Deatherage said.

Deatherage did a complete renovation, creat-ing a beautiful gravel design.

Deatherage has had years of experience, having

worked construction and landscaping for most of his career. He worked on gutting tugboats along the Mississippi River, remodeling them to be three to five stories high, and has also worked in a cabinet shop.

“I have had clients ask me to build them custom-made cabinets,” Deatherage said.

Not only can he make unique and beautiful wood designs for cabinets and other ameni-ties, but has also built home additions, garages, custom tilework, and flooring.

“Oasis does all aspects of contracting,” Death-erage said. “We do patios, rockwork, decking, gazebos, and fencing. If there is something we can’t do, we will refer you to someone who can.”

Rusty Young, a vocalist and guitarist from the country rock band Poco, asked if Deatherage could carve a giant guitar out of wood for him.

“I had never done anything like that before,” Deatherage laughed, “but I did it.”

Deatherage carved the large guitar with a chainsaw, and has since done more decorative tree work.

The Deatherage’s invite future clients to their Facebook page and view some of the work he has completed in the past.

“Though we do all aspects of contracting,” Deatherage said, “we specialize in landscaping. We are there for our clients and give them 100 percent in everything we do.”

To hire Oasis Outdoor Improvements, call 719-371-2899.

– J.E. Ward


Landscape firm can enhance any outdoor space to suit the homeowner

Sam Deatherage carves a guitar from a tree for country rock band member, Rusty Young.

– Courtesy photo


Add these contacts to your little black book!Need to apply for a building

permit? Or perhaps you need to obtain a driveway permit for the new home you are building? Here are the locations and phone numbers of the various federal, state, municipal and special district offices in Custer County. (The area code for all phone numbers is 719.)**Board of County Commission-ers: The commissioners’ office is located on the main floor in the county courthouse. District one commissioner is Bob Kattnig; dis-trict two commissioner is Lynn Attebery; district three commis-sioner is Kit Shy; E-mail addresses are [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected].; The office number is 783-2552.**County Assessor: The office of J.D. Henrich and his staff can be found on the second floor of the courthouse. Call 783-2218.**County Clerk and Recorder: Debbie Livengood and her staff can be found on the first floor in the courthouse. The phone number is 783-2441.**County Road and Bridge Depart-ment: Roger Squire and Rusty Chris-tensen are co-supervisors of Road and Bridge. The shop is located at 213 N. Fourth Street in Westcliffe. Call 783-2281. In Wetmore, the supervisor is Larry Haynes. That shop is located at 25980 Highway 96. Call 784-3455.**County Treasurer: Virginia Trujillo and her staff have an office on the main floor inside the courthouse. The phone number is 798-2341.**County Zoning Office: The office of director Jackie Hobby and her staff can be found on the north-east corner of the courthouse. Call

783-2669.**County Extension Office: Exten-sion agent Robin Young and administrative assistant Beverly Goertz can be found on the second floor of the courthouse. The phone number is 783-2514.**County Cartographer: Char-lie French has an office on the second floor of the courthouse. The phone number is 783-2218.**County Social/Human Services: The director of social services is Laura Lockhart. She and her staff are located on the first floor of the courthouse. Call 783-2371.**County Finance/Human Resources: Dawna Hobby has an office on the north side of the courthouse. Her phone number is 783-9067. **Courthouse Annex: Located at 615 Hermit Lane just north and across the street from the court-house, the annex serves as an office for Community Sharing Center administrator Ruth Mitch-ell, and the facility is available for meetings. Call 783-9475.**Veterans Service Office: In early 2015 the VSO moved to the Court-house Annex mentioned above. A new Veterans Service Office was expected to be named in early 2015 as well. The VSO is available to assist military veterans with a variety of services. For more infor-mation, contact Anna Orgeron at 783-2721. **County Landfill: The landfill, under the direction of Rusty Christensen, is located at 2250 County Road 328 (Rosita Road off Highway 69 south of Westcliffe).Call 783-2726.**Combined Courts: District and county court offices are located in

the courthouse. Call 783-2274.**Emergency Services: In the event of an emergency requiring the services of the sheriff’s department, fire or ambulance, dial 9-1-1. For non-emergency sheriff’s office inquiries, call 783-2270.**Custer County Medical Clinic: The medical clinic is located one block south of the courthouse on the corner of Edwards Avenue and Hermit Road. Call 783-2380.**County Public Health Nursing Agency: The offices of public health nurses Donna McDonnall and Gail Stoltzfus can be found inside the medical center. Call 783-3369.**C-1 School District: The superintendent office is located in the administration building found west of the school building. Preschool through 12th grade classes are held Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The administration office phone number is 783-2357; the main school office is 783-2291**RE-2 School District in Florence: Students in eastern Custer County attend classes in Florence. The administration office is located at 415 W. Fifth Street in Florence. The phone number is 784-6312.**Custer County Chamber of Commerce: The office is located at 107 N. Third St. just off Main Street in downtown Westcliffe. Call 793-9163.**U.S. Post Office: Serving the towns of Silver Cliff and Westcliffe is the post office at 4 Bassick Place; call 783-2453. In Hillside, the post office is located in the township of Hillside on Highway 69 north; call 783-0800. In Wetmore, the post office is located at 683 County Road 395;

call 784-3205.**The U.S. Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service offices are located at 5 Hermit Lane in Silver Cliff. Call 783-2079.**Westcliffe Town Hall and Zoning Office: The offices are located at 305 Main Street in downtown Westcliffe. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 783-2282.**Silver Cliff Town Hall and Zoning Office: The offices are located at 612 Main Street in Silver Cliff. Call the clerk/treasurer at 783-2615. Call the zoning office at 783-3034.**Round Mountain Water and Sanitation District: The office is located at 59000 Highway 69 North in Westcliffe. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 783-2604.**West Custer County Library: The library is located at 209 Main Street in downtown Westcliffe. Hours are 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Call 783-9138.**The Wetmore library is located in the Wetmore Community Building on County Road 393, phone 784-6669.**The Wet Mountain Tribune is located at 404 Main St. in down-town Westcliffe. The award-winning newspaper has been published weekly since 1883. Drop by and pick up one of our free publica-tions, including this Real Estate and Builder’s Guide; Summer in the Valley visitor’s guide; a hunt-ing and sportsman’s guide; an annual guide to local non-profits; and others. Phone 783-2361. Visit the free website at www.wet-mountaintribune.com; our Face-book page; or our e-edition at ee.wetmountaintribune.com/eedi-tion/

The real estate industry in Colorado’s Wet Mountain Valley struggled to survive after the market crash in 2008, but things are looking up, according to Watson Land Company. Though it would be unfair to say the market is booming, Eliza-beth Watson and Carolyn Abraham of Watson Land are encouraged about the prospects for the futue.

“People are buying homes and prop-erty,” Watson said. “We were busy last year and hope to be again this year.”

Watson Land has seen more and more contracts go through from people mostly interested in buying homes, though there have been many who purchased businesses in the last year as well. Those businesses included the new Cham-ber location, Miller Automotive, the Westcliffe Inn and a bed and breakfast.

“There has been no increase in price point yet,” Abraham said. “Sellers and buyers are being realistic right now. Part of our job is to educate sellers to under-stand how to price their property or home properly in order to make it sell, and that’s what we’ve been trying to do.”

In Denver, the real estate market is booming. Abraham and Watson explained that the Valley is about one year behind the national trend and expect the business boost in Denver to soon reach here.

“Something that people moving here realize,” Abraham said, “is that Westcliffe and Silver Cliff are niches unto them-selves. No one moves here if they don’t want to be here.”

Most of the current population, and people who are moving in, are retired and have second homes in the area.

“These people worked their whole lives to come to this area,” Abraham said, “so it is important as citizens to be posi-tive and make sure that we keep the things that do bring people here.”

Some of those things include the school, clinic and a fully functional EMS ambulance ser-vice. Voters here approved a fund-ing measure for the local EMS in the November 2014 election.

“If EMS hadn’t passed in Novem-ber,” Watson said, “it would have been a major deterrent. But people here have been working together more and more to ensure that these necessary services and oper-ations are secure.”

Watson and

Abraham have also been seeing a lot of young families move into the area looking for work and to send their kids to school in our safe community.

“We always get excited when young families move here and buy a home,” Watson said. “Carolyn and I both raised our families here and sent our kids to Custer County School since they were little. It is satisfying to see new families move here in order to do the same.”

For potential buyers, where are the hot-spots in Custer County?

“Everywhere,” Watson said. “This is a beautiful area and people want to be able to see those mountains every day.”

One of the things that are important to buyers is to have a view of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Watson and Abraham have rarely had a client where the view was not a deal breaker.

“It’s when people find homes for sale that have the million dollar view when

they really get excited,” Watson said. “Most people are happy when they dis-cover Westcliffe because they feel like no one else has. It is a special place to be.”

Watson and Abraham have noticed that people become so in love with the area that once they buy a home, they buy something else. Often times it is a business. The Sangrita restaurant business on Main Street in Westcliffe is owned by Dan and Dawnett Marples, who bought a home in the area through Watson Land.

“It was after they purchased that home that they went on to buy the restaurant,” Abraham said. “We are delighted that we got them here.”

“Westcliffe has more and more to offer,” Watson said. “Art is a big thing here, and the lifestyle is a small moun-tain town, which is friendly and full of diversity. It is a great place to live all four seasons.”


Trending Now in Real Estate:Local land agents provide an overview of our local real estate market

Elizabeth Watson and Carolyn Abraham of Watson Land in Westcliffe with Jacko the pooch.

Shopping for the perfect furniture set or accent piece can be difficult for new home-owners with a tight budget, or for an amateur interior decorator looking to make a state-ment. However, at Yoder’s Moun-tain View Furniture, customers can find what they are looking for in any size, shape and price.

The store changed locations in September because it had been growing out of its small Main Street home. Owners Perry Hostetler and Joel Troyer moved the shop to a new building just outside of Westcliffe on Highway 69, a spot they say has Valley tourists and locals visiting often.

“We sell handcrafted furniture,” Hostetler said. “It takes years to become a good craftsman, and much of the furniture we sell has been made by second and third generation builders.”

Yoder’s Mountain View Furniture showcases work done by 30 different Amish families, all made “with expert quality.”

Hostetler first became involved in the business, not because he is a builder, but because he simply loves furniture.

“I love seeing it, feeling it and sitting in it,” Hostetler laughed. “I enjoy the business and having happy customers.”

The furniture available at the store includes complete bedroom sets starting at $2,000, dining room sets at $1,400 and home décor as low as $4.

Not only can customers find grandfather clocks, patio furniture and paintings by local artists, but customers can also pick out different table and chair designs in the brochures avail-able at the store.

“They can pick out what kind of wood they want,” Hostetler said, “or if they want a table to be oval or square.”

Among the options include different sizes and even modern styles.

“There’s not much we can’t do,” Hostetler promised. “People will always find something here that they will want to buy.”

If a furniture piece has been picked out through a brochure, the customer can expect it to be deliv-ered at their residence within eight to ten weeks. The special order and delivery do not cost extra.

Orders are delivered from Denver to Trinidad, and up to Buena Vista. Anything farther will be delivered through contacts that both Hostetler and Troyer have.

“We have unique items here,” Hostetler said, “and they are some of the best quality you will find. If you come into our store with something in mind, we can help. You will leave satisfied.”

Yoder’s Mountain View Furniture is holding an

open house on Thursday, May 7 to Saturday, May 9. There will be another open house from Satur-day, September 26 to Saturday, October 3.

There will be free refreshments, coffee and donuts available.

“We wanted to do these open houses to show our appreciation for the business that we have had so far,” Hostetler said. “We have received a lot of support since changing locations and want to thank our customers.”

To look at some of the store’s vast furniture selections, visit www.yodersmountainviewfurni-ture.com. – J.E. Ward


Quality handcrafted furnishings are the rule at Yoder’s

There is a vast selection of funishings and accent pieces -- including many examples of outstanding Amish craftsmanship -- available at Yoder’s Mountain View Furniture Store at 57965 Highway 69 South in Westcliffe. – Trib photo by J.E. Ward

“I love the casual mood of our Valley, but I always try to bring a touch of pizazz to people’s kitchens and baths,” said Layne Hovey, a fashion and interior designer and owner of Frontier Kitchens.

Hovey has spent years creat-ing professional and comfortable spaces in people’s homes, and knows how to keep a tight budget in mind. She takes into account the vision that her clients have, while helping them with selections to create that perfect space.

After attending a private design school in New York City, she spent many years working in the fash-ion industry. During that time, she worked with other designers in northern Michigan and later oper-ated her own business in the Boulder area for over 16 years. “We discov-ered Westcliffe while living in Boul-der,” Hovey said.

She and her husband, Grant, purchased the business on 318 Main Street in Westcliffe in 2006.

“What I do for my clients when they come to me, hoping to remodel part of their home,” Hovey said, “is to talk about what they are trying to achieve in their homes. Also, walking through Frontier Kitch-ens with them gives me a feel for their taste, which I then incorporate in the design so their space reflects their unique personality.”

Hovey explained that whether or not a client comes in knowing

exactly what they want, she will give each project a design appeal so that “your space feels like a warm hug.”

“I love working with my clients. Turning a space into something they love is so rewarding.” she said. “I’ve

worked in many facets of design and love the creative angle and design process.”

Hovey described one client who hired her in Boulder to reno-vate a downtown penthouse. She did everything from floor to ceil-

ing. Hovey described her reno-vation, from the silver striation on the walls to the white leather bar stools placed at a huge soapstone kitchen-island. She added a crystal, teardrop chandelier over the dining table and put silver chenille against

a dark coffee bean colored wood on the chairs.

“I also love the Westcliffe feel, which I call ‘mountain elegance,’” she said. “I use beautiful knotty species, like Hickory and Alder to help us get that organic vibe that

folks want when they come to the mountains.”

At Frontier Kitchens, clients can find great selections of cabinets from entry level to “Bench-Made,” “where one craftsman is working on each cabinet, making it very unique and customizable.”

“If you can imagine it, we can make it,” Hovey said. “You can also get creative with semi-custom cabi-nets which can be modified in so many ways. Semi-custom makes up over 60 percent of our business.”

Customers can also find a beauti-ful wood flooring selection that is exclusive to Frontier Kitchens.

“We have a huge selection of tile, accessories and hardware for people to choose from.”

Her price ranges from entry level and value-rated to “very high-end.”

“But we can meet every budget,” she said.

Hovey added that clients get a packaged deal when they come to Frontier Kitchens, explaining that her craftsman, Pat O’Connor, has been in the cabinet business for years and is all about quality. Design- Assistant Shelley Blessing has been in the building industry for years and is an artist to the core.

“It is all about having a team of people who pay attention to detail and keep customer satisfaction in the forefront,” Hovey said. “We are in the business of making people happy.”

– J.E. Ward


Shelley Blessing and Layne Hovey of Frontier Kitchens and interiors at 318 Main St. in downtown Westcliffe.

– Trib photo by J.E. Ward

Discover some civilized and casual interior options at Frontier Kitchens

Coming soon...

Summer in the Valley!Get your ad in

Call or email Chris or Lynne (719)[email protected]



What’s there to do in a small mountain town? You’d be surprised!Folks often ask: “Is there anything

to do in that rural mountain com-munity?”

Just ask local residents, who will tell you that there’s ALWAYS some-thing going on in Westcliffe, Silver Cliff and throughout the region.

Though Custer County, Colorado has a year-round population of around 4,000, there are a variety of clubs and organizations always open to new members.

Not surprisingly, many folks are drawn to the outdoor recreational opportunities, whether it’s hunting or fishing, snowmobiling or 4-wheel-ing, camping or cross-country skiing. There are hundreds of miles of hiking trails in the quarter-million acre Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area, or in the scenic Wet Mountains.

The Wet Mountain Valley has a thriving arts scene, with various gal-leries and artist organizations, as well as community theater and regular performances by outstanding musi-cians, thespians and other perform-ers.

The summer months bring vir-tual non-stop fun to the Valley, with parades and celebrations on Memorial Day and the Fourth of July; a top-notch bluegrass festival; a rodeo weekend; an old-fashioned county fair and other options.

Into history? The Valley has a mining and ranching legacy that dates back nearly 150 years. There’s a historic railroad district in down-town Westcliffe, a good history museum in Silver Cliff, and The Beck-with Ranch, a restored cattle opera-

tion dating from the 19th century.If you just want to enjoy the view

from your front porch, that’s fine,

but if you’re looking for something to do, we promise there’s never a dull moment.



Stuart and Lori Short have been in the construction business for over 20 years, having first started in Brecken-ridge. The T&S Alpine Building owners expanded their business to general contracting shortly after they moved to the Wet Mountain Valley to raise their kids in a rural area.

“One of the things we like to do,” Lori Short said, “is get to know our customers and understand what they want. We want to make sure that what we build fits their lifestyle.”

When the Shorts build a home, they work to make the house fit the land rather than forcing the house “onto the land.”

Stuart Short explained that by doing this it not only looks better, but it is cost saving as well.

When the architectural plans are finished, the Shorts are able to see “wasted space,” or small open areas that can be turned into art niches or unique spaces that can help add character to a home.

“We make plans with the owners

in mind,” Lori Short said. “We want to make sure that the end result is not only beautiful, but functional.”

During the building process, the Shorts help their clients understand what is being done and encour-age them to be involved. Lori Short described their flexibility with cus-tomers, from accommodating the “turnkey” sort from those who are “hands-on.”

“We respect that building a home is a big ticket item,” Short said, “so we are more than happy to let the owner be as involved or not involved as they want. We’ve had some clients who wanted to help paint, or be on site every day, and that is okay.”

The Shorts explained that their pri-mary focus is building trust with their clients so they are comfortable.

“We are transparent about book-keeping,” Lori Short said. “We keep the customer updated on what’s going on so that there won’t be any big surprises at the end and so that

their budget won’t be hit with over-runs.”

For the projects they have built, the Shorts described a wide variety of styles and tastes. In the past, they have completed spiral staircases, stucco homes with log accents, and bridges. The home designs included authentic north New Mexico and Spanish, to mountain rustic homes and transformed living rooms with aspen accents.

“Right now we are renovating a cabin on the West side,” Lori Short said. “The owner remembers visiting this tiny cabin when she was a kid, and now that she is in her 60s she has come back and wants to bring life to the cabin again.”

Another project the Shorts are working on is the Hillside Cottages, which are small and “quaint” but will have a modern feel.

“We have done large log homes to small cabins and are accustomed to adding special accents to make these homes stand out,” Short said.

“We want to thank all of our previ-ous clients,” Stuart Short said. “They are the reason we are still here, because at the end of the day we want to make sure that the cus-tomer is satisfied.”

– J.E. Ward


Stuart and Lori Short

Contractor builds homes and customer satisfaction, too!


Jackie Hobby

Zoning office is important resourceMany people prefer

to build their own homes, and the Valley certainly attracts many who desire to construct their personal dwell-ings. Like any major project, however, the home-builder first must visit the Planning and Zoning office to obtain permits. The process to get various permits is quite detailed.

To start the pro-cess of building one’s house, Jackie Hobby, the Director of Planning and Zoning, outlines the requirements, the first which is acquiring a building permit. The permit costs .35 cents a square foot for both the main dwelling and any accessory struc-tures. A permit must be attained for any building 100 square feet or more. “To get the permit, the builder must have a septic installed,” Hobby said. “The septic permit is issued by the state, which charges its own fees.” Subject to sev-eral state regulations, the septic must be installed by a licensed

contractor. Next, the home-

owner needs to secure an electrical and plumbing permit, also issued by the state. The state will first issue a “trim” permit, acquired

before building. When the electrical and plumbing have been installed, a state inspector will examine the work and issue a “final” permit.

The county permit includes several dif-ferent features. For instance, depending on the type of property one has, the county requires a set-back, with the building set back from the prop-erty line so many

feet. Additionally, the building itself cannot exceed 30 vertical feet from the top of the roof to the finished grade soil. The home builder also must submit a plot plan of the prospective home.

The county issues two kinds of permits. For the homebuilder who seeks to construct a dwelling, they will need to apply for a “uses by right” permit. Those who intend to also set up a business on the property will need to apply for a special use permit.

To learn more about specific county regulations, home-builders can visit the Planning and Zoning office online at www.custercountygov.com or call Jackie Hobby at 719/783-2669. She can be found at the County Courthouse on the north side of the building. The Planning and Zoning office also provides a Homeown-er’s Packet that can be found at the office or online.

– Cyn Williams


A full moon setting over the Sangre de Cristo mountains here demonstrates why this area has been formally recognized for our clear and pristine nighttime skies. --Courtesy photo by Mike Eubanks

Wet Mountain Valley recently recognized as international Dark Sky regionThe Wet Mountain Valley has gained interna-

tional attention, making it a beacon for home and property buyers. In early March 2015, Westcliffe and Silver Cliff were awarded the International Dark Skies certification, making the two towns the ninth certi-fied community in the world and the first in Colorado recognized for the clear and pristine nighttime skies.

“We’re truly inspired by the dedicated coopera-tion of Westcliffe and Silver Cliff to preserve their night skies, and hope it inspires similar successful collaborations,” said International Dark Sky Associa-tion (IDA) executive director, J. Scott Feierabend.

In a press release, the IDA wrote, “In recent years, the dark night skies over the towns have come to be recognized by locals as a natural resource worth preserving. Situated between the Wet Moun-

tains and the Sangre de Cristo mountain ranges, the towns are protected from the most significant source of light pollution in the region coming from cities along the Interstate 25 to the east. The small population, largely rural settling, and limited outdoor lighting have kept the night skies over Westcliffe and Silver Cliff in relatively pristine condi-tion. To keep it this way, the town council adopted a comprehensive outdoor lighting ordinance.”

“I am glad we went through the whole effort,” said local Dark Skies president, Jim Bradburn. “I am relieved that we were approved.”

Bradburn stated that local Dark Skies has been contacted by other towns, such as Santa Anita, Calif., to understand what Westcliffe and Silver Cliff did to achieve the international certifica-

tion. Bradburn has also been contacted by other towns and cities across the nation to congratulate Westcliffe and Silver Cliff for the achievement.

Now that the towns have the certification, local Dark Skies plans on building an observatory on the Bluffs near the First State Bank of Colorado.

What does it mean to have the certification? Bradburn explained that part of the goal to do this was to help the towns save energy, but the main reason and objective is to draw in tourism. Accord-ing to other International Dark Sky Communities that Bradburn and other local Dark Skies members spoke with, “there was a dramatic increase in tourism.”

Though no statistics on the dramatic increase are available, Bradburn is optimistic that the two Custer County towns see the same results.

The IDA press release states, “Dr. Bob Stencel, coordinator of the Colorado chapter of IDA, applauds the towns’ achievements and wel-comes the Dark Skies Community designation.”

Stencel stated, “It will reduce the impact of light pollution and I consider it as a transcen-dently valuable example to all communities in Colorado to follow this path of light pollution solu-tions.” – J.E. Ward

2015 Real Estate & Builders Guide 17BEST BUYS

M&TG3-Ponderosa Springs Ranch is a well maintained appealing Colorado Mountain ranch. The 37.3 acres is a natural beauty-with a fabulous forest of many varieties of tall trees. Nice small meadows and arroyos grace the property as well. You can access the land from 2 roads. Nice views of Pike’s Peak and the Sangre de Cristo mountains. You will love the open floor plan and well-designed flow of this beautiful home. Stay cozy with the wood burn-ing fireplace in the great room. The large master suite has a beautiful attached master bath and large windows. The great room has floor to ceil-ing windows and is bright and cheery. Everyone will enjoy the 3 car garage with workshop area. If you have animals, this would make a great horse property also! The ranch is located in the country, but only a few miles out of town for convenience. Very private setting. Listed at only $419,000.

M&TG10- Own your own beautiful Colo-rado mountain log home on 5 forested acres. This chalet style home has many features: Vaulted ceil-ings, loft area, walk in closet in master suite, great landscaping and outdoor entertaining areas. Add in a 2.8 KW Grid-tie solar system, back up generator, hot water heating system, soapstone wood burn-ing fireplace, fenced in garden area, and 40 X 30 outbuilding/work-shop with guest quar-ters. The water well permit will allow for 2 horses! Oversized 2 car garage. $337,500

Martin & TopeBrenda Bosse

(719)371-3270 or [email protected]

M&TG10

M&TG3

2015 Real Estate & Builders Guide18BEST BUYS

M&TC23 – The main level is open and inviting with beautiful white oak flooring and built-in shelving in the living/dining area and tile in the kitchen with stainless steel appliances and a center island. The master suite has 2 large closets and a private bath. The laundry includes a powder room, and a mud room that leads into an attached garage with 5 panel doors. The lower walkout level has a second bedroom, bath, and family room, with room to add another bedroom. The covered deck wraps around on 3 sides and the views of the mountains are serene! The barn includes 2 stalls, hay storage, a heated bunk/tack room, a small kitchenette, and full bath. The heated 1800 square feet utility building has 3 work areas, a wood burning stove, and plenty of power. The back of the lot has beautiful mature Aspens, pines, and nice pasture. The fenced area with loafing shed is ready for your animals. This property is not far from National Forest. Call Marty at: 719-783-0910

M&TC55 - This beautiful custom crafted home on 5 acres of park-like Ponderosa pine and Aspens is in a covenanted residential subdivi-sion, with access to a fish stocked community pond. Built in 2001 the home has 3582 square feet of heated living space and a four car garage with a heated workshop and bathroom. It features three bedrooms and 2.5 baths. The great room includes a cathedral ceil-ing, a stunning dry stack rock gas fireplace, and expansive windows taking in the lovely mountain and forest views. The kitchen has rustic hickory cabinets, and stainless steel appliances including a Dacor 6-burner oven/range. The comfort-able formal dining room includes forest views. The spacious master suite is conveniently located on the main level and features beautiful marble with a jetted tub and walk-in shower. The upper level includes two more bedrooms, a sitting room and bathroom. The lower level has a spacious recreation room with a propane stove and acoustic ceiling. Barn drawings available.

Martin & Tope Real Estate Company Marty Vyn Boennighausen

719-783-0910 or [email protected]


BEST BUYS

M&TF3 – BRING ON YOUR HOME - The well is in, the view is in, and the power is near. All that is missing is YOU! Located off a county maintained road in a very desirable subdivi-sion, these 5.5 acres offer you everything, yet leave the most important aspect of mountain living to you...the design of your dream home. It doesn’t get any better than this. Bring it on! Offered for $49,900. Contact Kimberlee Salimeno, Martin & Tope Real Estate Com-pany, 719-371-7030 or [email protected].

M&TF22 – LIVING THE DREAM - You’ll be living the good life with this fully furnished, low maintenance, Spanish-style Colorado Mountain home. Inside you will love the cozy, warm and open floor plan with a main level bedroom and full bathroom, bright kitchen with eat-in and wood burning stove, cozy living room and an artist/office/guest area. The loft opens to the main level and is the perfect place for guests to stay with a private deck. The lower level is set up for a laundry area and all utilities and more room for storage. This beauty is situated perfectly on 11.61 acres with a solar system and ALL new batteries and a backup generator. Outside, enjoy a large deck, which is great for entertaining, and unbelievable views of the Sangres and rolling hills. If you are looking for your dream get-a-way, come and take a look at this dreamy Colorado retreat. Offered for $199,900. Contact Kimberlee Salimeno, Martin & Tope Real Estate Company, 719-371-7030 or [email protected]

Martin & Tope Real Estate Company Kimberlee Salimeno 719-371-7030 or

[email protected]


BEST BUYS

Located on the floor of the beautiful Wet Mountain Valley near the colorful town of Westcliffe, this 79.9 acre horse/hay operation boosts a custom west-ern flavor home and attached guest quar-ters. Taylor Creek flows through the property. This sub irrigated hay producing, fenced and cross fenced property produced 110 tons of hay in 2014. With 3816 square feet of total living area, this property offers multiple options for the discriminating buyer. Covered porches with huge views of the Sangre de Cristo Moun-tains and detached 2 car garage with loft, 5 stall Cleary barn com-plete shop and tack room, multi corral and fenced pastures to name a few. The present owners’ high degree of stewardship of the land and pride of ownership is immediately evident when viewing the prop-erty. If a self-sustaining horse/hay western prop-erty is what you want; call Westcliffe Home and Ranch at (719) 783-333 to view this property. Offered at $885,000.

If you are looking for a place in the mountains where you have a fantastic view of your world, but the world can’t see you and your neigh-bors are more than an arm’s length away, take a look at this 4 bed, 3 baths, 3136 square foot ranch style home in the Wet Mountain Valley. There are decks front and back to enjoy the Sangre de Cristo Mountain views. Living is easy with comfort-able sized rooms and 9 foot ceilings. The kitchen is well equipped. There is a gas fireplace upstairs and a wood stove on the lower level. The walk-out basement is plumbed for a kitchen. Horses will be content in the corral and horse facility. This home on 43+ acres is located a short dis-tance off the highway, south of the quaint mountain town of Westcliffe. A Best Buy at $159,900. Call Westcliffe Home & Ranch at (719) 783-3343.

Westcliffe Home and RanchLucy Wilcox

(719) 783-3343 or [email protected]


BEST BUYSMattie Burtt Realty, Inc.

Mattie Burtt (719) 783-4888 or

[email protected]

Custom Built Home6820 CR 328, Westcliffe. This well built home with 1 1/2 stories and walkout basement is comfort defined. The great room on the main level has an open kitchen with dining area. The main level provides 3 bed-rooms and the walkout basement provides a fourth bedroom and family room. The loft above is open to pro-vide versatility as office space, additional sleep-ing, or additional family space for games etc. The home is warmed with propane wall heat and cozy wood burn-ing stove. The deck off the back of the home is wonderful for relaxing outdoors and enjoying the mountain views. The home is conveniently located near the bus route for school age children and adjoins the park area of Rosita for additional outdoor enjoyment.

Priced at $249,000

Cabin By A Creek - A scenic drive through the forest, across a charming covered bridge, leads you to this beautifully remodeled cabin on Pine Cone Lane. Tall pines and aspen, and Goodwin Creek are just steps away. You can’t get much better than this – a cabin beside a creek in the Colorado Mountains. 3 bed-rooms, loft, 2.5 bathrooms, living area and kitchen make up1392 square feet. The master bedroom and bath are located on the main level. An updated inte-rior, including tongue and groove Aspen throughout, new windows, new carpet, tile, kitchen cabinets, countertops, appliances and totally furnished makes this cabin move in ready. Enjoy the soothing sounds of Goodwin Creek while relaxing on the 3 sided deck or curl up by the magnificent floor to ceiling stone fire-place on a lazy fall afternoon. A one car garage/ storage area and close to National Forest – what more can you ask? How about a great price of $190,000.


BEST BUYS

Great views, open, and ready to build your Colorado Mountain home. Bring the horses! It is priced to sell, 35 acres close to town in desirable Bull Domingo Subdivision. Has great year-round access, close to BLM access and Grape Creek. Close to town, utilities in road. Huge price reduction! Don’t miss this one.

Majestic Mountain Properties

Kyle Brown (719)371-4915 or

[email protected]

Mattie Burtt Realty, Inc. Mattie Burtt

(719) 783-4888 or [email protected]

Cutest Little Cabin on Lake DeWeese261 Cove Dr., Westcliffe Nice 2 bedroom, 3/4 bathroom, 816 SF cabin on Lake DeWeese with

uninterrupted lake views (since it’s across the road from BLM). Remod-eled in 2007/2008 and new roof added with 40 year composite shingles. All new windows (except for one). Whole wall built in storage cabinets. Great wood laminate flooring in kitchen and a great room. Great built in storage shelving in bath and second bedroom. Convenient sliding door from great room to patio areas. Lake views from kitchen and dining room windows. Priced at $133,000


For new Wet Mountain Valley residents, or even old-timers who want to add livestock or gardens – or learn of a vast array of other topics -- the CSU-Extension has plenty of resources and assistance to offer. The Extension office is located on the second floor of the courthouse; there, folks can find Robin Young, the cheerful, local county extension agent who possesses the knowledge and resources to assist home and landowners to make improvements to their property.

According to Young, the Exten-sion Office offers guidance on land management, garden creation, livestock setup, home construction and dozens of other topics. Young says, “We offer people suggestions on how to manage a building project without disturbing the land or, if the land is disturbed, ways to restore it.”

She also notes that the Extension Office can show people how to create a live-stock area and establish graz-ing rotations. This includes the Extension Office advice on how to house larger animals on smaller acreages.

In setting up gardens, residents can visit the CSU-Extension office to learn what species to plant, how to plant and where to plant. Garden-ers can also adopt methods to protect gardens from local

wildlife and to extend seasonal plant growth. “We also can help property owners iden-tify noxious (and obnoxious) weeds,” Young says, “and teach different techniques to reduce their invasion. We also supply advice on how to estab-lish and encourage native plant species to grow.”

The Extension office also helps homeowners plant trees as windbreaks. Young explains that landowners in the Valley who have thick forests would like to thin out some of the smaller trees. “Instead of buying trees at nurseries in Canon City and Pueblo, people wanting trees can hook up with these landowners and transplant native trees on their proper-ties,” Young says. The Extension office connects forest owners with folks seeking trees. She also notes that the Conservation Dis-trict holds a tree sale every April.

The Extension office also offers classes throughout the year, including a Fire Prepared-ness Workshop (in conjunction with local firefighters), can-ning classes and gardening workshops where participants are taught how to compost and create raised beds. These classes will be advertised in the Tribune. Interested parties can also visit Young at the Extension office for more information.

-Cyn Williams

The County Agent: Maybe your new best friend!

CSU-Extension Agent Robin Young at her Westcliffe office.


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Real Estate and Builder's Guide 2015

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