Summit County Animal Shelter has lots, and lots of animals needing homes

 #breckenridge #colorado #breckenridgerealtor

                                                                                  Azalea 

Call the shelter at 970-668-3230 with questions. The most recent list of animals available for adoption can be found on the shelter’s website

32 cats and 12 dogs need loving homes!

So you want to get the whole family involved in conservation. Here’s how you can start.

 #breckenridge #colorado #breckenridgerealtor

For parents looking to instill environmentally friendly behaviors for their family, getting started may be easier said than done. However, resources are available to get children thinking about how their actions affect the environment.

Rachel Zerowin, community programs director at High Country Conservation Center, said as a mom, getting her children involved in conservation-friendly behavior when they are young has been important.

“That could be things like enrolling in the food scrap program to help kids understand how composting works, because they can be part of it,” Zerowin said. “They can get involved and separate their banana peels, their apple cores and anything from the dinner table. Then it’s an opportunity to engage with them and talk about why we are separating our food scraps and what happens to them. That’s one easy way to do it. Before you know it, they could be the ones wagging their finger at you or scolding you because you accidentally put a banana peel in the trash, which has happened at our house.”

Read the full story here

Hanging Lake trail reopens after extensive mudslide damage

 #breckenridge #colorado #coloradorealtor

The Hanging Lake trail in Glenwood Canyon, which was heavily damaged by torrential rains and flooding last summer, reopened Saturday with a temporary trail.

Gov. Jared Polis, U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert and officials from the U.S. Forest Service and the Colorado Department of Transportation were on hand for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Glenwood Springs on Friday. The ceremony was scheduled to take place at the trailhead, but a  flash flood threat in the area scrapped those plans.

Read the full story here

Pegasus bus fares cut in half for the summer; Frisco to Denver fares slashed to $6.50

 #breckenridge #colorado #breckenridgerealestate

Through Labor Day weekend, the Colorado Department of Transportation will have prices for Pegasus routes cut in half for riders looking for an alternative to travel from Denver to mountain towns along Interstate 70.

Pegasus departs hourly from Denver’s Union Station, from 6 a.m to 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday, with limited service on Thursdays and Mondays. Stops include the Denver Federal Center in Lakewood, Idaho Springs, Frisco, Vail and Avon. Passengers also can connect to local transit providers at each stop.

Now, fares from Frisco to Union Station and the Denver Federal Center will cost $6.50. Bustang and Bustang Outrider routes will also begin cut fares on July 1, and rates will extend to Labor Day.

Travel to ancient Rome with ‘A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum’

#breckenridge #colorado #coloradorealestate 

Lake Dillon Theatre Co. is ready to act as your summer tour guide. This season, actors will transport guests to ancient Rome and 16th-century Spain with classic musicals performed in a repertory fashion, meaning the same cast will appear in two different alternating programs.

First is “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” which opened Friday, June 17. The comedic musical features songs and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and is inspired by the playwright Plautus’ farcical works. Then, beginning July 1, the same talent will take the stage in “Man of La Mancha.” The 1965 musical is an adaptation of Dale Wasserman’s play “I, Don Quixote,” which features Miguel de Cervantes retelling his classic novel during the Spanish Inquisition.

For the full story click here

Officials plan forest thinning projects to reduce wildfire threats caused by dead, diseased trees in Breckenridge

 #breckenridge #colorado #breckenridgerealestate

This summer, fuels reduction projects will take place near Breckenridge, adding more measures to project homes and infrastructure in the wildlife-urban interface. 

Over the next few weeks, crews will be out on land near Airport Road and the Peabody Placer area of the Golden Horseshoe to work on fuels reduction, removing dead and diseased trees from the lands to reduce wildfire risk. 

This project is being funded as a part of Denver Water’s Forest to Faucets II program and Summit County 1A Strong Future Fund. Signed in 2017, the second Forest to Faucets agreement expanded the original program to include the Colorado State Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Over the next five years, the partners have committed to invest $33 million in forest management projects to restore more than 40,000 acres of forestland, according to Denver Water.

For a complete list and the full story click here

Going camping? Here’s what you need to know when it comes to fires in Summit County

 #breckenridge #colorado #breckenridgerealestate

Warm weather, clear skies and long days means its time to get outside and into the forests around Summit County, but it also means it’s time to watch for wildfire risks. So how should campers, glampers and general gallivanters prepare for a weekend in the wilderness?

Members of Red, White & Blue Fire Protection District and Summit Fire & EMS answered some of those questions this week as Colorado enters into what state officials predict will be an “above-normal” year for wildfires. Local firefighters emphasized the need for personal responsibility — mistakes made in the backcountry can lead to devastating consequences and stricter fire regulations.

A day in the woods should begin with planning, whether you are camping, fishing, dirt biking or hiking. Those exploring Summit County’s natural areas should check local fire restrictions and fire danger levels before they venture out, Red, White & Blue Captain Matt Benedict said. Summit County currently has no restrictions, but that can change in a day. For that reason, Benedict said he recommends people check the region’s fire restrictions the day of their trip.

For the full story click here

Keystone residents express need for more control: ‘The only solution is to incorporate’

 #keystone #colorado #coloradorealtor

The meeting, held on June 15, was hosted by the Keystone Citizen’s League, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, to discuss the benefits of turning Keystone from an unincorporated part of Summit County into a town. 

One caveat, however, is that the league has not heard back from Vail Resorts. 25 years ago, when the league members met with Vail in the interest of incorporation.  Vail disagreed.

Attendees were concerned about this, and many people asked questions about Vail’s involvement in the community and what it would mean if Keystone did become a town.

For the complete story click here

Breckenridge Town Council continues to talk through ‘exempt’ short-term rentals

 #breckenridge #colorado #breckenridgerealtor

You might say the Breckenridge town council is all talk and no action with regard to short term rentals other than the fact they capped the number of short term rentals even with overwhelming opposition from the public they serve.

Anyway, they are at it again:

In May the council talked about "exempt" properties.\ in the total count of short-term rentals, and on Tuesday, council members further discussed how to define resort-like units in town. 

“Exempt” properties typically operate more like a hotel rather than an Airbnb or VRBO unit, such as having 24-hour security or a front desk. Council members at the last meeting agreed that finding a new word for these resort-like properties and exact qualifications would be more appropriate moving forward. 

Can you believe they are spending time trying to figure out a new word  for these properties!  What is the point?  They are exempt from the cap, why not just call them "exempt?"  

“It was felt that these larger resort properties could internally resolve guest and facility issues on site without involving town resources, such as the short-term rental hotline or calling the Breckenridge Police Department for non-emergency issues,” Sarah Crump, a planner for the town, said. 

If you want to continue to beat your head against the wall and read the rest of the story click the link below:

Click here to read the rest of the story

What a surprise: Commissioners blast Airbnb study

#breckenridge #colorado #breckenridgerealestate

 A group of 15 commissioners from seven mountain counties is blasting a recent study (I reported about yesterday) that shows limiting short term rentals will not solve the employee housing problem.  The study recommended building more rental apartments as the solution to our housing shortage, as trying to convert most short term rentals is impractical due to their size, location and cost.

But, no the commissioners want to rely on they own vague ideas/plans with no supporting data what-so-ever and ignore a valid study that actually sheds some light on what we must do.

Yes the study was commissioned (paid for) by Airbnb, but it was preformed by a company with no ties to Airbnb, nor interest in the outcome of the study.

And I'm sure the town councils won't be far behind in berating the study.

Here's a link to the Summit Daily News story if you'd like to see how the commissioners have their collective heads stuck in the sand:

Click here for the story

Airbnb study shows that over 800 short-term units in Summit County are comparable to low- or moderate-income housing

 #breckenridge #colorado #breckenridgerealtor

Photo:  Tripp Fay

Airbnb and HR&A Advisors, a real estate and economic development consulting firm, released a study detailing short-term rentals’ impact on five counties in Colorado: Summit, Grand, Eagle, Pitkin and Routt. 

In the study, researchers noted that in Colorado, about 30% of visitors opt to use short-term rentals, and over half of visitors who use short-term rentals are staying in Summit County. Across all five counties, short-term rentals supported 14,700 jobs, directly and indirectly. Over 13,000 of those jobs were directly created by the short-term rental industry, and those jobs generated $599 million in wages in total.

Other key findings included that over 5 million visitors stayed in the counties studied, and short-term rental visitors spent approximately $1 billion in mountain communities. Most of those visitors, about 37%, stayed specifically in Summit County, where visitors spent about $40,000 per permanent resident. 

detailing short-term rentals’ impact on five counties in Colorado: Summit, Grand, Eagle, Pitkin and Routt. 

In the study, researchers noted that in Colorado, about 30% of visitors opt to use short-term rentals, and over half of visitors who use short-term rentals are staying in Summit County. Across all five counties, short-term rentals supported 14,700 jobs, directly and indirectly. Over 13,000 of those jobs were directly created by the short-term rental industry, and those jobs generated $599 million in wages in total.

Other key findings included that over 5 million visitors stayed in the counties studied, and short-term rental visitors spent approximately $1 billion in mountain communities. Most of those visitors, about 37%, stayed specifically in Summit County, where visitors spent about $40,000 per permanent resident. 

 The Airbnb study also stated that only 3% of current short-term rental inventory could be turned into workforce housing because of “typology, availability and price point.” Potential solutions, researchers wrote, should be addressed through building more affordable housing and by incentivizing the conversion of short-term renting to long-term renting.

But, of course the Breckenridge town staff insists that "we cannot build our way out of this."  According to Breckenridge housing planning manager Laurie Best.  She must also believe just because Colorado's population has increased by millions in the past 10 years (and with that comes more vehicles) we shouldn't build or widen our roads because that would just encourage more traffic!  We can and should build our way out of this.

 #breckenridge #colorado #coloradorealestateforsale #breckenridgerealestateforsale

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Frisco barbecue challenge returns next week

#breckenridge #colorado #breckenridgerealestater

 

The 27th Annual Frisco BBQ Challenge returns to Frisco Main Street during Father’s Day weekend from June 16-18.

This year, barbecue attendees can expect a smaller event without the bouncy houses, carnival-style food, mechanical bulls, whiskey tours, chef demos or the firefighter cook-offs of years past. The event will narrow its focus to food, drinks and live music.

As a Kansas City Barbeque Society-sanctioned competition, winning the Colorado BBQ Challenge in Frisco provides eligibility to compete in the American Royal — the “World Series” of barbecuing. 

For the full story and schedule click here

Where are electric bikes allowed in Summit County?

#breckenridge #colorado #breckenridgerealestate 

With summer quickly approaching, Summit County’s roads and trails are getting busy with cyclists, walkers, runners and electric bike riders.

Since e-bikes are gaining in popularity, the Dillon Ranger District is offering several tips to help e-bike riders understand where e-bikes are permitted.

In the Dillon Ranger District, e-bikes are allowed on all roads and trails that are open to motorized vehicles during the summer travel season.

Summer travel dates vary by location, so riders are encouraged to check with the Dillon Ranger District or use the Motor Vehicle Use Maps:  Click here

All class of e-bikes including classes 1, 2 and 3 are considered motorized vehicles by the Forest Service, so they are not permitted on nonmotorized trails in the Dillon Ranger District, including those that are open to nonmotorized mountain bikes.

A few exceptions do exist in areas where another agency or organization is managing trails on the Dillon Ranger District under a permit or agreement. These exceptions include Class 1 e-bikes being permitted on the Summit County Recpath System, all-classes of e-bikes being allowed at the Frisco Peninsula Recreation Area and all classes of e-bikes being permitted at Copper Mountain Resort.

At Copper Mountain Resort, e-bikes may be used to ride up Mountain Road to access the downhill bike trails, but the bikes are not authorized to be hauled up via the lift due to the size and weight of the bike. E-bikes are also not authorized on the Colorado Trail.

For more information, contact the Dillon Ranger District at 970-468-5400 or visit the office at 680 Blue River Parkway in Silverthorne.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News

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Breckenridge Town Council looks to simplify short-term rental zones

 #breckenridge #colorado #breckenridgerealtor

Breckenridge Town Council further discussed short-term rental regulations on Tuesday. This time, council members have directed staff to see what parameters could be set for a potential resort classification for exempt properties as well as looking at land-use guidelines to set overlay zones.

An exempt property is a short-term rental property that is registered as a lodge. They include amenities such as a 24-hour front desk, shuttle buses and security, and they operate more closely to a hotel. However, they do still require short-term rental licenses for each unit.

Because they are considered lodges, they do not pay the town’s short-term rental regulatory fee, which is why they’re called “exempt.” Council members agreed that calling them exempt creates confusion and having a name such as a “resort classification” would make more sense since they operate more like a resort than an Airbnb or VRBO. This could include the implementation of certain criteria in order to be considered one of these resort classified properties, council members said. Town staff plan to come back in a future meeting about what exactly those parameters could be, including square footage and other amenities.

I definitely agree we have to change the name,” council member Todd Rankin said. “I’m wondering — for whatever we call it going forward in the future — if we can maybe add an application process to that so there’s a high hurdle to entry. That’s to make sure we’re not having 20 new (resort)-type properties. It should be a very high hurdle.”

In addition to exempt status, council members looked at ways to potentially simplify the zones.

Out town council and their staff are so far out of touch with reality it is laughable, if it wasn't so serious. If it was not for tourism this would be a ghost town.

For the full story click here