Interstate 70 auxiliary lane proposal still being considered for Vail Pass

#Colorado

Summit Daily News

Summit Daily News

Colorado Department of Transportation Executive Director Shailen Bhatt refers to himself as an optimistic kind of guy, so in that spirit, he noted that the state’s transportation projects will be funded to the tune of $1.88 billion this year.

“That is my glass-is-half-full statement,” said Bhatt during a brief visit to Eagle County on Tuesday afternoon.

Bhatt said nearly $2 billion sounds like a huge pot of money, but in reality, Colorado has more than $20 billion worth of infrastructure needs.

“$1.88 billion is a pretty small amount of peanut butter, and it’s a pretty big piece of toast,” Bhatt said.

Bhatt, along with other CDOT officials, dropped by several Colorado communities to discuss transportation needs and projects as a part of CDOT’s Infrastructure Week. Tuesday morning, he was in Pueblo talking about how some of the original Interstate 25 infrastructure, still in service in the community, needs to be updated and replaced. By noon, he had traveled to Eagle County, where he was touting the proposed Interstate 70 West Vail Pass Auxiliary Lanes proposal.

‘A great upgrade’

The I-70 auxiliary lane proposal is CDOT’s preferred alternative for eastbound and westbound travel along Vail Pass from mile marker 180 to mile marker 190.

“Available crash data shows that the west side of Vail Pass experiences a higher-than-expected number of crashes,” noted a CDOT fact sheet. “Differential speed between cars and trucks on the steep grades leads to safety concerns.”

CDOT has proposed completing an environmental assessment and definition of the improvements for the entire project area. Based on the assessment and available funding, the proposal could be phased.

In his remarks Tuesday, Bhatt said the project will likely cost between $300 million and $400 million.

According to CDOT, the project benefits would include:

• Improving safety along the I-70 corridor by providing an auxiliary lane for slower-moving vehicles.

• Boosting economic vitality by providing a continuous connection between the Front Range and the mountain tourism industry.

• Improving safety and quality of the Vail Pass bike path.

Captain Dick Duran, of the Colorado State Patrol, said the western side of Vail Pass presents one of the worst accident challenges along Colorado’s I-70 corridor. He said the additional traffic lane would be “a great upgrade.”

“A third lane would be extremely beneficial to getting the traffic moving up there,” Duran said.

Continuously moving traffic along Vail Pass is sometimes a difficult goal to achieve. CDOT’s own data shows that I-70 over Vail Pass was closed for more than 177 hours in 2016, primarily due to crashes and weather.

Those closures aren’t popular with the public, and the practice drew an inquiry during Tuesday’s visit.

“CDOT’s goals are to save lives and make people’s lives easier,” Bhatt said. He commended the state workers who maintain Vail Pass and respond to accidents along the challenging stretch.

“When someone is on the radio saying it isn’t safe to drive out there, that’s when our people go to work,” Bhatt said.

Funding solutions

Bhatt also responded to an inquiry about how Colorado can increase its infrastructure funding. He said the state has the 12th lowest gas tax in the nation.

By way of comparison, Bhatt said Utah charges 29 cents per gallon for fuel tax, while Colorado charges 23 cents per gallon. He said the two states have roughly equal transportation infrastructure budgets, even though Utah’s system is roughly half the scope of Colorado’s.

“You get what you pay for,” Bhatt said. “To me, it’s a function of investment equals outcome.”

Town clean-up days cancelled due to snow

#Summit County #Colorado

Summit Daily News Link

Due to heavy snowfall, Breckenridge, Dillon, Frisco and Silverthorne have cancelled their respective town clean up days, which were originally scheduled for Saturday, May 20.

Frisco has rescheduled its clean up day and volunteer appreciation barbecue for Sunday, June 4. Volunteer sign ups will begin at 9 p.m. in front of the Historic Park and Museum, and the barbecue will begin at 11:30 a.m.

Breckenridge, Dillon and Silverthorne, meanwhile, will be offering clean up supplies to residents who would still like to pick up trash over the next week. Bags and gloves will be available Monday through Friday at the Breckenridge Public Works offices, the Silverthorne Recreation Center and at Dillon Town Hall.

Town staff will collect filled trash bags as long as they are left on the side of the road by 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 27.

The county will still be hosting its free electronics, pharmaceutical and household hazardous waste disposal and recycling event on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Summit Stage Bus Barn located 0222 County Shops Road.

A list of accepted items can be found at co.summit.co.us or by calling 970-468-9263

Tight real estate market drives up prices in Summit County

#Summit County #Colorado

Michael Yearout Photography

Summit Daily News Link

An uptick in Summit County's April real estate figures showed more than $112 million in sales for 191 properties.

That's almost $30 million more than April 2016, in which the county logged $83.9 million in sales for 162 properties.

Ned Walley, owner of Colorado Real Estate Company, said property in Summit County continues to be a hot commodity, and homes for sale in the heart of Breckenridge and Frisco are some of the hardest to find.

"Our inventory continues to be very low, which drives up prices at a very fast pace," he said, adding that homes in the $600,000 to $800,000 range continue to be the most sought after while the luxury market is doing quite well too.

"Anything in Frisco right now, it's such a small market with limited inventory," Walley said of one of the hottest locations to buy. "It's a great time to be a seller in Summit County, but especially in Frisco or Breckenridge."

Walley said he expects multiple listings he currently has on the market to break sales records for their neighborhoods.

"Definitely, (the market) has come back," he said. "The lower end of the market, with properties in the Dillon Valley and Wildernest (near Silverthorne), they've had huge growth in value so that's something that everyone has seen. … The top end has seen fantastic strength and growth too."

The most expensive of last month's sales — a $2.4 million deal for a single-family home at Highlands in Breckenridge — led more than two-dozen real estate transactions at $1 million or more each. The second-most expensive sale, a property on Eagles Nest Golf Course, went for a cool $2 million.

Overall, there were 25 real estate transactions over $1 million and another 30 that went for $750,000 or more in April. The majority of those were single-family properties.

Additionally, the real estate market in Summit has been growing at least since the start of 2017, according to Summit Daily archives.

Typically a slower time for sales, the spring months have been good for brokers.

Brooke Roberts, the director of sales and marketing at the Land Title Guarantee Company, previously told the Summit Daily the county had seen boosts in both the number of sales and total revenue with sales increasing by 43 percent in March this year compared to March of 2016.

Walley said that sellers are getting pretty close to their asking prices nowadays, if not more.

He noted that he had four listings last month receive multiple officers, and while the closings aren't final, he expects the majority of those properties to sell at or above their asking price.

"A lot of times, you don't realize what's happened in a market until it passed you by," he said of Summit County's continued growth in real estate. He added that a recent update of property values has left many homeowners shocked by their new appraisals, and the "huge increase in appraised values continues to be an indicator for how quick the market continues to grow."

Name Breckenridge’s newest community

#Breckenridge #Colorado

Summit Daily News Link

Currently dubbed "Block 11," the latest workforce-housing project in Breckenridge is in need of a name, and town officials are inviting the public to suggest ideas.

Breckenridge and Coldwell Banker Mountain Properties announced the listing of a new neighborhood in Breckenridge, just south of Colorado Mountain College on Airport Road, in a Monday news release.

The new neighborhood will consist of 52 townhomes, all for sale and available exclusively to the local Breckenridge workforce.

Situated next to the Blue River and the soon-to-be-developed Oxbow Park, the development comes in response to a needs assessment highlighting a shortage of housing for the local workforce, according to the town.

"The goal is to ensure that our local workforce can live in the town where they work," said Laurie Best, the town's housing manager. "These neighborhoods not only support our local economy by providing steady and reliable employees to our local businesses, but they also help us retain our sense of community. Breckenridge is a town of visitors and locals alike, and that is what makes us a real town."

The deadline to submit names for the new development is 5 p.m. May 23. People may send their ideas, along with a name, email address and phone number to SalesTeam@DenisonPlacer.com.

The winner will be announced at a new neighborhood launch party June 17 at Breckenridge Distillery.

For more, go to DenisonPlacer.com or TownOfBreckenridge.com.

"We thought who is better to name this local neighborhood than locals?" asked Sinjin McNicholl of Coldwell Banker. "So we are reaching out to the community for name ideas. Plus, we are giving away a brand-new pair of RMU skis to the person who submits the winning name."

Impasse with county threatens Breckenridge-area ambulance services

#Breckenridge #Colorado

Summit Daily News

Summit Daily News Link

It's a debate that's simmered for years, but on Monday, the county issued an ultimatum: Play ball, or get out of the game.

That was the message to the Red, White and Blue Fire Protection District, which could have its right to run ambulances in Summit revoked unless it agrees to hew its operations more toward countywide priorities.

The move would mean that while RWB medics could still provide on-scene treatment, patients would have to wait until a county-authorized ambulance arrived to be taken to the hospital, department officials said.

That would be a major escalation in a long-running dispute within the county's Emergency Services Authority, a body that also includes the county-run ambulance service, Lake Dillon Fire-Rescue and Copper Mountain Fire.

“They’re trying to push us into out-of-county transport, which puts us in a position where we may not be able to respond as quickly. There is a major financial risk for taxpayers.”Arch GothardRWB board president

At issue is the degree to which the authority can influence how its members operate. While the county envisions a more collaborative decision-making process, RWB feels it should be able to deploy its resources freely.

"The county has made some pretty pointed statements that before personnel are hired or acquisitions made, an entity should get the buy-in from the other members," RWB chief Jim Keating said. "But special districts should without fail have the ability to manage their own resources."

Each member of the authority is financially independent, and RWB draws revenue from taxes inside its district. But the county feels that the department's go-it-alone approach isn't in line with the mission of the authority, which it says was established to increase efficiency across the system.

An example of that disconnect is RWB's plan to open a new substation this spring in the Peak 8 area, a move that is also contributing to the impasse. The station would include a full medic unit as part of an all-hazards response team, which the county argues isn't needed.

The county also says that RWB hasn't been pulling its weight on out-of-county transports, conducting only 32 of the more than 700 ambulance trips made from Summit to the Front Range last year.

"In terms of the split of transport activity, we don't think that's equitable," county manager Scott Vargo said.

The Lake Dillon and Copper Mountain fire chiefs — Jeff Berino and Gary Curmode — both said that while their departments were coping with the current demand, an increase in out-of-county transport volumes could pose safety concerns.

"The biggest challenge for us right now is that the Red, White and Blue board has taken the position that they won't expand out-of-county transports or work in a collaborative way," Vargo said during a Monday ES Authority meeting.

Later in that meeting, Vargo said the county would consider revoking the intergovernmental agreement that allows RWB to run ambulances unless it agreed to take on more transports.

Taking patients to Front Range hospitals is the only revenue-generating activity of ambulance providers, subsidizing the system to the tune of $500,000 a year.

"They are an important component of the system both financially and clinically," Vargo said, adding that the burden should be shared by all departments based on their resources.

The transports are generally unpopular, rendering departments short by two staff members for six hours at a time or more. Keating argues that increasing the number his department takes on would be bad for morale and diminish RWB's ability to respond to local calls.

Reached by phone on Monday, RWB board president Arch Gothard said the ultimatum was "exceedingly disappointing," although he was unlikely to change his position.

Lower staffing and response times, he said, could imperil the department's high rating from the Insurance Services Organization, which reduces rates for local property owners.

"They're trying to push us into out-of-county transport, which puts us in a position where we may not be able to respond as quickly," Gothard said. "There is a major financial risk for taxpayers."

Vargo disputes RWB's claim that more out-of-county transports would hurt its local response times, citing a study by a consulting group concluding that Summit has excess ambulance capacity.

"The county is not concerned that there is an added risk to Red, White and Blue taking on a bigger role in out-of-county transports and we haven't been presented with any objective data to suggest otherwise," he said.

Keating disputes that study's conclusions, saying it didn't consider the broader range of duties held by firefighters and paramedics, including trainings and inspections.

Both sides appeared to be dug in on Monday, and it was unclear if either would be willing to give ground. The next RWB board meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 30.

All sections of the Summit County recpath are now open

#Summit County #Colorado

Summit Daily News

Summit Daily News Link

All sections of the Summit County recpath system are now open for the 2017 season. On Thursday morning, Summit County Road & Bridge swept and opened the Tenmile Canyon section, which typically remains closed later than other sections each spring.

"The full opening of the recpath is one of the most eagerly anticipated signs of spring in Summit County," Open Space & Trails resource specialist Jason Lederer said. "We're always excited to bring it out of hibernation so everyone can get out there and enjoy it again."

The Tenmile Canyon Recpath typically opens significantly later than other stretches of the pathway system, because it runs underneath 25 avalanche paths in the Tenmile Range. For the last two seasons, the Summit County Open Space & Trails Department has contracted with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center to assess spring avalanche risk. CAIC has reported significant reduction in snowpack in the largest avalanche paths above the recpath, with little threat of a snow avalanche reaching the pathway.

"Public safety is always our paramount concern when determining when to open each section of the Recpath," Summit County Open Space & Trails director Brian Lorch said. "We appreciate everyone's patience staying off the path in Tenmile Canyon while it was closed."

This is the first season that Summit County has assumed maintenance responsibilities for the Vail Pass section of the recpath between Copper Mountain and the top of Vail Pass. The Vail Pass section is now plowed and open, but it remains icy in several locations and has not yet been swept. Prior to 2017, CDOT maintained this section. Summit County took over its maintenance this year as an in-kind contribution toward the Highway 9 Iron Springs project.

Portions of the Dillon Dam recpath will be under construction from May through early June. However, crews will maintain a recpath detour at all times in order to ensure a continuous route around Dillon Reservoir. One-lane road closures on the Dam Road will occur to accommodate the detour.

Although the recpath system is fully open, there may still be wet, sandy and icy spots, and users may encounter workers and maintenance vehicles. Recpath users are urged to exercise caution and slow down when approaching work areas or vehicles.

For more information about the Summit County Recreational Pathway, contact the Open Space & Trails Department at 970-668-4060, or visit http://www.SummitCountyCO.gov/OpenSpace.

Breckenridge, Keystone get thumbs up for new 6-chair installation this summer

#Summit County #Colorado

Summit Daily News

Summit Daily News Link

Keystone and Breckenridge are working on their six-packs this summer.

On May 9, the Dillon Ranger District issued two decision memos for summer ski area construction at both of the Vail Resorts-owned properties. Along with several smaller projects, including a storage facility on Peak 7, Breck will replace the Falcon Chair four-person chairlift with a new-and-improved six-person chairlift. The resort will also upgrade its communications systems infrastructure.

At Keystone, the biggest summer project is replacing the four-person Montezuma Chair with a six-pack, which will be the resort's second. Other approved upgrades include renovations on Labonte's Smokehouse and the Spring Dipper ski trail, plus communication upgrades like Breck.

"The decision to approve these projects on both of the ski areas will result in upgrading infrastructure, which will improve the recreational opportunities and facilities at both resorts," district ranger Bill Jackson said in a U.S. Forest Service release.

Construction at Breck and Keystone is expected to begin this summer — Breck even said "no" to uphill access this spring, citing construction concerns with no construction timeline — and both approved lift replacements within the resorts' special use permit boundaries. Several bike trails at the Keystone Bike Park and Peak 10 at Breck will be closed during the summer for construction. Dates and details weren't available at press time.

All summer projects, including both chairlift replacements, were approved after a standard public comment period and vetting process, Jackson said, which included impacts on relevant resources like water, soil, recreation, botany and wildlife. The complete decision memos for Breckenridge and Keystone, including comments, are available online at FS.USDA.gov.

Public input was light, Jackson said, with only one or two people writing to express doubts about the dangers of more people crowding six-packs — and the slopes.

"The commenter indicated that the upgraded lift may increase the likelihood of collisions, as there are several ski trails merging at the entrance trail to this lift, and if lift lines are long there is only one trail that a skier can use to exit the lift line, and that trail leads to a catwalk that is heavily used," forest supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams wrote in the Keystone decision. "Additionally, the commenter noted that there is not enough area at the base of this lift to enlarge the maze in the loading area."

Jackson agrees, but he also believes six-person chairlifts will ease congestion at mousetraps like the Montezuma Chair maze.

3 LEVELS, 3 IMPACTS

In the eyes of the Forest Service, how do chairlift replacements and upgraded cell towers differ from a sprawling expansion like The Beavers at Arapahoe Basin?

It comes down to scope. As Jackson explains, all resort upgrades fall into three categories under the National Environmental Policy Act: Categorical Exclusion, or CE projects; Environmental Assessment, or EA projects; and Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS projects.

This summer's projects at Keystone and Breck fall under the CE category, which Jackson says is the lowest rung on the NEPA ladder. Both lifts will follow the same paths as their four-pack predecessors, with minimal impacts to nearby terrain. A CE analysis takes several months — the resorts first submitted applications in September 2016 — and Jackson noted these are the first Summit County chairlift replacement requests he's seen in his tenure of three years.

"Every year the ski areas propose new projects that are a lower level of analysis, like routine maintenance and replacements, and that's what these fall under," Jackson said of the six-pack upgrades. "Because there was already a lift there and alignment was made, a higher level of impact study had already been done. We won't duplicate a higher level study if it's already been done."

The next level, EA, is done for large-scale projects that don't require major changes to the natural landscape. Examples include the new alpine coaster at Copper Mountain, Jackson said, along with snowmaking upgrades under Super Bee Chair and construction for Weber Hut, the newest addition to the Summit Huts system. These can take anywhere from one year to several years.

The highest level, EIS, covers sprawling expansions like Peak 6 at Breck and The Beavers at A-Basin, both of which required trail cutting and brand-new lift installation. In A-Basin's case, The Beavers proposal took nearly a decade from start to finish when construction begins this summer.

Golf season is upon us in Summit County

#Summit County #Colorado

Summit Daily News

Summit Daily News Link

Mother Nature doesn't pick sides, but if she did, she'd be with the Rocky Mountain golfers this spring.

"I'm sure the other courses have seen it as well, but with the type of winter we had we're opening with better conditions than we have in years," said Erroll Miller, head PGA pro at the Breckenridge Golf Club. And he should know: He's been working and playing there for 33 seasons this summer — basically since the course opened — and when he says things are looking better than usual in mid-May, well, they are.

"The tees, greens, bunkers — even a lack of vole kill — means we have such great conditions," Miller continued. "Golf is so beautiful here in the High Country and I'm truly excited about the conditions we'll have start to finish this season."

Erroll and his peers at all five Summit County golf courses — Breckenridge, Keystone Ranch Golf Course, The River Course at Keystone, Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks in Silverthorne and Copper Creek Golf Course at the base of Copper — have been busy prepping greens and fairways for mid-May openings. All courses except for Keystone Ranch and Copper Creek are open with full 18s as of this weekend — a good two weeks earlier than last year.

"If you would've asked me in January when we were going to open, I would've said June 15," said Phil Tobias, PGA pro for Keystone Golf Club and another veteran of 20 years in the county. "But you never know in Summit County, and with the snowmelt we had we'll be getting out there sooner than we have the past few years."

RAVEN GOLF CLUB AT THREE PEAKS

The golf season has been in full swing (har har) in north Silverthorne since May 5, when all 18 holes (Par 72) at Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks opened for the season. It's usually the first course to open and last one to close, with a seemingly endless season of five months by the time fairways freeze over in October.

That means plenty of time to enjoy one of the wildest courses in Summit: a combo Tom Lehman and Hurdzan-Fry design that makes full use of the area's rolling hills and aspen-lined terrain. Elevation is the name of the game here — and it can be unforgiving if you aren't ready.

Spring greens fees: Public rates are $55 to $85 for 18 holes and Summit County rates are $45 to $65, depending on time of day, until June 9. Rates include green fees, golf cart and bottomless range balls.

Memberships: A single-season trial membership is $2,855 (family) or $2,195 for unlimited play and member benefits all season. A 12-play punch pass is $1,400 and fully transferable, with unlimited access. See the club website for more options.

Driving range: $250 for unlimited season pass.

BRECKENRIDGE GOLF CLUB

Today (May 13) marks the official start of golf season at the fairways off Tiger Road, when the Bear 9 — one of three nines at the Jack Nicklaus-designed course (27 holes, Par 36) — opens with almost pitch-perfect conditions. Miller says the second nine, the Elk 9, is scheduled to open on May 20, followed by the Beaver 9 around Memorial Day Weekend. The driving range and practice greens have been open since May 10.

That's the typical opening schedule at Breckenridge, where the lowest hole sits at 9,200 vertical feet, and Miller says he's excited to open the two original nines, the Bear and Beaver, with upgraded bunkers and irrigation systems. It's been in the works for two seasons now, and although it won't greatly alter the original Nicklaus design, it will introduce Breck golf faithful to a better, more manicured experience.

"Those two nines are now totally completed," Miller said. "We're continuing to upgrade the facility after 30-plus years of being open as a club. We're glad to have all that behind us and offer better conditions for the golfer."

Also new this season: a state-of-the-art cart fleet, complete with GPS trackers for pin and hazard locations.

"That's exciting for us," Miller said. "We've never had GPS and we're excited to offer that to our golfers."

Spring greens fees: $22 for nine holes walking or $44 for 18 holes walking, local ID required. Add a cart for $10 per person for nine holes or $18 per person for 18 holes. Green fees increase on May 27.

Memberships: Breck resident punch cards are $440 for 10 rounds of 18 or $265 for five rounds of 18; Summit and Park County resident punch cards are $275 for five rounds of 18.

Driving range: Large bucket is $7 all season.

COPPER CREEK GOLF COURSE

Copper Creek (Par 69) is traditionally the last course to open, and it will be the same this year. The full 189 is scheduled to open on June 9 — all that snow under Super Bee chair has to melt out first — with ridiculously low $46 rates until June 30. It's one perk of opening late: rates stay low when everyone else is getting into peak season.

This season, Copper Creek is home to a new golf pro, Zach Dobrota, a Frisco local who's offering ladies clinics, juniors clinics and private lessons for any ability throughout the season.

Returning this season is the "hitting cage" — think of it as a batting cage for golfers in place of the dusty old driving range on the Alpine parking lot — and golf bikes. For the same price as a cart, get a spin-class workout between holes with the one-year-old bike fleet. Just strap your clubs to the stabilized back rack and play.

"I like the relaxed atmosphere we have here, the type of clientele we get," said Scott Sundeen, a longtime course superintendent who's in his second season as general manager. "Copper is obviously a beautiful environment for a course, with scenic holes, and that makes it a fun yet challenging course to play."

Spring greens fees: $46 for nine holes or $76 for 18 holes, including cart or bike, practice facility and range balls. Price increases June 30. Juniors pay $36 for nine holes or $52 for 18 holes all season. The Super Twilight pass (after 6 p.m.) is $23 for as many holes as you can play before dark.

Memberships: Unrestricted adult season pass is $409 (no cart) or $549 (cart) until June 30 and includes one free round for a friend, eight discount vouchers and a Copper Mountain lift ticket for the 2017-18 season. Youth season pass is $159 (no cart) or $258 (cart).

Driving range: Included in green fees.

KEYSTONE GOLF CLUB | THE RIVER AND KEYSTONE RANCH

Keystone Golf Club is home to 36 holes, the most in Summit County, but don't expect the same-old play on both 18s.

The River Course (Par 71), a Hurdzan-Fry design, opened for the season with a full 18 yesterday (May 12). It's true "mountain" golf, with tight fairways, pinpoint par 3s and gorgeous vistas, all along the banks of the Snake River.

Keystone Ranch (Par 72), designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. and revised this past fall, opens on May 26 and is a more traditional course, with links-style play on the front nine and hilly, alpine-style play on the back nine. The off-season changes make for a more versatile course, Tobias said, without taking away from the original design. Yardages are now 4,800 from the front tees and 7,000 from the back tees.

"We were essentially able to get yardages that will better suit all abilities of players and all types of games," Tobias said. "We've made those improvements to get that balance we want to accommodate players of all ablities so they can have fun on that Ranch golf course, because it really is one of the gems in Colorado."

Also new this year is an updated cart fleet, complete with USB chargers for cell phones, and 80 sets of brand-new Calloway clubs.

But the grandest addition doesn't debut until September 8-10, when the 2017 Colorado Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship premieres at Keystone Ranch. The tourney promises to draw 84 players from across the nation for three days of golf — a first in course history.

"We're quite excited to host that event," Tobias said. "It's a major, major event for Colorado Golf Association, and I'm excepting the play to be top-notch. That Ranch golf course lends itself to championship-style golf."

Spring greens fees: $55 for nine holes or $95 for 18 holes, including cart, practice facilities and range balls. Price increases June 1.

Memberships: Full lifetime membership is $25,000 initiation fee, plus $2,700 in annual dues, and includes unlimited play for member, spouse and unmarried children (younger than 26 years old). Young professional membership is $12,500 upfront and $12,500 on member's 50th birthday.

Driving range: Unlimited daily access is $20 and season passes are $250.

Happy birthday: Are you a summer baby? You're in luck: golf at Keystone on your birthday for a free (yes, free) round of 18.

========

Golf 411

Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks

Where: 2929 Golden Eagle Road in Silverthorne

Phone: (970) 262-3636

All green fees include a cart and access to the on-site practice facilities with bottomless balls. For reservations, current greens fees and maps, see the club website at http://www.ravenatthreepeaks.com.

Keystone Ranch Golf Club

Where: 1239 Keystone Ranch Road in Keystone

Phone: (800) 464-3494

All green fees include access to the on-site practice facilities with unlimited balls. For reservations, current greens fees and course maps, see the club website at http://www.keystoneresort.com or email the club at keystonegolf@vailresorts.com.

Breckenridge Golf Club

Where: 200 Clubhouse Drive in Breckenridge (off Tiger Run Road)

Phone: (970) 453-9104

All green fees include access to practice facilities. For reservations, current greens fees and maps, see the club website at http://www.breckenridgegolfclub.com.

Copper Creek Golf Course

Where: Copper Mountain

Phone: (970) 968-3333

All fees include cart or golf bike and access to practice facilities. For reservations, course cards and lesson info, see the course website at http://www.coppercolorado.com.

2017 GOLF CLINICS

Junior? Veteran? Never-ever? There's something for everyone at Summit County's five golf courses this summer. Browse through their marquee programs, and then see each club's website for registration info.

Breckenridge Golf Club

Group clinics — $99 for five lessons, one hour each, all season

Youth/junior clinics — $30 for four lessons, 30 minutes each, 5-7 years old, Mondays and Thursdays. $50 for four lessons, 45 minutes each, 8-9 and 10-12 years old, Mondays and Thursdays.

Mens and ladies leagues — $80 initiation dues, greens fees and $5 weekly pot, ladies on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon, men on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Copper Creek Golf Course

Private lessons — price varies, 30 minutes to nine holes, flexible scheduling

Junior clinics — $30 per session, time varies, Tuesday and Thursday mornings

Ladies clinics — $20 per session, one hour each, Tuesday and Thursday evenings

Keystone Golf Club

Themed group clinics — $25 per session, one hour each, various times and themes ("Lunch and Learn" on Wednesdays, "Happy Hour" on Fridays)

PGA Junior League — $250 per child (7-13 years old) for season, includes junior golf pass, coaching, team uniform and six tournaments from May 22 to July 28

Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks

Info TBA during the season

Frisco Town Clean Up Day and barbecue to be held May 20

#Frisco #Colorado

Summit Daily News Link

The town of Frisco will be participating in the Countywide Town Clean Up Day on Saturday, May 20. Billed as a chance for citizens to get together to clean up neighborhoods, parks, open spaces, business areas and trails in anticipation of summer, the event will begin at 9 a.m. at the Frisco Historic Park on Main Street between First and Second avenues.

During the volunteer check in at 9 a.m., there will be coffee provided by Starbucks and donuts from Safeway, according to a news release. At that time, volunteers will also receive gloves, orange trash bags and tickets for door prize drawings, lunch and free beers or lemonade. Volunteers may ask to be assigned to a clean up area or they may select an area in Frisco that they feel would benefit from their efforts, the release said.

After the clean up, volunteers will be invited back to the Historic Park for a volunteer appreciation barbecue with burgers and hot dogs grilled up by Frisco Town Council. Safeway is providing the food for the BBQ and Backcountry Brewery is donating the beer.

The barbecue will also include volunteer door prizes and awards from local merchants for the most valuable, most unique and the ickiest finds of the day. Climax Molybdenum Company is presenting the musical entertainment, The Sessh, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife will be on hand to talk about their bear aware program, and the Frisco Elementary Green Team will be present as well. The town of Frisco Community Development Department will also be available to answer questions and get feedback about the unified development code revision process, and the town of Frisco Public Works Department will have a few big trucks at the barbecue for kids and adults to check out. For the first time, the town will also be accepting clean textile donations in any condition throughout the day.

Household waste is not accepted at the Frisco Clean Up Day. However, Summit County will host a free electronics, pharmaceutical and household hazardous waste disposal and recycling event on Saturday, May 20, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Summit Stage Bus Barn at 0222 County Shops Road, next to the County Commons. A list of accepted items and for additional information can be found at co.summit.co.us or by calling (970) 468-9263.

Breckenridge Town Council hopes to rein in short-term rental scofflaws

#Breckenridge #Colorado

Michael Yearout Photography

Summit Daily News Link

Advertisements for short-term rentals in Breckenridge could soon be required to display a town-issued business license.

Under a proposal passed unanimously Tuesday night on first reading, the Breckenridge Town Council opted to make anyone renting out a residence for less than 30 days at a time include their business license number in all their advertisements, be it in a newspaper or magazine, on brochures or signage, via email or telephone, broadcast or online on websites such as airbnb.com and vrbo.com. Town ordinances must pass on two readings before they become law.

Based on the proposal, the only ads to which the new rule wouldn't apply would be ones not posted by the renter, or that were picked up and duplicated without the renter's knowledge or direction, which frequently happens online.

There are currently no restrictions on advertisements for long-term rentals in Breckenridge, and the proposal pertains exclusively to the short-term lodging industry.

In the proposal, anyone found to be in violation of the advertising requirement would first be notified by the town. After receiving notice, owners would be given 15 days to come into compliance before they could be fined anywhere from $200 to $1,000 a day until they comply, though no one close to the plan expects to see any major fines levied as a result of the ordinance.

Rather, the move is designed to "level the playing field" and help town officials collect sales taxes more efficiently, according to a memo forwarded to the council from Breckenridge revenue services administrator Heather Pezzella in support of the resolution.

Adding to that, Breckenridge director of finance and information technology Brian Waldes said that requiring ads to feature business license numbers will help the town enforce the law on renters who aren't collecting the town's 3.4 percent tax on short-term lodging accommodations.

"The concern is always that there are people out there who aren't complying with the licensing requirements and then not necessarily remitting taxes at the same time," he said. "When we say, 'level playing field,' we're talking about the duty we owe to what we think are the 98-99 percent who are complying."

Waldes explained that he believes it's a very small percentage of owners who aren't collecting sales taxes from renters, and he referenced a similar effort to uncover scofflaws five years ago that turned up only 17 violations out of more than 3,000 short-term rental accommodations.

The following years there were even fewer violations discovered, he said, until they ultimately ceased the process because they were finding so few.

However, monies collected from the town's business licensing requirements, including those on short-term rentals, are an important piece of the town's budget. Some of that money goes into marketing efforts, which in turn help promote the town, Waldes said.

"That's part of the reason you are able to rent your homes for the rates you can rent it for here in Breck, and why it's so easy to rent your home here in Breck, because the town is vibrant, it does get marketed," he said. "Also, your sales tax dollars go to plow the streets, plant flowers in summer and all those things that make Breck a functioning town. So it's really fair that everybody be kicking in — not their own money — but by collecting and remitting the sales tax."

Waldes said the biggest concerns are getting word out to all possible short-term rental owners and large property management companies that can maintain hundreds, if not a thousand or more, properties.

According to Pezella's memo, the proposal came on the recommendation of two data-discovery companies, and it is modeled after similar measures in Vail, Avon, Telluride and Mountain Village.

The proposal drew the most discussion of any item before the council Tuesday night, but passed without dissent. Councilman Jeffrey Bergeron did not attend the meeting.

Your Summit County property tax bill will probably be lower than you think. Here’s why

#Summit County #Colorado

Summit County Assessor"s Office

Summit Daily News Link

The red-hot real estate market has sent home values soaring in Summit County, with some previously affordable areas like Dillon Valley seeing as much as a 46 percent spike in the past two years, according to the latest data from the assessor's office. Countywide, the average increase was just shy of 20 percent.

Since 2015, there have been a total of 3,898 residential transactions, and among those there has been a record-breaking number of sales above $1 million in every category of home. In all, 365 single-family homes, condos, townhomes and duplexes hit the seven-figure mark.

"That 3,800-plus sales is very active," said county assessor Beverly Breakstone. "It's probably not the most active we've ever seen, but this is a high number of sales for a two-year period."

Notices of valuation went out to homeowners this week, and many will likely be pleased with the appreciation — but not so much the estimated property tax bill marked on the notices.

Come tax day, however, most property owners can look forward to a slightly lower bill thanks to updated tax rates recently handed down by state officials.

That change, from 7.92 percent last year to 7.2 this year, means that homeowners whose property value didn't grow more than about 20 percent over the past two years will likely see their tax bill stay about the same — or possibly decrease.

The reason for this is complex, involving the booming Front Range real estate market, low oil and gas prices and two of Colorado's more unique constitutional amendments: Gallagher and the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

The Gallagher amendment was added in the 1982 to insulate taxpayers from a surge in home values. To do that, it set the amount of total state property tax revenue to a fixed ratio between residential and commercial property.

But since growth in those sectors hasn't been balanced, the residential rate has been continually adjusted down, from around 21 percent in 1983 to just 7.2 today. The cut this year translates to a 10 percent drop in revenue statewide, according to the assessor.

"What's happened is so much residential keeps being built that it's just pushed this ratio down dramatically because there's not as much commercial value to offset," Breakstone explained.

Rock-bottom oil and gas prices in recent years have compounded this imbalance, as has the housing frenzy in the Denver metro area, where some counties have seen average home values leap up by 70 percent.

Since counties generally get most of their revenue from property taxes, places where the economy has been stagnant could take a big hit — especially in their schools.

In aggregate, that's what has happened across the state since Gallagher was introduced. In the 1980s, local property taxes paid 54 percent of the cost for public schools and the state spent $488 more per student than the national average, according to the Colorado Fiscal Institute.

By 2015, property taxes only covered 34 percent of the cost, and the state spent $2,024 less than the average per student, according to CFI.

What's more, every time the ratio has to be ratcheted down, it can't be brought up again to respond to changes in the market.

Why? Enter TABOR, which was passed in 1992 and requires voters to approve all tax increases. Since most Colorado voters are homeowners, it's unlikely they would vote to pay more, Breakstone said.

Luckily for Summit, strong growth and local support for public schools means the lost revenue won't create a budget crisis, Breakstone said. Still, the county stands to lose out on roughly $1.5 million because of the rate adjustment.

"If you had that additional revenue you could talk about replacing buses, repair and build additional infrastructure, and those kinds of things," Breakstone said.