Frisco launches short-term rental complaint hotline

#Frisco  #Colorado

Michael Yearout Photography

The town of Frisco has established a 24-hour complaint line for people dealing with issues surrounding short-term rentals in town.

Earlier this month, Frisco launched the complaint line, which is meant to assist in contacting the person responsible for a short-term rental property in the event of any issues — particularly in regard to the new ordinance passed by the Frisco Town Council late last year — or even the Frisco Police Department, when appropriate.

The phone number for the hotline is 970-432-8291, and residents also can file a complaint online through Frisco’s website. Reporting parties should be prepared to provide the address they’re calling about along with a description of the issue. Photographs, audio recordings and videos also can be submitted. 

 Situations that seem dangerous or urgent should be reported to emergency services at 911.

Courtesy  Summit Daily.

Summit County adoptable pets: week of November 24, 2019

#Summit County #Colorado

Tinkerbell | Micihael Yearout Photography

Cats

AMARETTE, 9 weeks, domestic mediumhair, tabby calico, spayed female

CATALONIA, 8 years, domestic shorthair mix, white and gray, spayed female 

FANCY, 9 weeks, domestic mediumhair, tabby calico, spayed female

GABRIEL, 8 years, domestic mediumhair, orange tabby, neutered male 

MANGO, 9 weeks, domestic mediumhair, orange tabby, neutered male

MAX, 4 years, domestic shorthair, black and white, neutered male

MIMI, 2 years,domestic shorthair, brown tabby, spayed female

MINERVA, 5 months, domestic shorthair, black, spayed female

MISTER, 7 years, domestic shorthair, gray tabby and white, neutered male

MOMOA, 10 years, domestic longhair, black, neutered male

MORRIS, 6 years, domestic shorthair mix, apricot, neutered male

NUTMEG, 4 years, domestic shorthair mix, tortoiseshell, spayed female

PENELOPE, 3 years, Domestic shorthair, gray tabby, spayed female

SPARKLES, 6 months, domestic shorthair, dilute calico, spayed female

TINKERBELL, 7 years, domestic shorthair, gray tabby and white, spayed female

TORA, 4 months, domestic shorthair, brown tabby, spayed female

WENDY, 1 year 6 months, domestic longhair, black and white, spayed female. 

Dogs

CARMEN, 3 years, Chihuahua, smooth-coated mix, tan and white, spayed female

EUGENE, 2 years, Plott hound and pit bull terrier mix, brindle, neutered male

FILOU, 2 years, Australian shepherd and German shepherd mix, tricolor, neutered male

KERA, 3 years, treeing Walker coonhound and Catahoula leopard hound mix, tan and white, spayed female

LUCY, 1 year 6 months, basenji mix, tan and white, spayed female

MAGGIE, 2 years, Australian cattle dog mix, tan, spayed female

NATTIE, 7 months, Alaskan husky mix, tan and white, spayed female

NOLA, 3 years, border terrier mix, brown and tan, spayed female

OZZIE, 1 year 6 months, chow chow and Welsh corgi, Pembroke mix, red and white, neutered male

PHIL, 1 year 6 months, pit bull terrier and Labrador retriever mix, brindle and white, neutered male

QUINN, 1 year 1 month, Australian cattle dog mix, blue merle and tan, spayed female

RAMBO, 2 years, Chihuahua, smooth coated, and Parson (Jack) Russell terrier mix, black and tan, neutered male

SARAH, 3 years, Chinese sharpei mix, red, spayed female

TREVOR, 5 years, Australian cattle dog mix, red merle, neutered male

Guinea Pigs

BOLT, 3 years, Guinea pig, white, unaltered male

COPPER, 2 years, Guinea pig, brown and black, unaltered male

Colorado resort named the best in the West by Ski Magazine

#Colorado

Five Colorado resorts are listed in the top 10 of Ski Magazine’s annual reader survey ranking Western North American resorts, with Aspen Snowmass checking in at No. 1. Six more are ranked in the top 30.

“Whether it’s the diverse terrain options, the quality of on-hill dining, the professional ski instructors, the extensive hotel options, and the No. 1 après scene that artfully rolls right into the No. 1 nightlife scene, Aspen Snowmass is, according to a whole bunch of readers, ‘The Best,’ ” the magazine said in Aspen’s rankings profile that was published in Ski’s November issue.

Steamboat is ranked fourth, Telluride seventh, Beaver Creek eighth and Breckenridge ninth. Others ranked in the top 30 are Vail (11), Winter Park (14), Copper Mountain (15), Crested Butte (18), Keystone (27) and Arapahoe Basin (28).

“Skiing Steamboat’s glades on a powder day is a bucket-list experience,” Ski Magazine said of the resort that trademarked the term champagne powder. “Forgiving pitches complement this mountain’s ultralight snow, and perfectly spaced aspens and spruces glitter with hoarfrost.”

Just typing that makes us want to close the computer, throw the skis in the car and set a course for Rabbit Ears Pass.

And how about this shout-out for unpretentious Arapahoe Basin? “After exiting the Epic Pass last season, the Crown Jewel of Summit County hopped on the Ikon and Mountain Collective Passes for 2019-2020, making A-Basin one of the most talked-about ski areas of the summer,” Ski Magazine wrote.

In the East, Tremblant in Quebec took top honors, with Vermont areas taking the next three places: Smuggler’s Notch (2), Mount Snow (3) and Killington (4). Whiteface, the mountain in New York where the 1932 and 1980 Lake Placid Olympics were held, rounds out the top five.

Courtesy of the Denver Post.

Dillon considers partnership with Historical Society to relocate structures to Town Park

#Dillon #Colorado

 A new partnership between the town of Dillon and the Summit Historical Society could be brewing as the two entities consider the possibility of bringing new museum experiences to Dillon’s Town Park.

Representatives from the Summit Historical Society were in attendance at Dillon’s regular Town Council meeting Tuesday night to pitch the idea for new museum integrations into the Town Park, developed in cooperation with Dillon’s Public Works Director Scott O’Brien and other staff.

“Our purpose today is figuring out, how do we engage the town? How do we become more active partners with the town in both walkability and getting people moving over toward the Historical Society,” said Sally Queen, acting executive director of the Historical Society. “What makes things exciting is part of the planning process: Where do you have landscaping and outdoor signage that makes people want to move from one area to another and that makes them want to learn that history?” 

Queen noted that the idea popped up recently when the Historical Society was offered the Ray Hill Cabin — built in the 1960s — to add to its collection of historical sites. Queen noted that while the structure isn’t particularly old, it does help to provide a look at the evolution of the area’s cabins when juxtaposed to other sites like the Lulu Myers Cabin built in 1885 and the Honeymoon Cabin built in the 1930s. And while the Historical Society has grant money to move the building, they don’t have any land.

In comes the town of Dillon. O’Brien said the town has been considering concepts for the area — the northernmost part of the Town Park that leads into the museum — since 2013, hoping to create a more passive use for the area that wouldn’t affect nearby homes 

“In terms of our planning since then, we still have our passive use plan for that northern area, but we did meet with Sally and (Bruce Queen), and they presented us with a concept of some kind of historic campus that would connect to the Town Park, and have connections and walkability to the marina and the town center,” O’Brien said.

The idea is that the Historical Society would relocate historical structures to the Town Park, and Dillon would create a landscaped pathway through the area that guests could walk through. The concept presented Tuesday included the relocation of the Honeymoon Cabin and the Ray Hill Cabin into the park, along with the potential of other areas set aside for historic artifacts, gathering spaces, gardens and interpretive plazas. The concept also calls for informative signage to direct visitors through the area.

“The continuity would include similar signs that would provide snippets that lead you to another sign,” Queen said. “It would tie it all together.” 

For its part, the Town Council largely responded positively to the idea, and asked town staff and representatives with the Historical Society to continue pursuing the concept.

“I think it would be great,” council member Brad Bailey said. “A lot of people around here celebrate their history with little pocket parks that are well done. And I think we could incorporate something like that here in Town Park. I like having it in our backyard, and we could even make it more progressive and animate it in different ways to make it fun.”

O’Brien noted that the idea hadn’t been included in the Town Park Master Plan, though he said it would be an easy addition. It’s also unclear what the project would cost the town.

“I’m excited to see everyone on board, and I’m excited to see what this could turn into,” Mayor Carolyn Skowyra said. “I think this is so great, and I would love to see this as part of our Town Park.”

Courtesy Sumit Daily.

Colorado Department of Transportation reminds drivers of I-70 traction laws

#Colorado

Following Wednesday’s snowfall, a series of winter storms are set to hit the western parts of the state, and the Colorado Department of Transportation is asking motorists to make sure they’re ready for the conditions before hitting the road.

Storms are forecast to linger through Friday and are expected to impact mostly the High Country above 8,500 feet. CDOT already has issued advisories of potential travel impacts around the state, including in the Summit County area, where the department is expecting as much as 10 inches of heavy and blowing snow along the I-70 corridor, particularly near the Eisenhower Tunnel and Vail Pass.

Travelers should be aware of chain and traction law codes before heading out on the roadway. Passenger traction laws, Code 15, require all passenger vehicles to have appropriate all-weather tires with 3/16-inch depth treads. Vehicles must have one of the following: snow tires, tires with a mud/snow designation, chains or an alternative traction device such as an autosock. Four-wheel drive and all wheel drive vehicles must have snow tires or all-weather tires. The traction law is currently active and will remain active on I-70 between Dotsero and Morrison until May 31. 

Passenger chain laws, Code 16, require all passenger vehicles to have chains, except for four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles with all-weather tires and three-sixteenths of an inch tread depth. Commercial chain laws, Code 18, require all commercial vehicles and trucks to have chains.

For more information on weather forecasts and anticipated travel impacts, check out cotrip.org or sign up for CDOT alerts at bit.ly/coalerts.

Courtesy Summit Daily.

Late night Summit Stage bus route cutbacks to cause pain for some Summit County workers this winter

#Summit County #Colorad

Impending cuts to the county government-run Summit Stage bus service are leaving some local workers in a bind. The Summit Stage will be cutting late night routes on all of its major lines for the winter, cutting back most hourly routes to every two hours because of a bus driver shortage.

The Frisco to Breckenridge, Silverthorne to Dillon to Keystone, Boreas Pass Loop, Wildernest Loop, Silverthorne Loop, Silverthorne to Frisco and Copper Mountain routes are seeing late night cuts. While it is unknown how many people will be impacted by the cuts, Summit County Transit Director Curtis Garner said the county targeted relatively low ridership routes, which tend to be running late at night.

Taylor Godfrey, a chef who works at a restaurant in Keystone, is one local worker being impacted by the cuts. After getting out of work at midnight, she takes the 12:25 a.m. bus from Keystone to Dillon to Silverthorne and then transfers to the 1:15 a.m. bus home to Frisco. 

But starting Sunday, Nov. 24, that 12:25 a.m. route will stop running. The last bus of the night at 1:25 a.m. will continue. But that leaves service workers like Godfrey, who get out of work late and transfer to another route, stranded because there are no buses operating past 1:30 a.m., meaning no bus from Silverthorne to Frisco.

Godfrey said she has seen full buses of workers and revelers taking the same route home, meaning she is not the only person affected. 

Garner said that he, the transit board and Summit County government understand that these cuts were painful and that they were not made lightly. But the continuing reality of a lack of skilled workers in the county — in this case, qualified drivers with a commercial driver’s license or those willing to apply and get trained — forced the Summit Stage to make the cuts.

Garner said Summit Stage is experiencing a 13% shortage in staff, which means existing drivers are getting burned out working overtime and stretching their days to meet the existing schedule. That 13% staff shortage, he said, is resulting in a 4% cut in operating hours.

Courtesy Summit Daily.

Fannie Mae: Housing to help fuel economic growth in 2020

Housing could fuel economic growth for the first part of 2020, a new economic outlook from Fannie Mae shows.

Fannie Mae upgraded its economic outlook to a gross domestic product growth of 1.9% in 2020, according to its latest commentary from the Economic and Strategic Research Group.

 This is due to expected easing trade tensions, stimulative fiscal policies and continued consumer spending

This year, the third quarter added to GDP growth for the first time in more than 1.5 years, Fannie Mae’s data shows. And this growth is expected to continue into the second quarter of 2020.

Fannie Mae explained housing should also continue to function as a positive contributor to growth in the near term, as indicated by both new and existing single-family home sales advancing in the third quarter, as well as pending home sales, permits, and starts.

 However, persistent supply and affordability constraints continue to hold back household formation, inhibiting housing market activity.

“As we forecasted, housing supported the larger economy in the third quarter, and we expect it to continue to play a productive role through the first half of 2020,” said Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae senior vice president and chief economist. “Positive contributions from single-family housing construction, home improvements, and brokers fees pushed residential fixed investment growth to a robust 5.1% annualized pace this past quarter, and we forecast continued but moderating strength as construction activity and home sales growth continue at a slower pace.”

 

“With mortgage rates normalizing, we expect a decline in refinance activity in 2020, with the refinance share of originations dropping from a projected 37% in 2019 to 31%,” Duncan said. “Of course, the housing market as a whole remains constrained by the persistent supply and affordability issues, which is particularly unfortunate given the current strength of consumer demand for reasonably priced homes.”

Housing is contributing to growth, but consumer spending is expected to remain the primary driver of economic growth for the forecast horizon, and business fixed investment will benefit as additional corporate expenditures work to meet consumer demand.

“Even as global uncertainties mount, we continue to expect the domestic economy to produce solid, if not spectacular, growth,” Duncan said. “A stronger-than-expected third quarter contributed to the downward revision to our fourth-quarter forecast, as some of the previously expected weakness in trade and inventories appears likely to have been pushed back into this quarter. 

Still, consumer spending is likely to continue driving the expansion forward, and with the passage of the budget act and a reprieve in trade tensions we’ve revised upward our forecast for full-year 2020 growth.”

But risks still remain on the horizon. For example, trade talks between the U.S. and China continue to pose negative risks to economic growth. And because of this uncertainty, Fannie Mae predicts we could see one last rate cut from the Federal Reserve in early 2029 before pausing for the rest of the year.

“We also continue to expect the Fed to cut interest rates only one more time in the foreseeable future, in early 2020, as a hedge against the sizeable downside risks and to counteract muted inflation,” Duncan said.

Courtesy of Housingwire newsletter.

Frisco offers assistance to woners in properly working through the licensing process for short-term rentals

#Frisco #Colorado

Michael Yearout Photography

The town of Frisco is offering a help session for those who rent their properties short-term, hoping to assist owners in properly working through the licensing process.

The session will include presentations to assist short-term rental owners in complying with Frisco’s requirements for short-term rental licensing and the remittance of sales and lodging tax.

Anyone renting, or seeking to rent, a property in Frisco for less than 30 consecutive days must apply for a short-term rental license, regardless of how the property is marketed. Along with a yearly $125 fee, the license has some specific requirements, including a life safety affidavit, a responsible agent agreement, a parking plan and several other documents to complete the process. 

At the help session, Frisco staff will walk applicants through the required documents and online tools they’ll need for their license. Staff also will be available to answer questions about the requirements.

The sessions will take place from 1-6 p.m. Dec. 3 at Frisco Town Hall. More information about short-term rental licensing and tax requirements is available at friscoshorttermrental.com.

Courtesy Summit Daily.

November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month

#Frisco #Colorado

Tinkerbell | Michael Yearout Photography

November is Adopt-a-Senior Month, and locals are encouraged to consider adopting older animals that might be getting on in years but are just as loving, loyal and cute as the young’uns.

Extolling the joys and virtues of adopting a senior pet is Silverthorne Mayor Ann-Marie Sandquist, who recently adopted a 12-year-old great Dane-Labrador mix named Buddy. Sandquist was looking to find a companion for her four-year-old golden retriever, Rippy, who hasn’t had a friend since his sibling had passed.

Sandquist considered getting another puppy from a breeder, but got to thinking that there was a dog out there that needed her and her family. 

“Then I thought, maybe we should be looking at older dogs,” Sandquist said. “Older dogs are harder to adopt, and everyone wants a puppy, and so we went around looking for one.”

Sandquist said she came across Buddy, and said he had a “great face” and seemed like head a good personality. She took him for a walk outside the shelter, and noticed that he was a bit stressed out. 

“We didn’t bond initially, and I think it’s because so many people had come to see him and had not adopted him, so he didn’t know what was going on,” Sandquist said.

But when they went back inside, he was happy to see the shelter staff he recognized and was really affectionate.

“That told me that he was okay, and just stressed out,” Sandquist said.

After meeting Rippy and hitting it off, Buddy got adopted and now the old boy has a new family, thanks to his owner’s willingness to take a chance. Even though the 80-pound pooch is considered “elderly,” Sandquist said he’s still very spry, wrestling and chasing his brother and living his best doggy life.

“One thing to understand about older dogs, is that they’re wise,” Sandquist said. “For people who have never had a dog, they’re great since they’re already trained and understand what’s going on. I think it’s even better than getting a puppy.”

Based on her experience, Sandquist urged potential owners to be patient with senior dogs when they first meet, as they’ve probably been through the wringer and might take a little time to warm up.

“Don’t assume everything about an animal at the initial greeting,” Sandquist said. “Understand the situation they’re in and give them a break. See how they interact with staff. Remember that they’re scared, too.”

Please don't forget there are older cats available for adoption as well.

To find a new old friend, visit the Summit County Animal Shelter or call the shelter at 970-668-3230 for more information.

Summit Public Radio & TV hopes to raise $450,000 to keep broadcasting free TV and radio

#Breckenridge #Colorado

Many folks in Summit County don’t know it, but even in the High Country, you can still put some rabbit ears on any old TV and watch broadcast channels without the need for a cable or satellite subscription. There also are radio stations — like Colorado Public Radio, Spanish language news and music — that can be tuned into even though their original transmissions can’t get over the mountain range.

Those radio stations and TV channels are available in Summit thanks to a little shack on Bald Mountain, which houses transmission equipment that relays signals from the Front Range and Eagle County and pumps them across Summit County. But the transmission station is aging and needs a new power line, and the folks who run it are seeking help from the public to keep free TV and radio broadcasting across Summit.

That transmission station and the service it provides is maintained by a small group of people who make up Summit Public Radio & TV, a volunteer-run nonprofit. 

The organization started operations in 1957, when locals wanted to find a way to bring TV and radio to the Blue River Valley. Back then, the placement of the transmission station was determined using an International Harvester Travelall four-wheel drive rambling truck, which roamed around the mountains with a television and antenna trying to find a location with the best signal to rebroadcast.

The spot with the best reception was on a ridge nearly 1,000 feet from the peak of Bald Mountain. The shack was erected and fitted with a television translator powered by a gas-fueled generator. To keep the transmission station running, a volunteer would drive up to the station every day for a month to refill the generator, which ran out of fuel and cut transmission daily. 

The reception quality in the valley was good, and residents decided a permanent power supply was needed. So a bunch of volunteers stepped up to build a power line up the mountain using salvaged utility poles from nearby mines. The power line was built from French Gulch up to a transformer on Bald Mountain and once electricity started flowing up to the station, free TV went live in Summit and has continued to operate ever since.

At the moment, the media nonprofit transmits 11 TV channels, including the regional CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox affiliates, Rocky Mountain PBS and Colorado Public Television. The station also transmits 6 FM stations, including KUNC for National Public Radio on 88.1 and 90.7, KCME All Classical on 89.3, KUVO Jazz on 89.7, KQSE Spanish on 107.1, KSKE Country on 95.3 and The Colorado Sound on 94.3.

Tim Orwick, a board member for the nonprofit, said the power was boosted in the ’70s but hasn’t been upgraded since despite growing demand.

“We’ve pretty much maxed out the capability of that power line,” Orwick said. “Voles and marmots and other critters have eaten away at insulation at places. We’ve had a few minor faults, power leaks and loss over the length of the cable.”

Orwick said the nonprofit has been worried for the past eight or nine years that the transmitter will stop working one day due to a break in the power line, which runs for two miles across rocky and steep terrain. The current power going to the transmitter is 480 watts, and the organization is seeking a new power line that supplies up to 14,000 watts.

The nonprofit has been working since 2011 to upgrade the power, but the cost is exorbitant.

“We went to Xcel, asked if they would put in a power line, and they said, ‘Sure, just write us a check for half a million,’” Orwick said. “We have a budget of about $50,000 a year.”

Orwick said they then consulted with people in the power business, who advised that the project would take multiple years to complete, with the need to install a switching cabinet, a new transformer and other equipment aside from the power line itself. 

The nonprofit also would need to run the line across multiple old mining claims, town of Breckenridge open space, county property and U.S. Forest Service public lands. Aside from negotiating easements across those various properties, the media group would need approval from the Forest Service after an environmental assessment for the new power line. That permitting process is underway after amendments to the power line route and design.

Orwick and other board members are now seeking help from the county, other town governments and residents to help fund the power upgrade along with trying to speed the permitting process along as the board files for a special-use permit from the Forest Service. 

Out of the $450,000 the nonprofit is trying to raise through its Power the Towers campaign, it already has raised $250,000 from a variety of sources including the county and town governments, private companies and individual donors. Orwick said the new power line would be an investment for the community, with the boosted power allowing the possibility of additional over-the-air channels broadcast across the valley along with attracting other users to the site, including broadband providers, network security and private-user networks.

As far as the permitting, Orwick said the public could help by writing to the Forest Service and encouraging it to expedite approval of permits required for the power line.

To learn more about Summit Public Radio & TV, to inquire about donating to the Power the Tower campaign or to see if you are able to receive over-the-air television, visit the nonprofit’s website at sprtv.org.

Courtesy Summit Daily.