Colorado Open Chat Thread (Colorado Springs, Estes Park: houses, land, snake)

[Mike from back east]

I look at homes on www.realtor.com and see homes being rated at a certain level of risk. Listings show a link to a rating firm called 'Risk Factor' who have a scheme for levels of risk from flooding, wildfire, heat, and wind. If they believe there's a 1% chance of a fire this year then they rate that home as an extreme risk. As home builders keep packing homes ever-closer to one another the risk of fire jumping from one to another goes way up, especially in windy areas like the Front Range of Colorado. We saw this wind/fire dynamic in both the Waldo Canyon Fire and the Black Forest Fire where strong winds turned each of those fires into a blowtorch.

Validity or accuracy of such a rating scheme is debatable. I suspect it's a home-grown corporate scheme and not a governmental devised criteria. I suspect insurance companies look at this risk and either apply a higher premium to an insurance policy or outright decline to issue a policy to cover the home.

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

I look at homes on www.realtor.com and see homes being rated at a certain level of risk. Listings show a link to a rating firm called 'Risk Factor' who have a scheme for levels of risk from flooding, wildfire, heat, and wind. corporate scheme and not a governmental devised criteria. I suspect insurance companies look at this risk and either apply a higher premium to an insurance policy or outright decline to issue a policy to cover the home.

FEMA has evaluations of risks from various natural disasters for the entire U.S. Click on the maps and you can circle in on individual areas. Here is the link for wildfires -- the links for the risks of other types of natural disasters is on the right. https://hazards.fema.gov/nri/wildfire

I know at least one city in Colorado - Fort Collins - also makes some of FEMA data available on their website. For instance, I know you can look up the risk of flooding in Fort Collins for particular addresses on the City of Fort Collins website. I'm guessing other cities may have something similar. Some CO counties may as well. If you're looking at buying a home or moving, it might be worth checking the city and county disaster preparedness sites to see what info they have too.

[Mike from back east]

Rosie, thanks for the map which corrects what I said, so YES, there is a Federal guideline and it includes 18 types of risk.

[Brill]

Last weekend was on my way back from Denver on I-25 south. In Monument, i-25N, there was a car that flipped over causing a huge backup. The traffic on the unimpacted southbound side was just as bad because everyone was stopping to look. Can we build a giant wall in the middle of I-25 to people can't see whats happening on the other side?

Once I passed the wreck. First responders were trying to get to the scene. Seeing emergency vehicles trying to get through the traffic because very few were stopping to clear a path for the emergency vehicles.

While I was sitting in traffic, I observed a large number of black license plates. Is the black license plate going to be forced on me if I ever get a new car? I'm not a fan of those.

[cowboyxjon]

Originally Posted by Brill

While I was sitting in traffic, I observed a large number of black license plates. Is the black license plate going to be forced on me if I ever get a new car? I'm not a fan of those.

No, the black license plate is an optional/special plate that you can get for an additional fee. I think the extra fee is used to fund some type of program for folks with disabilities, but I’m not 100% sure on that.

The default plate is still the one with the white mountains, green sky, and raised lettering (yay), although when you get a new car, you’ll be forced to get a new plate but you can still avoid the black plate.

[jim9251]

The blacked-out Colorado license plate with white lettering is one of four historical license plate backgrounds the state is offering.

The throwback black background design is based on the 1945 Colorado license plate.

The Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) also offers a blue background based on the 1914 Colorado license plate, red for the 1915 plate, and a green background based on the 1962-1999 Colorado license plate.

The four historical Colorado license plate backgrounds are available from all county departments of motor vehicles or online, with $25 from the sale of each going to the Colorado Disability Funding Committee.

[Brill]

Thanks. The white/green one is what I want to keep.

[parfleche]

noticed looking east from my house the laplata mountains got their first dusting of snow.winter is coming.

[COcheesehead]

Originally Posted by jim9251

The blacked-out Colorado license plate with white lettering is one of four historical license plate backgrounds the state is offering.

The throwback black background design is based on the 1945 Colorado license plate.

The Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) also offers a blue background based on the 1914 Colorado license plate, red for the 1915 plate, and a green background based on the 1962-1999 Colorado license plate.

The four historical Colorado license plate backgrounds are available from all county departments of motor vehicles or online, with $25 from the sale of each going to the Colorado Disability Funding Committee.

Black is the most popular of the new designs.

[mtngigi]

Originally Posted by COcheesehead

Here are a few other good songs involving Colorado to replace that JD one.

Colorado by Ward Davis
Someday Soon by Judy Collins
Colorado by Paper Bird

I love Someday Soon. Saw her at the Pikes Peak Center - it was a flawless performance.

I'll add another. "Colorado Girl" by Texas singer/songwriter Townes van Zandt.