Anywhere in CO with "loose" zoning or "easy" permits? (Trinidad: apartments, leases)

[LemonYellow]

There are several other states where you dont really have to worry about codes, or get permits, or worry too much about zoning.

Not trying to debate if this is a good idea or not! lol




I was wondering if anywhere in CO is a bit "looser"? Specifially I have noticed alot of "only one residence" allowed... and I want to be able to build a couple of cabins/small houses/etc... for my kids with special needs in the event that they can't live completely on their own... But at the same time are not in my house until we are all 100.


So basically I want land/animals. I want a house. AND I want to build a couple of small places for my kids too. NOT a duplex.


But everything I have seen says only one residence built. Or there have been a few houses with guest houses on them in the hal a million dollar range +.



Am I making any sense?



Does anyone know of any counties where it would not take a miracle and a million dollars to do this?




Thanks for your help! I am just trying to figure out if I truly need to move out of state to do this.

[sunsprit]

Have you considered buying an ag parcel on the Eastern plains of Colorado, where you can have your livestock and "elbow room"?

I've seen a lot of farms where they had a main residence and a few "guest" homes that were intended for extended family use.

We checked out a couple of places like this in the Nunn/Wellington area a few years ago, with multiple residences on 60-100 acre parcels. Most were in the $300K price range. One had a modular house on a permanent foundation w/basement that the family lived in until they built a stick-built larger home on the parcel, about 100 yards away. Nothing fancy, but certainly not $1mil type property ....

[M3 Mitch]

When I lived in Weld County, I don't know if it's Colorado-wide or just that county, but you couldn't build on a parcel less than 20 acres. Existing country places were "grandfathered" and you could buy them, but at a premium. The eastern plains of CO, at least to me, were not particularly appealing. Full disclosure - this was 20 years ago, things may have changed.

[ColoWeb]

not sure if it still the case but I believe many "older" areas in Watkins where in that idea of you get x acres and I know some people build several property/business on it. Of course the newer houses that are built there now is not in that "area" but perhaps the older properties can still do so.

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by LemonYellow

There are several other states where you dont really have to worry about codes, or get permits, or worry too much about zoning.

Not trying to debate if this is a good idea or not! lol




I was wondering if anywhere in CO is a bit "looser"? Specifially I have noticed alot of "only one residence" allowed... and I want to be able to build a couple of cabins/small houses/etc... for my kids with special needs in the event that they can't live completely on their own... But at the same time are not in my house until we are all 100.


So basically I want land/animals. I want a house. AND I want to build a couple of small places for my kids too. NOT a duplex.


But everything I have seen says only one residence built. Or there have been a few houses with guest houses on them in the hal a million dollar range +.



Am I making any sense?



Does anyone know of any counties where it would not take a miracle and a million dollars to do this?




Thanks for your help! I am just trying to figure out if I truly need to move out of state to do this.

I'd shoot for New Mexico if I were you. They seem to be less "uptight" about such things, in my experience.

20yrsinBranson
lived in Colorado before

[StealthRabbit]

I agree that NM would be much less hassle. You should be able to build an 'auxiliary' living structure for 'hardship / family care'. You can also Usually build additional structures that are lacking a kitchen range, and they will not be considered 'full-time' apartment / living. Septic size / soil type will be restricting factor (They can limit by # of bedrooms or plumbing Fixture load).

I have also built very nice apartments INSIDE a shop. My neighbor has a 120 x 200 shop with an internal 2500 SF apartment (2 story + loft, all in one end), nice interior (cherry cabinets, marble / SS appliances). Large windows overlooking spectacular Mountain view and not visible from the road (or tax assessor). A Big dog and No Trespassing signs have worked for last 15 yrs. (Original permit allowed for a small living space inside shop).

[LemonYellow]

I would prefer to avoid eastern CO. Truth be I don't like the look of it. And I would like to avoid the areas that tend to have frequent tornadoes. I know they can happen anywhere... but there are parts they happen ALOT more.



I have been considering NM and MO too.



Thanks for the replies!

[sunsprit]

OP, the "tone" of your postings suggests that you don't want to spend a lot of money to acquire land and a place for your animals, as well as room for multiple houses. If that's the case, then you are looking at heading out to the predominantly "ag" or less developed areas of Colorado, where land is less expensive ... which means out of the pricey mountain areas.

Perhaps Trinidad or down in the San Luis Valley area?

[LemonYellow]

Yes I don't want to spend half a million+ for land. I want to be in the "under" that category.


I completely understand that CO is not priced ANYTHING like other places (Missouri for example). I also know that much of the "good" land was "taken" long ago and is currently various tourist traps.


I have looked all over and I know going much farther south the land is less (especially Sand Dunes/Walsenburg/etc...) areas.



I just don't know all the "laws/codes" everywhere and was hoping someone who may have already been there and done that might be able to point me in the right direction.




I am 99% positive what I want/need is not in CO. Even if I were to spend millions it would not give me 100% as there are water and mineral issues in CO.

But alas most of my family and friends are in CO, so I wanted to make one more "attempt" to find something close to 80%+ of what I want, so I know I really did try my hardest. If there was an area that maybe I had overlooked that I actually like and was not "barren" or surrounded by GMO corn fields and pesticide drift, I wanted to give it a fair look before moving on.



Thanks for the help everyone!

[triciajeanne]

Good morning! Ah ha! You may be giving me the words I need! I am trying to figure out how to live inside the place that I work. And not get caught up in inane zoning issues. It would be so much easier to experiment with business concepts if one did not have to maintain a residence and a business location, locking you into leases for multiple places and possibly setting one up for failure in those early years of experimentation. I need to incubate whatever I do within my residence or reside myself within my incubator as my ideas/my dreams evolve...........where oh where does such a place exist?

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

I agree that NM would be much less hassle. You should be able to build an 'auxiliary' living structure for 'hardship / family care'. You can also Usually build additional structures that are lacking a kitchen range, and they will not be considered 'full-time' apartment / living. Septic size / soil type will be restricting factor (They can limit by # of bedrooms or plumbing Fixture load).

I have also built very nice apartments INSIDE a shop. My neighbor has a 120 x 200 shop with an internal 2500 SF apartment (2 story + loft, all in one end), nice interior (cherry cabinets, marble / SS appliances). Large windows overlooking spectacular Mountain view and not visible from the road (or tax assessor). A Big dog and No Trespassing signs have worked for last 15 yrs. (Original permit allowed for a small living space inside shop).