Moving to Blanca, Costilla County. Please tell me about this area (Alamosa: rent, live)

[davemstt]

Are there some counties that are less restrictive on what you build? If I had something "back of beyond" I could use a generator while I was there and bring in my own water.

[Rainbow Demon]

the Meadowlark Herald: Life with no building or zoning codes works out "OK" <<<< a brief overview of counties where codes are not required....other than State codes that is (water/electric/etc/). Keep in mind that some counties are looking into tightening up regs as we speak

Most counties allow for camping during construction or for a specified period during the year. My county allows 90 days per year. After that, you are considered "living there". If all you want is a boonie camp for occasional visits/less than 90 days per year......use an RV.

Keep in mind...building something out of code/on the sly means you will never truly be able to sell it legally and recoup any of your investment. Illegal sq footage is illegal sq footage. It all depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Super cheap living in the here/now...or setting yourself up for the future. Many folks cannot distinguish between the two and have no idea how harsh the climate is here on structures and infrastructures.

There are multiple camps on my road that are 2-3 RV's that are parked and tarped all winter...and only visited a few times a year. They have wells and septics in place....but no formal homes. Nobody cares because they ARE NOT TRYING TO LIVE THERE.

Dunno what yer budget is. There are a few creekside lots for sale/homes for sale on my road but they aren't 5K per acre SLV-type affairs. (there's water/trees/creek/etc) More like 25-30K per acre.

I hope it works out for you.

[davemstt]

Thanks, still trying to weigh various options.

[w8qf]

For anyone interested in buying SLV property in Costilla county to live off grid be advised you will be arrested and incarcerated. The county is trying to force property owners to have well and septic installed before they will issue building permits. They are refusing to even allow EVERY occupation while building. Many have already been forced off of property they own and several have been jailed.

[debbie at bouontiful]

Wow - I thought was an area where people went to be off the grid.

[BornintheSprings]

Originally Posted by w8qf

For anyone interested in buying SLV property in Costilla county to live off grid be advised you will be arrested and incarcerated. The county is trying to force property owners to have well and septic installed before they will issue building permits. They are refusing to even allow EVERY occupation while building. Many have already been forced off of property they own and several have been jailed.

I can't believe it we live in a supposed free country who cares if some people want to go off the grid. Damn nanny state.

[ingmarbueb]

I traded two pinball machines (value $900)for 5 acres in svlr south unit 22,used to be worth 5000 now it's worth like nothing,officially tax value $2000,pay 38 bucks yearly.so much for people who claim the value goes up or you should go to a realtor.i am about 3 miles from the rio grande,theoretically I could get water there.next neighbor like a mile away,not a single structure on the entire block.(satellitepictures)
gonna go there this summer for the first time and leave some old bus there without values for the thieves.also will need to get a rifle. the area has twice the murder rate of the usa,actually worse than Camden nj.the area is also filled with sex offenders,blanca alone has 7 that is one of 55 people maybe a record in the usa,alamosa ain't much better.,so we'll be careful.
I hope we will have a nice month up there and look forward to the SKY and fire and weed.i will check out the water situation.
living there permanently is unlikely but would happen in case of a nuclear war with china and Russia which could very well happen in this century.in that case I believe no one gonna waste an expensive nuke on such an empty arid land therefor I figure survival chances are much better there,so it is kind of an emergency place to us.i hope we will have good holidays and make some friends in a very lonely place.

[Colorado Rambler]

Originally Posted by ingmarbueb

I traded two pinball machines (value $900)for 5 acres in svlr south unit 22,used to be worth 5000 now it's worth like nothing,officially tax value $2000,pay 38 bucks yearly.so much for people who claim the value goes up or you should go to a realtor.i am about 3 miles from the rio grande,theoretically I could get water there.next neighbor like a mile away,not a single structure on the entire block.(satellitepictures)
gonna go there this summer for the first time and leave some old bus there without values for the thieves.also will need to get a rifle. the area has twice the murder rate of the usa,actually worse than Camden nj.the area is also filled with sex offenders,blanca alone has 7 that is one of 55 people maybe a record in the usa,alamosa ain't much better.,so we'll be careful.
I hope we will have a nice month up there and look forward to the SKY and fire and weed.i will check out the water situation.
living there permanently is unlikely but would happen in case of a nuclear war with china and Russia which could very well happen in this century.in that case I believe no one gonna waste an expensive nuke on such an empty arid land therefor I figure survival chances are much better there,so it is kind of an emergency place to us.i hope we will have good holidays and make some friends in a very lonely place.

How many water shares came with your 5 acres? Does it state ANYWHERE in your legal paperwork that you may set up an irrigation system with the Rio Grande as its source? If not, it doesn't matter how far away your nearest neighbor is. Water in the West is allocated by a "first in time" principle - not who is closest to the river or irrigation ditch. Start illegally siphoning water out of the Rio Grande illegally, and you are going to meet a whole bunch of people from the SLV very soon, and none of them are going to want to be your new BBF. Your best bet may be to build a cistern and pay to have the water hauled to your property to fill it. As for surviving a nuclear war ANYWHERE, good luck. The global air currents will quickly enough spread all that radiation that is let off into the air all over the world, including the SLV. Good luck with the SLV, any future nuclear attacks and global climate change. My plan is to buy popcorn and get a front row seat and watch whatever show the future may put on.

[ingmarbueb]

o.k. maybe a little well,drilling
but thanks for the upfront answer

[ingmarbueb]

it don't rain much and the high mountains around protect from radioactive rain and the water is long time there well filtered 100 feet under ground,it should be a better place than a city in a nuclear war