Moving to Blanca, Costilla County. Please tell me about this area (San Luis: buyers, subdivision)

[Honest Abby]

Government websites resources say it can be contacted through contaminated dust. For Yahoo search results on this subject matter type the following words: hantavirus dust gov

And, "Yes", Colorado Rambler, those mouse/rats do move in an quickly if there are any openings. They squeezed in through the water hose opening on our RV, several of them. It was a total pain for us too.

[Honest Abby]

I've got to share these one with all of you. Being that I was a realtor in my previous state, my new made friends from N.Y. wanted me to read their Warranty Deed for land they purchased in Blanca. I am telling you, basically they had paid land they will never have total control of.

The worst thing is that the owner who sold to them retains gazing rights for his cattle. His cattle can leave big fly attracting patties and hoof indentions all over the land and they have no say so about it. Come on, that is not right. How many people does he keep ripping off year after year through Ebay/other websites and making their lives miserable.

The land he sells is far from electricity and electricity will cost an arm and a leg to get (Not mentioned on Ebay/other websites.), he retains cattle grazing rights (Not mentioned on Ebay/other websites.) and people it goes on and on. So, ask questions like: How far is electricity from the land? Who is the electric company? How many neighbors have electricity? Can I have their names? Do you retain the grazing rights? Will I ever be able to raise livestock on that land?

And, here is another one. I will not mention the town only that it is close to the Sand Dunes turn off. The utility hook ups for that town cost almost ten thousand for just two of them and they are mandatory. They people who were fooled into buying those lots can't even sell them for the money they paid. They try selling in packages and not even then will people buy them.

Costilla County is the worst for mandatory permits. They have many and it will cost you. I was very upset when I asked about the mandatory permits. They are few hundreds, over a thousand. I came very close to asking them if I needed a permit to wipe myself in their county. Come on, there's trashy towns all over the place and those people in zoning are acting like it's Hawaii or some great place. Worst of all is that they are acting like they are deep seated Christians with that Station of the Cross mountain but then they turn around and make it a living HELL with tons of costly permits for everyone who wants to settle in Costilla County.

I am still hoping that when I finish building up my place here in SLV I can find a fool to buy it and I can move to beautiful Oregon. I'd rather be in beautiful Oregon which passed legal marijuana and will not break money bank with all the permits, high cost of electrical hook up, and water well drilling costs. Those people can keep their SLV (Sorry Living Valley) sand-filled, rodent infested, fly biting, high sand/dust winds, etc...

[Honest Abby]

The total price I paid for permits was over two thousand. With water and electrical, utilities only, I am close to thirty thousand and that is because I asked how close were the electrical poles to my land. It took a big bite that's why I am venting. Others have paid over thirty five thousand for the electrical hook up alone and that is cheap compared to the quotes others have gotten. Some people will probably never have electricity. A neighbor three miles from my place has lived without electricity for several years because of the outrageous price they were quoted. It breaks my heart and I don't care to be living in this valley and hearing about things like this.

It gets very cold in this area Sunday it's suppose to be 9 degrees according to accuweather. People need electricity to keep warm.

How can the state of Colorado allow one electric company to monopolize the whole region and do this to its people? How can the state of Colorado allow the water well companies to scam people out of money by using the volcano activity as a cover up? How come people don't demand and bring up a ballot vote on lowering the cost of the zoning permits for Costilla County?

[StarrySkiesAbove]

Perhaps you should have done your research before choosing to move to a new location based solely on the fact that they legalized marijuana.

[Floridian88]

So I've read a lot on this forum and have to ask. Most of these lists are from 2009. Has anyone actually built on the land out here? Myself and some veteran buddy's want to buy land to shoot on, camp, etc. we are grown men not hillbillies or teenagers. If we wanted land just to camp on and LITERALLY escape reality is this the place? Thanks for any advice

[Littlekw]

Originally Posted by Floridian88

So I've read a lot on this forum and have to ask. Most of these lists are from 2009. Has anyone actually built on the land out here? Myself and some veteran buddy's want to buy land to shoot on, camp, etc. we are grown men not hillbillies or teenagers. If we wanted land just to camp on and LITERALLY escape reality is this the place? Thanks for any advice

People do build on the lots out there. Not many, because most buy the land online for cheap and either never even visit it or do visit and realize it's not what they expected.

I'm a little confused by your post. Are you wanting to build, or just camp? The Blance area is fine for camping, but it's really flat and covered in sagebrush. The mountains are close, but Blanca and the nearby subdivisions are NOT in the mountains. If you want to camp in the flats, it'd be fine. There isn't much to shoot at unless you put up targets or go hunting on forest service land.

Check HOA and subdivision rules before you buy. Some allow camping, some don't. Some allow shooting and some don't. Most have no way to enforce any rules because of how underdevolped they are and Costilla County is too poor to enforce much either, until a neighbor complains. You say you aren't hillbillies, but a lot of that area is. That's not a detriment, it's just the reality of the area.

[StarrySkiesAbove]

A lot of the available land is on platted lots on the valley floor. It's not conducive to safely shooting on your own land due to a lack of backstops. You could create an earthen berm as a backstop but many of these rural "subdivisions" don't allow recreational shooting on those lots. The area is close to forest service lands however which have some spots you can safely shoot in. If you are wanting to sit on your lot and target shoot you would probably have to stick with bb guns.

[Mr.frog]

id like to hear from some one who has actualy built on the land. what kind of hoops do i have to jump through for all these permits i will need? and how small of a house can i build? i planned on living in my camper on the land until i was finished with my house but i guess thats not allowed? im having a VERY hard time learning what i AM allowed to do on my own land. i have read the land use code, and it is not simplified enough for me to truely understand. i bought 5 acres out that way (and the terrain and weather do not bother me at all) but i can seem to figure out what kind money it will cost me for permits and things like that. i just want a very small home with a septic tank a cistern and solor/wind power.

can anyone help me understand what i can build on my land as far as minimum sq ft home?

[Rainbow Demon]

Originally Posted by Mr.frog

id like to hear from some one who has actualy built on the land. what kind of hoops do i have to jump through for all these permits i will need? and how small of a house can i build? i planned on living in my camper on the land until i was finished with my house but i guess thats not allowed? im having a VERY hard time learning what i AM allowed to do on my own land. i have read the land use code, and it is not simplified enough for me to truely understand. i bought 5 acres out that way (and the terrain and weather do not bother me at all) but i can seem to figure out what kind money it will cost me for permits and things like that. i just want a very small home with a septic tank a cistern and solor/wind power.

can anyone help me understand what i can build on my land as far as minimum sq ft home?

600 sq ft is the minimum size dwelling allowed in Costilla county according to this document

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite...&ssbinary=true


I would be more concerned about WATER. A cistern will work but hauling water (or anything else) isn't a cheap proposition.

good luck

[Mr.frog]

thanks.