The values of integrity and self reliance guided decisions, actions and interactions of the Old West pioneers. In keeping with that spirit, we offer this information to help the citizens of Grand County who wish to follow in the footsteps of those rugged individualists by living outside city limits.

It is important for you to know that life in the country is different from life in the city. County governments are not able to provide the same level of service that city governments provide. To that end, we are providing you with thw following information to help you make an educated and informed decision to purchase rural land.

The fact that you can drive to your property does not necessarily guarantee that you, your guests, and emergency vehicles can achieve that same level of access at all times. Please concider:

Emergency responce times (sheriff, fire supression, medical care, etc.) cannot be guaranteed. Under some extreme conditions, you may find that emergency responce is extremely slow and expensive.

There can be problems with the legal aspects of access, especially if you gain access across property belonging to others. It is wise to obtain legal advice when these types of questions arise.

You may experience problems with maintenance and cost of maintenance of your road. Grand County maintains well over 750 miles of roads, but many rural properties are served by private and public roads which are maintained by private road associations.

There are even some county roads that are not maintained by the county - no grading or snow plowing. Make sure you know what tyype of maintenance to expect and who will provide that maintenance.

Extreme weather conditions can destroy roads and driveways. It is wise to see that your driveway was properly engineered and constructed.

Many large construction vehicles and County trucks cannot navigate small narrow roads. If you plan to build, it is prudent to check out construction access.

School busses travel only on State highways in East Grand County and maintained county roads in West Grand County, not inside subdivisions. You may need to drive your children to the nearest county road so they can get to school.

In extreme weather, county roads can become impassable. You may need a four wheel drive vehicle with chains for all four wheels to travel during those episodes.

Please understand that the County cannot plow everyone's road at 7:00 A.M. Also, there will be a snow ridge at your driveway which we cannot control.

Gravel roads generate dust. When traffic levels reach specific level, Grand County may treat main county roads to suppress the dust, but dust is still a fact of life for most rural residents.

If your road is gravel, it is highly unlikely that Grand County will pave it in the foreseeable future.

Check carefully with the county road and bridge department when any statement is made by the seller of any property that indicates any gravel roads will be paved!

Even though you may pay property taxes to the county, the amount of tax collected does not cover the cost of the services provided to rural residents. In general, those living in the cities subsidize the lifestyle of those who live in the country by making up the shortfall between the cost of services and the revenues received from rural dwellers.

This information is by no means exhaustive. There are other issues that you may encounter that we have overlooked and we encourage you to be vigilant in your duties to explore and examine those things that could cuase your move to be less than you expect.

Wehave offered these comments in the sincere hope that it can help you enjoy your decision to reside in the mountains. It is not our intent to dissuade you, only inform you.