Forest Service and Town of Rico intended for the custody and responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the Burnett Creek bridge to be transferred to the Town 30 years ago.

top image
Dolores River bridge at Rico CO
Ore Cart photo
December 25, 2022

Rico Board of Trustees meeting
December 21, 2022

by Allyn Svoboda
Publisher

Contents

1. Forest Service proposes bridge and road ownership transfer to Town of Rico
2. Subdivision and PUD new applications temporary moratorium approved
3. Fiberoptic Internet project installation contractor selection underway
4. One subdivision disturbance permit approved, another continued to January 18

1. Forest Service proposes bridge and road ownership transfer to Town of Rico

U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Road 422, also known as Burnett Creek Road, begins at the Mantz Avenue intersection with Glasgow Ave/Hwy 145, and includes Mantz Ave west of the highway, portions of River and Picker Streets, and all of Eder Street in Rico. USFS proposed an ownership transfer of the “Burnett Creek Bridge” crossing the Dolores River at Rico in a November 2022 correspondence from the San Juan National Forest Supervisor at Durango.

- excerpt below -

from:
Kara Chadwick, Forest Supervisor
San Juan National Forest
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Durango CO
November 8, 2022

to:
Rico Mayor Nicole Pieterse

. . . The Forest Service does not have any records that the agency constructed, owns, holds easements for, is responsible for, or has maintained the portion of road within the Town limits. According to the Rico Town Manager and County Recorder and Assessors Office, the Town does not have any records regarding the ownership of this road. It is our understanding that the Town or County has maintained this portion of road for more than 30 years. The Forest Service is updating its records to reflect that the portion of road within the Town boundary is not an NFS Rd.

In 1991, the Forest Service reconstructed the Burnett Creek bridge, which crosses the Dolores River on this portion of road, to improve access to NFS Road 422 and NFS lands. According to the agency's files, this was based on an informal agreement with the Town of Rico and Dolores County. The Forest Service and the town intended for the custody and responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the Burnett Creek bridge to be transferred to the town of Rico. Please see the enclosed letter from William T Sexton, Forest Supervisor dated June 2, 1992, to Jim Greene, Mayor of Rico. However, this transfer never occurred according to Town and agency records. It is our understanding the Town of Rico is still interested in the transfer of the Burnett Creek bridge, and we have drafted the enclosed agreement for the town's consideration. . . .

source:
Rico Board of Trustees
December 2022 Meeting Packet

^{_ _}

USFS provided an Agreement for ownership transfer of "Burnett Creek Bridge" to Town of Rico in the November 8, 2022 correspondence. Town's legal advisers are reviewing the proposal.

U.S. Forest Service map shows route of NFS Road 422 (yellow) in Rico and location of "Burnett Creek Bridge" crossing Dolores River.

map from
Rico Board of Trustees
December 2022 Meeting Packet

U.S. Forest Service USFS Interactive Visitor Map of Rico and Burnett Creek area.

Title, road colors and labels
added by Ore Cart

2. Subdivision and PUD new applications temporary moratorium approved

Town may need to reactivate Silver Creek surface water source if population growth exceeds existing North well water right.

Trustees approved Ordinance No. 2022-13, an Emergency Ordinance, enacting a temporary moratorium on the acceptance of applications for major or minor subdivisions, and residential or commercial planned unit developments. Reasons for this temporary moratorium are:

• number of possible building sites exceeds Town’s water rights capacity to deliver service.
• Colorado water division engineer objects to transferring Town’s Silver Creek point of diversion to another location.

At page 78 of the Trustees meeting packet, Town Manager McCarthy explains why a moratorium is needed:

According to the Harris Engineering report the town currently has enough water rights for 400 taps. There are over 700 possible building sites within the Town of Rico. We currently have 275 taps within the town and have forecasted an additional 20 connections within the next two years. With the state engineer objecting to the alternative point of diversion the town will need to reactivate Silver Creek. The proposed moratorium will allow the town and legal to design and implement impact fees.

_ _ _

Town of Rico previously proposed reactivating the Silver Creek surface water supply as a property tax proposal in 2021. Estimated cost was $4 million.

Rico’s legal advisers are finalizing Ordinance No. 2022-13. Once completed the ordinance will be made part of the public record and sent to all Board members.

more info
Ore Cart - May 5, 2021
> scroll down to Re-activating the Silver Creek water system

3. Fiberoptic Internet project installation contractor selection underway

Rico Internet committee member Jim Ostrem provided an update on the Colorado Broadband Fund grant award, timeline, and next steps. Rico’s telephone and Internet service provider, Direct Communications, is mapping and evaluating existing conduit in some alleys for possible use. Direct Communications has received competitive bids from contractors for the upgrade to fiberoptic Internet in Rico, but has not yet selected one. After selection, contractor will have 24 months to complete work, but the project may be completed in summer 2023.

more info
Town Trustees Appoint Internet Committee
> Ore Cart - October 24, 2021

4. One subdivision disturbance permit approved, another continued to January 18

A proposed culvert at Iron Draw and shared driveway within a wetlands buffer zone require Dolores River Trail Development applicants to obtain a disturbance permit before improvements can be constructed.

The Rico Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on December 14, 2022 and recommended approval of the disturbance permit for the Dolores River Trail Subdivision with conditions. Rico Board of Trustees voted to approve the permit at its December 21 meeting.

Source:
Rico Board of Trustees December 21, 2022 Meeting Packet pages 31 and 63
2 maps combined by Ore Cart - labels added

Planning Commission also conducted a public hearing December 14 on a disturbance permit application at the Sam Patch patented mining claim to construct two small irrigation ponds within the restrictive inner buffer zone of wetlands. Applicant has been working with regional water commissioner, Dolores Water Conservation District, and has a proposed decree filed in water court.

Planning Commission recommended approval of this disturbance permit. Board of Trustees voted to “continue” consideration to the January 18, 2023 Board of Trustees meeting, to allow for more information about the ponds to be submitted by applicant.

Source:
Rico Board of Trustees
December 2022 Meeting Packet

more info
Ore Cart March 13, 2022
> scroll down to 2) Dolores River Trail Subdivision

SUBSCRIBE to Rico Ore Cart
new report announcements
- -
enter email address below