Pre-Cleared Hillside Lot With Underground Utilities In Upscale Forested Community

The subject property is a 2.57 acre lot located in Forbes Park, an upscale residential subdivision situated just south of Highway 160 and west of the La Veta pass.

Set amongst the high alpine valley, fir forests and snowcapped mountains of the surrounding Sangre De Cristo range, this gated community is the perfect home for those looking for an exclusive setting with rustic mountain charm.

When we speak of property we typically use an address -- 123 Main Street for instance. 

As most vacant land does not have a physical address, however, county governments will identify it in other ways, such as a "legal description", a parcel number or a tax code. The information provided in the table to the right are the ways in which the various state and county agencies will identify this specific parcel of land. These signifiers are important to have when speaking with these agencies - whether they be the assessor, the zoning office, or even the local utilities - and may prove invaluable when initiating conversations about whatever research a buyer intends to do.

Whenever one exists or has been assigned to the land, the physical address will be included in this table.

Roads & Access: The subject property is located along Vent Place, a graded dirt and gravel road maintained year 'round by the Forbes Park Owner's Association. Because of this, the road at the property as well as throughout the community should be easy to navigate in any vehicle type during good weather. As this region sees a fair amount of annual snowfall, however, a larger truck or off-road capable vehicle would be a necessity for anyone choosing to live here or visit during winter months.

Power & Utilities: In an effort to maintain the scenic beauty of this region, the Forbes Park community has no above-ground power lines. That said, most parts of the subdivision are outfitted with underground utilities including power, phone, cable and high-speed internet. Such underground utility boxes are present along Vent Place across from the subject property. Anyone looking to investigate the costs associated with connecting power here is encouraged to contact the San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, the local utility servicing this region.

Zoning: Properties in Forbes Park are zoned E-R or Estate Residential, a designation which allows for residential areas developed at a higher density and where agricultural use is of incidental value. To learn more about the ER Zoning Designation, please see the attached PDF.

POA: Forbes Park is governed by the Forbes Park Land Owner's Association. This organization is responsible for maintaining the over 13,000 acres that make up the community, including 6,000 acres of common land, a lake, two manmade ponds, hundreds of miles of roads and a community center. In addition, they also sponsor community events including ones organized to safeguard this forested region from fires.

While many buyers may recoil at the suggestion of rules or governing organizations, good POAs can be a benefit to the land and homeowners in their communities as they help to beautify the region and ensure that property values increase over time. For anyone who would like to learn more about the Forbes Park Land Owner's Association you can visit their website here or their Facebook page here.

Environmental Control Committee: Forbes Park is defined as a "covenant and architecturally controlled community." This means that rules exist for land use and development and those rules are enforced, most notably by a three-person owner-member Environmental Control Committee which oversees approval and permitting for all homes built within the subdivision. To learn more about how this Committee works with landowners developing property, you can read this excerpt from the original bylaws.

Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions: When the Forbes Park subdivision was first created, the developer drew up a set of covenants and restrictions to run with the land. While most of these are what we like to refer to as "reasonable, good neighbor restrictions" dealing primarily with the disposal of trash and prohibitions on excess noise, there are a few covenants that deal with acceptable structures for the region as well as minimum square footage requirements of those structures. Because of this, anyone considering purchasing land here is encouraged to review the Forbes Park Covenants and Restrictions document linked here.

Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions, Cont'd: Notable restrictions enumerated in the above linked document include: No structure of a temporary or mobile nature (camping) may be placed on a lot for longer than three days and nights without either a building permit or approval from the E.C.C.; All construction must be completed within 12 months from ground-breaking; No hunting is allowed within the community.

Annual Dues: Property owners in Forbes Park are required to pay $290.00 in annual dues. This fee covers road maintenance, office staff salaries, trash removal and use of the Community Center. 

Topography: The subject property slopes downward from its south end along Vent Place to its north end which backs up to one of the many alpine meadows that make up this community’s common land. This slope is gradual (tame by Colorado standards) and should not make developing the land difficult. In addition, because of the open space that borders this property, it should provide captivating views for anyone who elects to build on the higher end of the parcel.

Cleared Trees: The subject property has been cleared of most all its vegetation. While this can be attributed on other parcels to a fire that plagued the area in 2018, this specific property appears to have additional recent clearing as evidenced by the trees that have been chopped and stacked. This was likely due to some prophylactic measure by the community to combat future wildfires. Either way, with the land being cleared it makes development of the property that much easier.

Gated Entrance: As noted, Forbes Park is a gated community. Upon purchasing land here, all new property owners are provided with a magnetic key which opens the electronic gate.

Wildlife: Wildlife common to Forbes Park include deer, elk, wild turkey, coyotes and bears.

Hunting & National Forests: While discharging firearms is prohibited within the grounds of this residential community, many will be glad to know that there are numerous opportunities for hunting nearby as Forbes Park is bordered on its east and south by the San Isabel National Forest. It should further be noted that this region is located in Game Management Unit 83.

Nearby Towns: The small town of San Luis - the oldest town in Colorado - sits within a five minute drive from the subject property and will afford you easy access to some groceries, supplies, restaurants, cafes and some medical and government services.

Nearby Towns, Cont'd: Also close by, but with far more to offer, is the town of Alamosa. Located forty-five minutes northwest along Highway 285, the nearby town of close to 10,000 people not only features big box stores such as Walmart and Ace Hardware, but is also home to the San Luis Valley Health Center Hospital, Adams University and Trinidad State Junior College. A number of fast-food restaurants have a footprint in Alamosa, and the region boasts a thriving downtown including bars, restaurants and nightlife. Additionally, there's plenty of schools, churches and medical practices for anyone planning on raising a family in this region.

Sanchez Reservoir & Wildlife Area: Located on the eastern end of this subdivision within only a five minute drive of the subject property is the 1,462 acre Sanchez Reservoir and Wildlife Area (see photos in the gallery at the bottom of this page). While hunting is prohibited here, visitors will have plenty of opportunities to take their boats and fish along the shores of this pristine lake. Species of fish native to the area include walleye, carp, channel catfish, northern pike, perch, white suckers and more.

Nearby Attractions: Situated in Southern Colorado's picturesque San Luis Valley, you'll find plenty of great outdoor activities to take advantage of, all within close proximity of the subject property. Nearby bodies of water such as the Terrace Reservoir and the La Jara Reservoir are within a short five to ten minute drive of this parcel, each offering even greater opportunities for fishing and hunting. The Great Sand Dunes National Park is just forty five minutes north of this parcel and features the tallest dunes in North America - perfect for sand boarding and sand sledding. Animal lovers can explore both the Monte Vista and Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge. And of course, skiing enthusiasts can take advantage of the slopes and trails in the world-famous Taos Ski Valley, just south of this region in neighboring New Mexico.