On Dec. 17, 2024, Red Hawk Ranch — a large development planned for the unincorporated town of Tabernash — moved one step closer to reality when the Grand County Board of Commissioners approved the project’s preliminary plat.

The county has been in talks regarding the development since at least 1981.

The development is owned by Redhawk Ranch at Winter Park. Land planner and landscape designer Jeff Vogel, of Vogel & Associates, represented the developer at the commissioners meeting.

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The current project includes 87 single-family lots and 37 detached multifamily units, known as “the cabins.” Plans also include 102 future multifamily units that will be platted within four multifamily lots. With full buildout, there are expected to be 228 total units with 42 acres of open space.

At the December meeting, Community Development Director Kris Manguso recommended that commissioners approve the plat. Before approval, the board heard from a couple of concerned community members.

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Community concerns

Becky Arnold, a longtime Tabernash resident who lives next to the proposed subdivision and has attended a number of meetings regarding the project, expressed concerns about how Red Hawk Ranch plans to provide water and sewer service to the 228-unit subdivision.

Currently, the owner has purchased only 34 taps for the 37 multifamily cabins for Phase 1 of the project. Arnold believes the development should provide proof of taps for current and future phases.

According to Grand County Manager Ed Moyer, Tabernash’s water and sewer district has an agreement to serve the development.

Vogel added that Red Hawk Ranch contains senior water rights on its land and can provide water to the district. Developers are also planning for future expansion of the water district.

Sue Volk is another longtime Tabernash resident, and former planning commission board member, who questioned how the treatment plant expansion would be financed — a project that is expected to cost $10 million.

In addition, Volk was concerned with the fact that the subdivision has only one point of ingress and egress, or one road in and out.

“You know, my feelings about two points of access,” she wrote in a letter to commissioners. “Even though the fire department has signed off on this, there are very real repercussions in the insurance arena.”

Volk feels that only one access point could put homeowners at risk if there was a fire.

According to Manguso, earlier agreements with the developer allow for the preliminary plat to be approved without a second access point. This is because of the planned construction of Grand County Road 522, formerly known as the Fraser Valley Parkway. 

Building a new road

The final approval of Red Hawk Ranch is closely tied to the completion of County Road 522 from where it connects to U.S. Highway 40. Like the subdivision, the road has been in the works for decades. If completed, the proposed two-lane road would be a continuous north-south route running west of U.S. 40 from Tabernash to Fraser. 

The road would cut through Red Hawk Ranch, providing a second means of ingress/egress. In order to complete the project, a section of road needs to be built alongside the highway, beginning at its existing portion at U.S. 40 in town. After traveling through the subdivision, the road will ideally connect to County Road 5.

Grand County government has pursued the road to address increased development in the area, such as the 228-unit Red Hawk Ranch. The population of the Fraser Valley is also growing, with more visitors arriving each year.

A few literal roadblocks have stalled the road’s progress. First, the county needs an updated wetland mitigation permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. If the proposed road is constructed, it would result in the loss of 3.95 acres of wetlands.

In addition, a World War II prisoner-of-war camp once stood in the area, making it an important historical site. The Army Corps, Grand County government, Grand County Historical Association and other organizations have come together to discuss how to prevent adverse impacts to the historic site.

Manguso is hopeful that 522 will be constructed, providing access for Red Hawk Ranch residents and others who live near the development. The developer has agreed to provide the county with a 60-foot right of way for 522 and will construct the road at its cost on its land. However, off-site improvements of the road will be the county’s responsibility.

Manguso and commissioners discussed conducting an updated traffic study for the subdivision. The last study was revised in 2023. It’s also possible that the county will have to apply for an access permit with the Colorado Department of Transportation to streamline traffic.

Commissioners also considered which sections of 522 should be gravel versus paved. Recreational traffic was a consideration, too, including bikers and hikers. A trail is planned to run alongside 522 in addition to trails throughout Red Hawk Ranch.

Progress continues

At the Dec. 17 meeting, Commissioner Randy George thanked Manguso for the research she gathered on the subdivision, saying, “There’s a lot of information here.”

“There’s a lot to understand. There’s a lot to this little area here,” she responded, adding that the development’s planning stretches back a long time.

So now that commissioners approved the subdivision’s preliminary plat, what is the developer’s next step?

Vogel stated that the team plans to present a final plat for the 37 cabins soon. Construction on the cabins can proceed with the amount of water taps the development has. A traffic study may also be conducted.

A metro district will guide the subdivision’s development, which is expected to last the next 10-15 years.