Blue River Monthly News & Updates
Upcoming Meetings/Announcements
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Planning & Zoning Commission
Tuesday, July 9th, 6:00 p.m.

Town Board of Trustees
Tuesday, July 16, 6:00 p.m.

Citizen Advisory Committee
July 19th-Community Presentations

Trails Committee
July 8th, 5:00 p.m.

A complete list of Town meetings, socials, events, news, financials and more are available on our website at www.colorado.gov/townofblueriver. 
Also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest and greatest in Blue River.

Upcoming Trustee Talks

Coffee Talk
Friday, September 27 th , 7:00 a.m.
Coffee Depot



WE HAVE A SIGN!! It's been a long time in the works but we now have Town gateway signs welcoming all to the Town of Blue River. Thank you to the Board of Trustees and Citizen Advisory Committee for all their work on this project and a thank you to House of Signs for taking their vision and making it a reality. A formal dedication will be scheduled soon!
HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY TRUSTEE JOEL DIXON!
Fire Pit Permits
Per the Blue River Town Code, fire pits within the Town require a fire permit. Regulations and permitting has been modified for 2019. Permits are still obtained through Red, White and Blue on their website at www.rwbfire.org. There is now a fee for all fire pit permits. New permits are $50 and renewals will be $25. For more information and to register, visit: https://www.rwbfire.org/forms.aspx?FID=64%C2%A0.

The Town is working with Red, White and Blue on updating the Fire Code along with the other municipalities and County. A copy is available on our website at www.colorado.gov/townofblueriver.


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CDOT Access Plan
Work continues on the CDOT Access Plan. Most recently, one on one resident meetings were held. Next up is work on the transit portion of the plan. There will be a presentation to the Board and another open house. The plan is set to be completed by October/November.

For more information on what is happening, visit our website at www.colorado.gov/townofblueriver
Community Education Series
The Town of Blue River hosted another Community Education series "Tarn Talks." The session covered water biology, taught by local resident Steve Kucera. Information about the Blue River Water Shed Group. Living with Wildlife presented by Colorado Parks & Wildlife and local Tim West, Owner of Breckenridge Outfitters gave a talk on fishing at the Tarn. Thank you to all who attended and to our speakers.

Next up... Mountain Landscaping. Information will be presented on landscaping at 10,000' and noxious weeds Thursday, July 18th, 6:00 p.m. at Blue River Town Hall.
Blue River Safety Days is a new event created by the Blue River Police Department. There will be a Bike Rodeo, coloring contest, kids bike inspections, Smokey the Bear, and prizes. Hot dogs, chips and cookies will be available for all. Thank you to our partners Red, White & Blue, Summit County Sheriff's Office, Alpine Sports and Maureen Johnson.

Come and join us Saturday, July 20th, 9 a.m.-11 a.m. at Blue River Town Hall for a family fun morning!

Volunteers are needed to help make this event a success. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Town Hall at [email protected].
Ride the Stage
New Flag Stops for 5:15 and 6:15 pm Departures from Breckenridge
Starts Monday July 1, 2019
 
You may now request stops to exit the bus at the following locations:
1.     West side of Hwy 9 near Blue River Road
2.     West side of Hwy 9 opposite Calle De Plata
3.West side of Hwy 9 opposite Town Hall

These flag stops are subject to the following conditions:
·     Drop-offs only at these flag stops
·    You may not board the bus at these locations
·    You must request the driver to stop
·    These stops can only be used on the 5:15 and 6:15 pm trips departing Breckenridge for Park County

Adopt-A-Bin at the Tarn
In 2015, local Boy Scout Troop 187 and Eagle Scout Jordan Nelson along with Trustee Dan Cleary, installed fishing line containers at the Tarn to encourage visitors to put their used line in the bin and now leave it as trash along the shore.

This month, local Lakeshore resident Chris Daily worked with Friends of the Dillon Ranger District and the bins have now bin adopted by FDRD through their Adopt-A-Bin program. Thank you to Chris Daily and Cameron Breen for making this possible.
2019 Boat Permits

The Town of Blue River is working on going GREEN! You may now obtain your Goose Pasture Tarn Boat Permits and Resident Stickers online. Permits and stickers, upon request may be mailed to you. Payment for Boat Permits may be submitted online. Boat permits are $20 for each vessal. Please submit one form and one payment for each permit requested.

Fill out and submit the form, then click PAY ONLINE.

www.colorado.gov/townofblueriver, click on the Goose Pasture Tarn tab.
Blue River Resident Stickers

Resident stickers will be available at the end of April. You may apply for your FREE car sticker online or stop in the office. Where requested, stickers will be mailed to you.

www.colorado.gov/townofblueriver, click on the Goose Pasture Tarn tab.
Wildlife
One of the best assets to the Town of Blue River is its abundant wildlife. Living in an area with wildlife is both facinating and challenging. While trash is usally the most discussed issue, it is important to remember to keep pets either on a leash or within 30' of voice command per the Town Code. Teach your children on what to do if they encounter wildlife. Be mindful of your speed and surroundings while driving in Blue River and NEVER feed the wildlife.

Following a few precautions will ensure your safety and that of the wildlife for years to come.
BEARS!-Colorado Parks & Wildlife

Garbage Kills Bears! Allowing bears to use trash and garbage as a food source creates serious problems for both people and bears. Because the food reward is so great, bears are willing to work hard to get at trash and garbage, and return often in hopes of finding more. These food-conditioned bears sometimes enter homes, garages or even vehicles in search of an easy meal. Bears in pursuit of such a good source of calories can do a lot of property damage, and even become aggressive.
Allowing bears to get into the garbage is one of the leading causes of humanbear conflicts. Being smart about how you handle and store your trash can protect your home and property, and help keep bears alive and wild. 

Please secure your trash cans. Per Town Code trash may not be placed outside until trash day and must be brought back by 6:00 p.m. that evening.Keep trash and recyclables safely locked inside your home or a sturdy, locked garage or outbuilding constructed of heavy wood or metal. Don’t leave any trash outside overnight; even empty bottles, cans, packages and recyclables have odors that attract bears. Don’t store trash on your deck or screened-in porch, and don’t stash your trash in your car, truck or camper. If you keep trash in your garage or an outbuilding, it should have sturdy doors and windows that lock.

In addition to trash, please do not leave out bird feeders as thei si a bear's delight.
Photo courtsey of Dave Britton, Blue River Resident.
Moose and Blue River go hand in hand. Moose are the top dog on the food chain and will roam wherever the willows and hand habitat allow. Blue River is prime moose habitat and they have an abundant population in the area. Moose cn be agressive if felt threatened. They will attack to protect their young and they will attack a dog if threatened.

If you see a moose, give it distance and put something between you and the moose. DO NOT approach for a selfie and do not let your pets loose around the moose. There is no parking along Hwy 9 and officers will be enforcing this as moose gather in the wetlands by the Tarn. The wetlands are a protected area. Please do not wonder or walk in the wetlands .
Trash/Recylcing
The Town of Blue River Municipal Code states that trash may not be placed curbside except pick up day and all receptacles must be pulled back by 6:00 p.m. that evening.

With the busy tourist season, we are seeing an increase in issues of trash being left out. To avoid receiving a notice of violation or ticket, please inform your guests, and property management companies of the Town Codes.

We encourage you to contact the trash companies if your trash has not been picked up and work to ensure compliance. There are two companies that provide trash pickup in Summit County, Timberline and Waste Management.

Recycling is available through the waste companies. Additonally, there is a large recycling drop off in Breckenrige on Coyne Valley Dr.

Coming to soon to Blue River Town Hall...GLASS Recycling! Look for more information coming soon.
Lodging/Short-term Rental Owners
Blog-Occupancy Limits
Occupancy Limits!
The question has come up lately about occupancy limits. This comes from both those that short term rent wondering what they can and can't do, as well as neighbors who wonder how many people are allowed in the home. In Blue River, the R1 (single family) zoning allows for "no more than one person per 400 square feet or two people per bedroom." This is true for all septic permits as well as for sewer connections. What this means, if you have a four bedroom home, you may have a maximum number of eight staying for a short term rental. Additionally, the Town Code allows for only five vehicles to be parked in the driveway and/or designated parking space.

While the Police will not be going home to home counting people, if you are found to be advertising or if a code complaint is filed you may receive a notice of violation and/or ticket and possibly revocation of your short term rental license.

Please keep this and your neighbors in mind when renting your home.

Registration/Taxes
Thinking about renting your home short-term? The Town of Blue River requires that anyone renting their home less than 30 days to be registered and pay sales/lodging taxes. Registration is $200 for the initial registration and $75 annually. Sales and lodging taxes in the amount of 12.275% are required on all rentals. Information is available on our website at www.colorado.gov/townofblueriver under the Lodging License tab.

Registrations and taxes may be remitted online. For more information, contact Michelle Eddy, Town Administrator at [email protected].
Blue River Guests Notes

Visitors to the mountains often are not aware of our unique challenges. Please take time to inform your guests of these important notes and help to be a great neighbor in the community.

  • Trash may not be placed (including empty cans) curbside until pick up day. Bears are not necessarily asleep and some are beginning to wake. Secure trash appropriately and make arrangements for pick up.
  • There is no parking on Town roads. Town Code limits the number of vehicles allowed in a driveway/parking space to five per household.
  • Fire permits are required for ALL fire pits. Please observe any fire restrictions.
  • Be courteous of neighbors. Blue River has many full-time homeowners who work in the area. Please observe quiet hours and be respectful of property boundaries. Please do not sled or ski across neighboring properties.
  • Renters are not allowed use of the Goose Pasture Tarn.
  • Speed limits on all Town Roads is 15 mph.
Submitting Code Complaints
To file a complaint, please visit our website and click on the Citizen Services link on the home page. You may also email [email protected]. If you have a non-emergency issue requiring Police assistance, please call the non-emergency dispatch line at 970-668-8600. Please do not call the Marshals directly or Town Hall. Non-emergency issues include code violation complaints.
911 Addresses are required on all homes within the Town of Blue River. Red, White and Blue Fire District will provide FREE reflective address numbers for your home.

The house numbers are vital to assisting fire and emergency personnel in locating your home in an emergency. Per the Blue River Municipal Code, 911 addresses are REQUIRED on all homes in Blue River. To have a firefighter come install numbers at your home, please email: [email protected]. 
Building In Blue River

In the Town of Blue River, permits are needed for a variety of items. These include: building 
permits; staining and re-staining; sheds; landscaping; roofs; interior construction; electrical; and tree removal to name a few.  

As spring returns, so does construction season. A reminder that construction vehicles may not be parked in the road unless a special circumstance permit has been obtained from the Town. Additionally, construction hours are as follows:
Monday through Friday: 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday/Sunday:  9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Information on the Building Department is available on the Town website, www.colorado.gov/townofblueriver.

Tips For Hiring A Contractor
Building a home, addition, garage, deck or most any type of costruction project is an investment. Hiring the right constractor is key to insuring your investment is protected. In Blue River, all contractors, sub-contractors and anyone providing a service is required have a Town of Blue River Business License. In addition, all electrical contractors are required to provide their masters license and state issued contractors license. When you go to hire a contractor, check with the Town to ensure they have a current business license with the Town. Below are some additional items to require and to watch for when hiring a contractor.
  • Get multiple quotes
  • Check references
  • Ask for insurance and licenses
  • Verify insurance including workmans comp and licenses including any local licensing requirements.
  • Get it in writing
  • Scope of work
  • Payment details. Never pay for the work in full upfront. Most contracts are paid as the work is complete.
  • Include who is responsible for any necessary permits.
  • Include information on any sub-contractors hired including their insurance and licenses.
  • Timeline for start and finish of work.
  • If you are not comfortable with contracts, have one reviewed by an attorney before signing.
  • Verify all local regulations and codes to ensure the full process is followed. In the Town of Blue River, fines are assessed for any work started without a permit.
  • If you have building or code questions, check with your local building department. For the Town of Blue River, contact John McCormick, Building Official at [email protected].
Trails Committee
The Trails Committee continues to work on identifying potential trails in the Town of Blue River. Work is focused on creating a dedicated trail system through Blue River. Work has been narrowed to one section of town and soon the Committee will be working to develop a plan to present to the Board of Trustees. Dedicated easements are necessary to help make this project a success. If you are interested in allowing the Town to have a dedicated trail easement on your property, please contact the Town at [email protected].

The Committee is also working to identify any improvements necessary. With the approval of funding from the Community Fund, Saturday, August 17th is a scheduled work day with the Friends of the Dillon Ranger District for trail improvements. There will be an open house in the near future to discuss this and plans for trails in the near future.
Committee Members
Mark Fossett, Chair
Dan Cleary
Joel Dixon
Devon O'Neil
Justin Park
Mike Rupert
Paul Semmer
Committee Members
Kelly Finley, Chair
Tori Aidala
Shanan Cox
Bruce Queen
Martie Semmer
Mandy Webster
Tim West
Citizen Advisory
The Blue River Citizen Advisory Committee will be the liaison between the Town of Blue River residents and the Town Trustees to develop; improve and elongate the quality of life and prosperity of Blue River.  

The Cistizen Advisory Committee is in the process of reviewing funding requests. They will be working to organize the Trails Day celebration and the upcoming Trunk or Treat.
High Country Conservation Center, local municipalities, Summit County and partners have worked over the last year on developing the Summit Community Climate Action Plan: Strategies for a Sustainable Future. The Town of Blue River will be adopting the plan at the April Board of Trustees Meeting. A copy of the plan may be found on the Town website at www.colorado.gov/townofblueriver .
High Country Conservation
 The High Country Conservation Center’s (HC3) Energy Smart Colorado program provides Summit County homeowners with affordable energy audits that identify places in your home where a little extra air sealing or insulation could save you a lot of money on your utility bills. The price for an audit starts at $99 and increases incrementally depending on the size of your home – for a limited time, the Town of Blue River is offering BONUS GRANTS to residents that receive energy audits! If you decide to pursue an upgrade after your audit, HC3 also offers rebates of up to $400 to help cover the cost. Households at 80% AMI and under may be eligible for free audits and retrofit work. For more information, call Cody or Jess at  (970) 668 – 5703 , or visit  the Energy Smart Colorado webpage  to sign up. Let us help you make living in your home more comfortable, more efficient, and more affordable! 
Contact Us
Michelle Eddy, Town Administrator/Clerk
Ahmet Susic, Town Marshal [email protected]
John McCormick, Public Works/Building Official
Brian Lemick, Deputy Town Marshal
John DeBee, Deputy Town Clerk
Athena, Town Office Assistant aka Head Dog In Charge
Whit Smith, Electrical Inspector
When Will It Melt?
The snow finally left June 5th! And then it snow again the weekend of June 22nd. Hope you're have a great summer...fianllay!
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