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rockeater
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# Posted: 23 Dec 2012 21:42
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Hello everyone!
I have always been fascinated by the outdoors ever since I was a child. For as long as I can remember I have desired a small cabin in the woods with no one around except for my family and natures creatures. After many years in the military (then getting out) and getting the job I had been striving for, I have decided to pursue my dreams of a small cabin and land ownership. I purchased 37 acres of land in the area of Alamosa CO. The land has no utilities and because I am on a mountain a well is kind of out of the question. No utilities are fine with us though, we want to be "off the grid". A remote county dirt road borders our property and I have had a contractor put in a gravel road into our property and clear a large area for us to use until we get our cabin. The large cleared area is gravel mix base and is approximately 50x50yrds. Currently we use this area to set up our pop up trailer and spend the weekends there.
Here are some issues I would like some input about.
The property has a Covent, it says any home placed on the property has to be 600sf or larger and if it's a two story it needs to be 800sf or more. That pretty much the extent of the property Covent. I only intend to spend 3-6 days at a time in our cabin maybe 8 times a year. I don't think we need 600sf? So my thought was to go with a smaller pre-fab cabin and call it a "shed" to get away from the restrictions and maybe some permit issues? The area is remote and we would not have anyone spying on us so I don't think it should be an issue but does anyone have any history with something like this?
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 23 Dec 2012 23:50
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Who would be enforcing the covenant? Those are usually set up by the sub division or developer, in my past experience. So in that case a lot depends on who the other property owners are; they all are covered by the same covenant. All it takes is one of them to have an issue with what you propose. Maybe the covenant has no real teeth. That's something you should determine or actually have already done so.
You may very likely get away with it with no problems at all. But then are you going to be worried, looking over your shoulder all the time?
One other area to look into is the CO state or Alamosa county building regulations. Alamosa county is one of those whose permit information includes ...(regarding what can be built without any building permit. "One-story detached accessory buildings used as tool sheds, playhouses and similar uses, provided the floor area does not exceed 200 square feet " That implies they do not want people living in small sheds and that small sheds are okay when built after the larger home / cabin has been built. . Once again, being off in an out of the way spot may allow you to slip through the cracks. I would suggest you investigate how lax or strict the county is. Then decide on what to do. Enforcement varies considerably as you move around the states.
Alamosa County info
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OwenChristensen
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2012 14:07
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Maybe a small enclosed area with a huge covered porch totaling 600 sq. ft.
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lizzie
Member
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2012 15:58
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The property where my little house / shed is located has been in my famiily since 1879 & never had a structure on it. The little house sits in the midst of 10 acres, surrounded by woods and cannot be seen from any street or other house. Two weeks after we put the shed up the property assessors office called and said they picked up a "structure" on their aerial flyover and did not find a matching permit. When I started to explain, he asked if it was moved on-site or built there. When I told him it was pre-built and moved on he said "then it's a shed, no problem". No covenants involved here though.
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rockeater
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2012 17:31
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Thanks for the replies! Our property is actually in Costilla County CO, I went to their web site and tried to read through the planning and zoning Land use Code, but it seems a lot more vague then I was thinking it would be? Who knows I may be reading the wrong thing I did read in the definitions where it says
"Single Family Dwelling. A detached building which is occupied or which is arranged, designed,
and intended to be occupied, by one family and containing only one kitchen plus living, sanitary
and sleeping facilities, but not including hotels, motels, tents, seasonal vacation cabins, camper
trailers, or other structures designed or used primarily for temporary occupancy. A single-family
dwelling shall also include a mobile home as defined herein, that is installed and has received
permits in accordance with the provisions of this Code, and a manufactured home as defined
herein, erected in conformance with manufacturer's guidelines and state and local regulations. A
single-family dwelling must have indoor plumbing and be serviced by adequate water, sewer and
public utility systems."
I underlined the part that sparks my interest. Seasonal vacation cabins? Is that what I call what I want? I did not see any details where it talks about minimum size limitations or portable buildings so I am kind of confused. I plan to call them after Xmas but not really sure how to "word" what I am wanting without talking myself into a corner. I know to be honest and I plan to do that but how have you all done this with your locations. How do you explain the use of your shed/cabin?
The Covent, I am not too worried about I know the person who oversees the Covent (he is who I bought the land from) and think I could talk him into giving an exception to my cabin/shed. I think the Covent specifies 600sf for full time occupancy dwelling although it does not specifically say that.
What about two story? Do you guys consider a loft a second story?
Can't wait for winter to pass so we can get back up there and do some more planning with the fam.
One last thing anyone have any experience with the business "Colorado Camping Cabins".
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rockeater
Member
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2012 17:34
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Sorry underline did not show up but it is the first sentance starting at "but not including..."
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rockeater
Member
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2012 17:45
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What about this? Is a pre fab "portable building" a RV acording to the County?
Recreational Vehicle (RV). A transportable structure or self-propelled vehicle with or
without flexible, removal, or collapsible walls and partitions, designed to be used as a
temporary dwelling for travel, recreation or vacation uses. The term "recreational
vehicle" shall include motor home, camper bus and travel trailer, but shall not include
pickup trucks with camper shells that extend one foot or less above the cab of the truck.
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2012 18:45
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I think that might be a stretch. When I 'google' "portable building" and have Google display images, I don't see anything I would call recreational vehicle. And if I 'google' "recreational vehicle" everything looks like a conventional RV... I'd show them a picture or two of a "tiny house on wheels" and see what the response is.
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&tbo=d&biw=1366&bih=622&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=tiny+house +on+wheels&oq=tiny+house+on+wheels&gs_l=img.3..0l2j0i24l8.102080.107516.0.107878.20.1 2.0.8.8.0.100.1057.11j1.12.0...0.0...1c.1.mBFr1N8uSMU
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rockeater
Member
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# Posted: 26 Dec 2012 12:10
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I understand a portable bldg is not an RV I just think its funny the way they word things. I am hoping they have some term that covers a camping cabin like we want without requiring a great deal of permits and regulations governing them.
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rockeater
Member
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# Posted: 28 Dec 2012 00:53
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Contacted the county and I am going to just have to pull a permit for a shed since I want more then 120sf.
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gherbaz
Member
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# Posted: 8 Jul 2015 10:55
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Hi,
How did it go with the permit? We bought a land in SLNE and are looking information about placing a shed too.
Thansk!
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y2kdejesus
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# Posted: 1 Aug 2015 15:22
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Hello rockeater and all responders,
I am in the same situation as you rock....I bought land in the San Luis valley ranches years ago from Sattler Mountain Land and haven't done a thing with it. Now I want to put a vacation cabin just to visit a few times out of the year when I want to get away from this extreme HEAT in Arizona. I would like to have something built or buy already made cabin from a couple companies I have researched before I get too old to enjoy it.
I too have looked over the land use codes for Costilla county and they are very vague. I spoke to planning and zoning a few weeks ago and they also told me that anything used for occupancy has to be more than 600sf in order to stay in it for any period of time. She was very vague in her information but I may have not made myself clear enough that this would just be a seasonal vacation cabin. I still have to do more research on this and the actual person to talk to in planning & zoning is Mr. Matthew Valdez 719-937-7668 Ext 4.
There is one local company Colorado Camping Cabins in Alamosa 719-941-9919 and another company I just came across Graceland portable buildings in Eagle Nest NM 1-888-GRACE-04 both build portable cabins.
I notice rock you haven't posted since Dec 2012 hopefully that means you found out some good news and are building on your land. If you happen to come across any helpful info I would greatly appreciate it. Any posts from anyone would help in order for me to get started on putting something over there very soon Thanks and wait to hear from all of you. Frank
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toyota_mdt_tech
Member
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# Posted: 1 Aug 2015 17:59 - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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Quoting: rockeater I understand a portable bldg is not an RV I just think its funny the way they word things. I am hoping they have some term that covers a camping cabin like we want without requiring a great deal of permits and regulations governing them.
If you sleep in them, then it needs a permit if it doesnt exceed 200 sq feet and does not have a permanent foundation if its storage, no permit. The county may not have a minimum size, but if your covenants reads a minimum size, then the county enforces that size.
The 200 sq foot no permit structure would be storage. You can make it look any way you like.
Look into "Park Model" trailers. They are basically small cabins that are classified as an RV's and no permit needed.
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