Nestled in a valley surrounded by San Isabel National Forest, the tiny town of Poncha Springs, population 550, is poised for explosive growth.
Development proposals on both ends of town would more than double its size.
On the west end, a group led by Salida developer Richard Chick is planning a $225 million golf community called Friend Ranch that includes nearly 600 homes. To the east, Colorado Springs-based Land Properties Inc. is developing an 84-home community known as Little River Ranch.
Poncha Springs residents are reserving judgment on the proposals, said Pat Alderton, town administrator.
“They’re not welcoming it, but I don’t know that they’re against it,” she said. “It’s sort of in the middle.”
The Friend Ranch group is trying to get the town to annex its development, a task Land Properties already has achieved.
“We’re going to extend the municipal sewer and water from Poncha to Friend,” Chick said. “They may as well see the benefit of all the sales and property tax revenue.”
Town officials are weighing the benefits and hope to have a clearer picture of the proposition when a fiscal impact analysis is complete.
“The question is, do we want this type of thing to happen out in the county where the town won’t get any benefit from it?” Alderton said.
Both developers are going after retirees and people building second homes.
“The one thing they all have in common is they love recreation,” said Steve Faber, general manager of Land Properties Inc.
And recreational opportunities abound. The Monarch Mountain ski area is just 15 minutes away, and Chaffee County boasts the state’s largest collection of 14,000-foot peaks. The area also is a hub for world-class white- water rafting and kayaking.
Designed by award-winning golf course designer Redstone International Inc., Friend Ranch will have the county’s first 18-hole golf course.
“There are a lot of people in that valley, a lot of land and no golf,” said Redstone president Ric Buckton, a partner in the development. Denver-based Futura Engineering also is a partner in the development.
Nearly the entire course will be on currently irrigated fields that are part of Friend Ranch, which has been in the Friend family for 75 years.
“We are keeping all this irrigated property and converting it from grass hay to a golf course,” Chick said. “The housing is clustered up in the hills overlooking the course. There’s a bit of a trend in golf courses to get away from fairways lined with homes.”
With two streams running through the property – the Cochetop Creek and the Arkansas River – its amenity package also will include fly-fishing. In addition, a neighboring ranch wants to partner with the developers to offer an equestrian center.
About 65 percent of the property will remain as open space. The residential development will have 279 single-family homes and 300 townhomes, which the developers are working to annex into Poncha Springs. The municipal water and sewer system will be extended to the development, so annexing the property would give the town a boost in sales and property tax revenue.
Staff writer Margaret Jackson can be reached at 303-820-1473 or mjackson@denverpost.com.
