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Frequently Asked Questions about Cottonwood Creek Estates

What type of homes are built in the Cottonwood Creek Estates community?
You are welcome to bring their own plans and builders to this serene, 5-acre lot community! The Architectural Committee will review all plans to ensure that guidelines provided in the covenants are followed and that the community maintains the desirability and appeal initially envisioned for all residents. For ranch style dwellings the gross living area requirement is to be no less than 1700 square feet above grade, while the two-story dwellings are to be no less than 2200 square feet above grade. All residences are required to have a minimum of a two car attached garage. Homes and accessory buildings must be completed within twelve months from issuance of a building permit. Residents are attracted to this development because of the opportunity to have a natural solar home, so you'll want to design your home around these principles.

Is there a Homeowners Association at Cottonwood Creek Estates?
Yes. Current dues are $200 and are to be paid annually to Cottonwood Creek Homeowners Association, Inc., a Colorado nonprofit corporation and limited expense common interest community under the Colorado Common Interest Ownership Act (CCIOA).

What are the utilities within the development?
All utility service lines at Cottonwood Creek Estates must be underground. Electric and phone lines are installed at each site. Because you already have electric at your site you can get started on putting a well in right away to water trees and support you during construction. Later if you choose to put solar panels on your roof you have the advantage of Net Metering (see solar FAQ below). All well, septic and propane tanks are also to be installed underground. Wells are to be drilled to the Laramie-Fox Hills Aquifer of the Denver Basin. Cottonwood Creek Estates is served by Mountain View Electric Association which is a Coop with friendly people, good service and rates. All public roads will be maintained by El Paso County.

What about landscaping and fencing options?
Landscaping plans must be approved by the Architectural Committee and need to be completed within nine months after the home is completed, however natural landscapes are encouraged within the Cottonwood Creek Estates subdivision. Home owners should give consideration to water usage allowances provided with their well permits when planning lawns, gardens and flower beds. All fencing for horses, dogs, etc., needs approval by the Architectural Committee in advance of construction. Electronic fencing is encouraged. Pets may not run loose off of a lot.

What type of animals, and how many, are allowed at Cottonwood Creek Estates?
Four domesticated cats/dogs and two horses are allowed per lot.

What school district Is Cottonwood Creek Estates In?
The Cottonwood Creek Estates community is within the Ellicott School District, #22. Detailed contact information for the Elementary, Middle and High Schools can be found at www.ellicottschools.org.

Does Colorado Support Solar Homes?

This is a great place for your natural solar home. Colorado is very supportive of solar and other energy efficient building principles. On March 26 2008, Governor Ritter signed House Bill 1160 providing for Net Metering. This means you can have your rooftop solar panels provide you all the electricity you need during the day and any excess that is produced is 'banked' on the net so when during the night you need electricity you can use what you have 'banked' on the net. You have the potential of very low utility bills with an appropriately sized system. You can read the news article about the signing of House Bill 1160 here. With over 300 days of sunshine passive solar principles are the right way to enjoy a comfortable home all year round and you can put Photovoltaic panels on the roof if you desire since there is plenty of sunny days to take advantage of the Net Metering bill. You may also want to read the Solar Page on this site for more resources and information on Colorado's suitability for Solar Homes.

The Water Rights that I receive by Special Warranty Deed says I can pump 0.47 acre feet annually. How much water is that and is that enough for my families needs?
That is more than one question but here is your answer to both of those questions. An acre foot of water is equal to 325,851 gallons. If you divide this by 12 months you get about 12,762 gallons per month or 425 gallons per day average usage. The average usage per person in our American society is 40 gallons per person used for everything from bath/shower, flushing toilets, to washing dishes and clothes. A family of 4 would use about 160 gallons per day inside and still have plenty of water for outside use as long as the outside water use was planned appropriately.

Does the federal government provide financial assistance to homeowners for installing renewable energy?

This answer from — Megan Phelps, senior associate editor, Mother Earth News.  Good question. Yes, there are currently federal incentives for installing renewable energy. Specifically, there’s a tax credit for installing residential solar energy systems, including solar-electric and solar water heating systems. These incentives don’t expire until the end of 2008. However, I think many people are not aware that the tax credits for solar are still available because a number of other federal energy incentives expired at the end of 2007. (Read more details about the incentives that have expired, and what’s still available here.)