Frequently Asked Questions

Ruby Ranch is governed by two boards, both elected by the owners. One is a homeowners Association Board (the RROA), the other is the Willow Brook Metro District Board (WBMD).

Please refer to the following pages for full descriptions of each of the boards:

Willow Brook Metro District

Ruby Ranch Owners Association

Both Boards share responsibility for carrying forward the Mission of Ruby Ranch as a premiere equestrian community in the beautiful Rocky Mountains and a civil and happy place to live. The Ranch recently adopted a Strategic Plan and Mission Statement, which are also available elsewhere on the website.

The WBMD is a quasi-governmental body with taxing authority. Property valuations are determined by the Summit County Assessor and collected by the Summit County Treasurer on behalf of the WBMD as a paid service.

Please refer to the RROA page for specific details.

Please refer to the WBMD page for more details.

The position of Ranch Manager was created in the spring of 2021.

Please see Ranch Manager page for Roles and Responsibilities and Contact information

The Ranch Manager will have an office in the Gatehouse and a workshop in the Stables. Owners seeking to correct a service problem affecting their property should submit a work order in a process detailed elsewhere on this website. Routine requests will be addressed in 24 hours; emergencies immediately.

Property taxes, assessed by the Willow Brook Metropolitan District do not include trash or water.  Trash and water are billed separately and monthly by the District, via CRS.  The water is based on meter readings.  The trash is a monthly (bi-monthly) set fee collected with the water bill and covers the cost of the dumpsters provided. There is no trash collection at individual homes. 

For the last 40 years there have been no HOA fees except for one special assessment 20 years ago that was fully paid by all lots.  That is not to say that there couldn’t be annual assessments in the future although none are specifically foreseen at the present time.  Our philosophy has been to have the WBMD pay most of the costs since it is a governmental entity, can collect through taxes and has governmental immunity, saving us a ton on insurance.

There have been no special assessments for capital improvements.  We have voted to borrow money and repay loans through additional mil levies using the WBMD.  For 10 years we taxed enough to generate $140,000/year for a “pay as you go” water line replacement project.  Then we voted to borrow money from a governmental fund to finish the project in one year.  In round numbers it’s a loan that could be no more than $1.75M at 2.5% repayable over 20 years.  There was also a vote to borrow and spend up about $550K to pave the main road from the end of pavement on the Smith Ranch up to the stable and to install a modern gate.

Please refer to the Covenant and Policies document on the RROA page.

Please fill out a service request form.

The form is submitted through the website. The District Manager and Ranch Manager will both receive the request. The District Manager will file all requests digitally in the District’s files.

The Ranch Manager will respond within two (2) business days to the person who submitted the request. In addition, the Ranch Manager will keep track of all requests in a spreadsheet

The main road (Ruby Ranch Road) connecting the Ranch to Highway 9 was paved in 2020 from the end of the Smith Road paving to just past the Stables on both Emerald Road and South Ruby Road. Any future paving will consider alternative surfaces cheaper than asphalt (such as double-chip seal), given the lighter traffic loads of the feeder roads.

The strategic plan for Ruby Ranch notes that it is an equestrian community, so bridle paths and/or dirt roads are apt to be retained.

Please refer to the Water page for the source of water in Ruby Ranch.

A State-certified third party maintains the system, regularly inspects the water for purity and reads the water meters on individual Ranch homes monthly. CRS, our administrative manager, then bills each home for water usage based on a sliding scale.

Watering of Lawns and Vegetation, Exterior Uses: The domestic system for Filings 1 and 2 are not designed to include watering of lawns or vegetation on a continuing basis from hoses or sprinkler systems, and these activities will not be permitted. Water conservation practices may be set by the Board as necessary and may ban the use of treated water for any use except interior domestic consumption. (Section 6.10)

Please see the Trash page for details on trash collection.

Please refer to the Gate page under Security Services for further information on the gates into Ruby Ranch roads.

Please refer to the Gate page under Security Services for more information.

Please refer to the Ruby Ranch Emergency Evacuation document.

Suppose your water line ruptures Christmas week or the road in front of your home collapses with the spring thaw. What do you do and whom do you call? The Metro District Board has adopted policies to cover any problem associated with Ranch infrastructure (e.g., roads, water, trash, weeds, gates, etc.)

For non-emergencies, fill out a service request that will go to our Ranch Manager for prompt handling.

For emergencies, call 303.381.4960 (Community Resource Services) which is a 24/7 hotline for even quicker handling.

HFR funds are available from both Summit Count and the Colorado State government. The Ruby Ranch Fire Committee has extensive experience in applying for and receiving grants from Summit County, amounting to just under $100,000 in matching funds for hazardous fuel removal (HFR), most of which was for privately-owned lots, since the inception of the County grant program in 2006.

The County prefers to work with a single contact in a sub-division like Ruby Ranch. Each April the Fire Committee solicits input from Owners who plan to remove hazardous fuel (usually down and dead lodge pole pines.) The County Wildfire Committee reviews the properties requesting grants for concentration of HFR and if approved, the County Commissioners award grants in early July, with work required to be done in 12 months following grant receipt.

Ruby Ranch is in a “focus area” as defined by both the State and the County, situated above and adjacent to a major concentration of County housing and commercial property. Hence, our Fire Committee generally receives the grants it requests.

In the future, the Fire Committee intends to apply for Colorado State matching grants for HFR. State requirements are somewhat more restrictive than those of the County, primarily related to the allowable cost for a project. We expect to meet those requirements in 2022.

County Chipping Program

In addition to HFR grants for private lot owners, Summit County also has a free annual chipping program, wherein once each summer the County hires a logging contractor to chip lot owners’ piles of dead wood and slash cleared by them from their lots. The contractor either removes the chips or leaves them for the owners use at the owner’s discretion. Details regarding this program are available from summitcountyco.gov. Owner participation in this valuable program has been excellent, with over 2/3’s of owners cleaning their lots each year.

Please refer to the Rules for Burning Slash and Downed Trees for further information.

The main job of the Ranch Manager is to maintain and operate the public infrastructure of Ruby Ranch; the roads, water, gates, stables, gatehouse, trash, fences, meadows, etc. The scope of these duties will likely take all his time in the summer, but there may be down time in the winter during which he can offer services to owners, in some cases at a “below market” rate, since his time (and equipment) are essentially paid for by his public duties on the Ranch.

It is understood that “Ranch work comes first.” However, the Ranch Manager will likely offer private driveway snow plowing beginning as early as winter, 2021. This is a very logical extension of the Manager’s expertise and equipment availability. Money earned in this way will stay on the Ranch and be added to the Ranch operating budget.

The Ranch Manager has both the skill and the equipment to plow private driveways. It is likely that he will do so at “below prevailing market rates” since his costs are essentially paid for by his public duties in the Metro District. Money paid for his service will stay on the Ranch and accrue to the Metro District operating funds.

Please see the list of preferred service providers for other snow plow services in Summit County.

Please see the list of Preferred Service Providers. This list has been compiled by Ranch owners who have had good experiences with the persons recommended.

Cable

Xfinity (formerly Comcast) is the only cable company serving Ruby Ranch and it lists the services it provides as TV, telephone, Internet, smart home, and security. It is widely used by Ranch homes and has the following benefits: ultra-fast Internet speeds if requested, low cost local and long-distance telephone service and convenient local customer service. Xfinity has a well-staffed physical office next to Murdock’s near where Ruby Ranch Road runs into Highway 9. Repair service, if needed, is usually available in 48 hours or less.

Satellite TV

DirectTV offers a good option for high-definition TV service with music channels, though snow and rain interference make it essential to place an antenna in a suitable location.

Traditional Telephony

Century Link is the “copper wire” telephone company, but its charge for local service is several times higher than Xfinity’s charge and repair service can take over a week. AT&T can also be used for long distance service, but also at charges several times higher than are available from Xfinity.

Some of our more “leading-edge” neighbors have opted for Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) telephone service at a charge <$.70 per month. For more information on that option, see the relevant blog article written by Carl Oppedahl, elsewhere on this website in the Blog section.

Over the Air

Summit County is well served by local radio stations which can provide a vital role in case of weather, traffic, or fire related emergencies.

Home Alarm Systems

Several local companies provide home alarm service and monitoring. Some of the best are included elsewhere on this website under “preferred service providers.”

Ruby Ranch is a community governed by Covenants. Persons may only buy property if they agree to abide by those Covenants and signify their agreement to do so in writing. The Covenants create a committee of three people who serve at the pleasure of the Ruby Ranch Owners Association Board and are responsible for ensuring that all covenant rules and development regulations are followed. Please see the RROA page and reference the Design Document.

Historically, the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) has been comprised of three Ranch property owners who serve as unpaid volunteers for an unspecified amount of time.

Please refer to Development Guidelines document on the RROA page.

Please refer to the Application document on the RROA page.

Please refer to the Signage document under Architecture Review Committee on the RROA page.

It is generally permissible to pave Ruby Ranch driveways with asphalt, though specific approval is required from the Architectural Review Committee, to ensure that the overall “rural mountain” character of the Ranch is maintained. Please refer to the preferred service provider document on the Owner’s page.

The Architectural Review Committee’s permission is required before an owner may undertake a wholesale cutting of trees, generally with the objective of clearing a view. This recognizes that the owner’s action may create a problem for neighbors under certain circumstances.

On the other hand, the ARC recognizes that it is often necessary to clear individual dead or diseased trees and such an action is not restricted nor does it require ARC permission. A list of local loggers is included in the Preferred Service Provider page.

At the time of construction there are a number of fees.  There are construction deposits in the total amount of about $40K. 

The HOA collects a construction deposit of $5000 which is refunded (without interest) when construction is completed and site restoration is completed and an architectural review fee of $50. 

The WBMD collects a $30,000 deposit to ensure full restoration of the District roads and infrastructure which is also returned upon successful restoration (without interest.)  In addition, there are the two water tap fees, a water meter fee, and a signage fee (all payable to the WBMD).

Please refer to the Forest page for recommendations and further details.

Please refer to the Weeds page for further details.

Historically there has been a potluck lunch at an Owner’s home following the HOA Annual Meeting on the morning of the first Saturday after Labor Day. This is well attended and something of a tradition on the Ranch.

Other homeowners have hosted holiday parties.

Formal ranchwide social gatherings will be posted on the website calendar on the Home page.

Periodic Newsletter

John Drake has published an informal newsletter about four times per year, as news justifies, since 2016. From time to time, the Boards governing Ruby Ranch have used this newsletter to notify owners of a policy or decision, or to explain that policy. Otherwise, the newsletter has provided educational materials on fire mitigation, forest health, Ranch infrastructure, community affairs, Summit County services, real estate transactions, background on new owners, etc.

Website

The Ranch website, rubyranch.com, is being renovated in 2021. The main goals of this renovation are to drive traffic to the website and to provide more useful and updated information. It will include local and Ranch news updated monthly, with pictures, and a comprehensive data base designed to answer owner questions, particularly for new owners on the Ranch.

The website will also be the only avenue for contacting the Ranch Manager to request infrastructure repairs, and will include information on securing help in an infrastructure emergency; e.g., no water, road washout, etc.

List Serv Websites

The community also communicates informally and often via a Google website, rr-general@googlegroup.com. All owners have access to this site at no cost and express themselves freely on matters of interest; e.g., wildlife events like the presence of a bear, coyote or mountain lion or matters of interest like the pros and cons of selling solar generated electricity to the local utility. The rr-general website is expected to serve a major role in the event of a wildfire and all residents are encouraging to sign up, by contacting either Carl Oppedahl or John Drake.

There are two other Google Groups set up for list serv usage (day-to-day and charitable) though these are used infrequently. Please contact Carl Oppedahl if you wish to use/join in using these groups.

Firewise Newsletters

Lisa Lewis publishes a “Firewise” newsletter monthly during the fire season, summer months offering advice to minimize home fires. Firewise is a national organization dedicated to helping homeowners mitigate fires at their homes. Ruby Ranch is a “Firewise neighborhood”, where owners educate themselves re: fires and take steps to prevent/survive them.

Summit County Alert

Summit County also maintains a “red alert” email and text messaging service called Summit Alert which provides essential information for living in the Rocky Mountains. All Ranch residents should be signed up for this free service, which can be done at summitcountyco.gov.

Periodic Newsletter

John Drake has published an informal newsletter about four times per year, as news justifies, since 2016 as a volunteer. Please see Newsletter archive on owner page for old issues.

Website

The Ranch website, rubyranch.com, is being renovated in 2021. The main goals of this renovation are to drive traffic to the website and to provide more useful and updated information. It will include local and Ranch news updated monthly, with pictures, and a comprehensive data base designed to answer owner questions, particularly for new owners on the Ranch.

The website will also be the only avenue for contacting the Ranch Manager to request infrastructure repairs, and will include information on securing help in an infrastructure emergency; e.g., no water, road washout, etc.

Google Group

The community also communicates informally and often via a Google website, rr-general@googlegroup.com. All owners have access to this site at no cost and express themselves freely on matters of interest; e.g., wildlife events like the presence of a bear, coyote or mountain lion or matters of interest like the pros and cons of selling solar generated electricity to the local utility. The rr-general website is expected to serve a major role in the event of a wildfire and all residents are encouraging to sign up, by contacting either Carl Oppedahl or John Drake.

There are two other Google Groups set up for list serv usage (day-to-day and charitable) though these are used infrequently. Please contact Carl Oppedahl if you wish to use/join in using these groups.

Firewise Newsletters

Lisa Lewis publishes a “Firewise” newsletter monthly during the fire season, summer months offering advice to minimize home fires. Firewise is a national organization dedicated to helping homeowners mitigate fires at their homes. Ruby Ranch is a “Firewise neighborhood”, where owners educate themselves re: fires and take steps to prevent/survive them. See archive on Fire page for newsletters.

Summit County Alert

Summit County also maintains a “red alert” email and text messaging service called Summit Alert which provides essential information for living in the Rocky Mountains. All Ranch residents should be signed up for this free service, which can be done at summitcountyco.

Please refer to the Rental rules on the Owner’s corner.

Please refer to the rental document on the Rules and Regulations page.

Please refer to the boarding documents on the Stables page for more details.

Horses on the Ranch are here because they are the private property of owners. Horses are subject to many ailments, e.g., they are prone to cholic which can be trigger by what they eat and can be fatal. Horses can also be temperamental and prone to bite or kick.

Ruby Ranch policies require leaving other people’s horses alone. They must not be fed, petted or closely approached whether at the stables or in a meadow.

Effective in 2021, the newly hired Ranch Manager assumed responsibility for all aspects of meadow maintenance up to, but not including harvesting and selling the hay, which continues to be done by a third-party contractor who has the specialized equipment needed for this job.

The Ranch Manager’s duties include removing rocks, dragging in the spring, spraying noxious weeds, and irrigation. At some future time, these duties may be extended to include haying if and as the needed equipment is acquired.

Ruby Ranch owners, guests and renters have excellent access to trails in the Eagle’s Nest Wilderness that provide miles of hiking and horseback riding opportunity.

Please note that the Eagle’s Nest Wilderness is a “National Wilderness Area” as designated by the Wilderness Act of 1964. Machines are not allowed, including motorized vehicles and chain saws. The motto for this area is “leave only your footprints behind.”

A survey of Ranch owners in 2018 indicated a widespread desire for more trails on Ruby Ranch. Accordingly, a ski trail was proposed and laid out in 2020 by the Willow Brook Metro District which governs all Ranch infrastructure including meadows and trails, running from the pole-barn at the stables eastward across Pasture K.

Unfortunately, volunteer labor was not adequate to make this trail operational. It is hoped that the newly hired Ranch Manager will have sufficient time in the future to groom and maintain this cross-country trail for the enjoyment of the owners and their guests. The following rules have been set forth to govern future use.

Signs will be posted:

WARNING!

USE RESTRICTED TO RUBY RANCH HOMEOWNERS AND GUESTS

USERS ASSUME ALL RISKS INHERENT OR OTHERWISE

ALWAYS USE WITH A PARTNER AND CELL PHONE

RESCUE MAY BE DIFFICULT AND SLOW

Owners will sign “Hold Harmless” agreements.

Ruby Ranch Covenants, signed by all owners as a pre-condition for purchase, strictly forbid hunting on Ruby Ranch or for that matter, the discharge of a firearm for recreational purposes. Ruby Ranch has a wide variety of wildlife, including a herd of about 35 elk who reside here during the bulk of the fall hunting season.

Over the years, hunters in the nearby public forests have crossed into Ruby Ranch or fired into Ruby Ranch in pursuit of game. Please notify the Summit County Sheriff if you witness anything of this sort happening. These people are in violation of the law.

Neither two-wheeled nor four-wheeled recreational vehicles are permitted to be used for recreational purposes on Ruby Ranch roads. Several owners have such vehicles and are allowed to use them for maintenance or other non-recreational purposes, such as hauling trash to the dumpsters, grooming the equestrian arena or a cross-country ski trail.

Ruby Ranch roads are open for recreational hiking, bicycling and horseback riding, but not for recreational use of motorcycles, ATV’s, or other such vehicles.

Please refer to the drone document on the Owner’s Rules and Regulations page.