Durango West 2 E-News December 2024
DW2 E-News December 2024
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
2025 Budget Adopted
The Board adopted the 2025 Budget at the November 20th board meeting. The budget outlines the estimated revenues and expenditures associated with operating the water, wastewater, road and open space of the District including road repairs, snow removal, fire mitigation and water and sewer system maintenance and improvement projects. The 2025 budget has $800,118 total revenues and $933,363 total expenditures with an expected deficit of $133,245; however the district does have reserves to cover this amount. The majority of this deficit is in the Wastewater Fund and is due to improvements the State is requiring. The 2025 budget contains $101,000 in road repairs; $21,360 in fire mitigation; and $208,325 for water purchase from Lake Durango Water Authority which increased rates by 5% again this year.
Snow Plowing and Road Right of Way
When clearing snow from your driveway, do not push it into the road. This adds extra time and expense to our snowplow contractor’s job and most importantly, delays him from making our neighborhood roads safe for all drivers and our school buses. Snow from your driveway must be pushed into your own lot. It will sometimes be necessary for our contractor to push snow off the roads and into homeowner’s yards. The District’s road easement continues approximately 10-15 feet onto homeowner’s property. Pushing snow into that easement will keep the roads as wide and safe as possible. When the road gets too narrow, visibility can be impaired and driving and walking in the subdivision can become quite dangerous, particularly since we do not have sidewalks.
It is helpful to our snowplowing contractors if residents mark their curb lines with tall stakes (reflecting are best) – every 15 feet. Please know that these are for our snowplow contractor to know where to plow up to. These poles or stakes should not interfere with the snowplow's ability to push snow into the district's right of way. In times of big snowfalls or snow years, it is necessary to push snow off the roads and into homeowner’s yards.
Start 2025 in Balance
Start the New Year off with a zero balance on your DW2 account. Some residents still have amounts due from a water overage they may have had last summer or a late fee(s) that may have been on their account from months ago. Some residents have a credit on their account and can pay less this month! Please take an extra minute to look at your bill and adjust your next payment to reflect the amount due whether you have a balance due or credit. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Help Make Roads Safe this Winter – Slow Down and Don't Park on Streets
Parking on Streets Prohibited
Durango West 2 Metro District prohibits parking on the street. Vehicles, trailers, etc., parked on the street present a safety hazard to our children and residents and greatly hinders snowplowing efforts.
Drive and Walk Safely, Especially on Icy Roads!
Winter is here and it is important to remember that roads may become quite slick in the subdivision in the coming months. People may be walking on either side of the road to avoid ice patches. Please be watchful, slow down and take your time while traveling through the neighborhood on wintery days.
Water-Saving Tips
Now is a good time to look at protecting your water spigots, especially for resident leaving for the season. Snow chunks and icicles falling from roofs can hit resident’s hose bibs causing them to turn on resulting in water being steadily released from the spigot. Even a slow constant trickle adds up to alot of lost water and money as well as ice pools in your yard or road gutter. Regularly checking your outside spigots or fitting them with some type of cover can save water and unnecessary added expense on your water bill.
Another good water-saving tip: Turn off the water to your toilets when you leave town. You may not even be aware that your toilet is running. The average leaking toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water per day - that's 6,000 gallons a month.
HOA vs Special District
A metro district is a local government entity that provides public services and infrastructure to a community. A homeowner’s association (HOA) is a private organization that manages and enforces rules and regulations within a particular residential community.
Durango West Metro District 2 is a special district within the state of Colorado. It is not an HOA. The district provides water, sewer collection and wastewater treatment services, and maintenance of roads and open space. It charges fees for these services. It is not an HOA and therefore does not manage or enforce covenants or perform other typical HOA functions.
Road Right of Way
Residents need to maintain the district Right of Way which extends 10-15 feet from the curbline into their property. See district Right of Way (ROW) policy for details. This means when landscaping, residents should not put any structures, fences, retaining walls, large boulders, new trees, etc in this area. Keeping the ROW accessible is important because it is used for snow storage and many times includes sewer and water mains, and quick access to a water break or sewer blockage can save the district and homeowner a lot of money and restore service faster to all residents.
No Board Meeting in December
Next Board Meeting is: January 15, 2025 at 5 p.m. at the Mail Building
