1. Court does not dismiss case against Granby Ranch’s owner

A court has maintained a number of claims the Granby Ranch Metropolitan District has made in a lawsuit against the owners of Granby Ranch.

Last year, Granby Ranch Metropolitan District, a homeowner-controlled metro district, filed suit against the group of entities associated with the Granby Ranch development.

Longstanding agreements in the Granby Ranch subdivision required all owners pay a one-time $10,000 amenity fee as part of a community lease purchase agreement. This pool of fees was to be used by Headwaters Metropolitan District, a developer-controlled metro district, to finance the eventual purchase of the amenities, including the ski and golf resorts at Granby Ranch.

2. Vicious Cycle coming to Fraser brewery scene

For Rebecca Bierden and Nathan Watt, the owners of the new Vicious Cycle Brewing in Fraser, turning their dreams into a reality led to opening a brewery.

It started with inspiration sparked during a trip Bierden took to Antarctica and her realization that fulfilling her own wanderlust was unavoidable.

“While I was (in Antarctica) I met some girls and they had been traveling the world for a couple years,” Bierden said. “They had quit their jobs and sold their cars. I came home from that trip and said to Nathan we have to do this. Let’s do it now while we’re young.”

3. Grand County updates short-term rental regulations

Grand County commissioners have approved some changes to short-term rental regulations as part of an ongoing effort to increase enforcement.

The changes are meant to target two main issues with short-term rentals in the county, the first being annual permitting.

The county first started taking a harder look at short-term rentals last July, when it was discovered that over half of the short-term rentals in unincorporated Grand County were operating without a permit. Since then, the county has been working to improve enforcement and has named Christian Hornbaker as the county’s STR coordinator to work through the various issues.

4. US Highway 40 closes near Rabbit Ears Pass

US Highway 40 near Rabbit Ears Pass is closed due to the weather, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

US 40 is closed between County Road 186 and Colorado Highway 13, northwest of Kremmling. Drivers should expect delays.

See updated closure information at cotrip.org.

5. Commissioners approve sketch plan for affordable housing in Red Hawk Ranch

Grand County commissioners have approved a sketch plan for workforce housing in Red Hawk Ranch despite the increase in units from the preliminary plat.

In October, commissioners approved the preliminary plat for Red Hawk Ranch, near Tabernash, which included 46 units on two tracts. The sketch plan for those two tracts, which was first presented to commissioners at the Jan. 25 meeting, increased the number of units to 70.

Due to the discrepancy and a number of questions, commissioners continued the discussion to Tuesday’s meeting.