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Grand County reduces Legacy Park Ranch well-monitoring to once every five years
Summary
After a public hearing and staff presentation of 2010–2025 data, the county voted to amend Legacy Park Ranch covenants so groundwater monitoring will be required every five years and recommended discontinuing surface-water sampling; HOA members may perform independent testing.
The Grand County Board of County Commissioners voted on March 17 to amend the Legacy Park Ranch monitoring requirement, changing the mandatory groundwater testing frequency from annual to once every five years and permitting HOA or individual testing at other intervals.
"The surface water monitoring has never been productive," Water Resources Manager Catherine Morris told the board while summarizing 2010–2025 monitoring results and explaining that many surface samples were dry or produced non-detects. Morris said groundwater data showed no discernible trends in nutrients or bacteria over the period examined and that some wells outside the development show higher nutrient values than those within it.
Several HOA members, including Reeves Brown, representing Legacy Park, urged reducing the frequency to save the association money; Brown said the program costs the association about $2,500–$3,000 annually. After discussion, Commissioner (S21) moved to accept the director's amendment to change required monitoring to a five-year interval; the board approved the motion. The board noted that property owners and the HOA remain free to conduct additional independent testing if they have concerns.
The amendment also clarifies that surface-water sampling is not a county requirement and that homeowners remain responsible for drinking-water testing under state law. The modification is recorded as an amendment to the county's water-quality agreement for the subdivision.
