Eagle County commissioners unanimously approved up to $10 million Tuesday for the Nottingham Ranch conservation easement, the largest in county history protecting 9,480 acres and 160 cubic feet per second of senior water rights. The project leverages $9 million in matching funds from Great Outdoors Colorado, the Nature Conservancy, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and regional partners to preserve land representing 20% of the county’s remaining irrigated agricultural acreage. During public comment, an Edwards resident questioned regional housing authority planning that relies on 2022 data despite significant recent construction. Commissioners announced online building permit submissions are now available and received updates on wildfire code implementation ahead of the state’s April 1 deadline. The board approved administrative items including Clerk and Recorder office closures for upcoming elections.
Conservation Easement
Susan Nottingham chose to sell development rights on her 1,200-head cattle operation rather than subdivide the ranch. The Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust is managing the project, which received unanimous recommendation from Eagle County’s Open Space Advisory Committee after site visits and ecosystem analysis.
The committee determined the project provides $9.6-23.6 million annually in ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat, and water quality benefits. The ranch supports the White River Elk Herd and provides connectivity between winter and summer ranges.
Open Space Manager Peter Suneson told commissioners the project scored in the 96th percentile statewide for conservation value in Nature Conservancy analysis. The conservation value totals nearly $20 million for the Eagle County portion of the property.
Great Outdoors Colorado contributed $7.5 million with additional funding from the Eagle County Regional Partnership Initiative ($2.5 million), National Fish and Wildlife Foundation ($3 million), and Nature Conservancy ($250,000). Routt County previously approved funding for portions of the ranch spanning county boundaries.
Several residents spoke in support during public comment, citing benefits to ranching families and wildlife habitat. Molly Fales from the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust said the landowner views the conservation as protecting family legacy and agricultural heritage for future generations.
Eagle County lost 18% of its farms and ranches between 2017-2022, mirroring Colorado’s loss of 1.6 million agricultural acres during the same period. The Nottingham Ranch represents one of the county’s largest remaining agricultural operations.
Housing Authority Discussion
An Edwards resident raised concerns during constituent input about regional housing authority planning based on 2022 data. Joanna Kerwin noted 769 deed-restricted units have been completed, are under construction, or approved in Edwards alone since the assessment was conducted.
Kerwin said the 2022 housing needs assessment identified 785 units needed countywide, questioning current data relevance given recent construction. She cited 206 completed deed-restricted units in Edwards including 87 at Fox Hollow by Vail Health and 76 by Colorado Mountain College.
Commissioners scheduled a 1:30 PM joint work session with Avon to discuss regional housing solutions. The afternoon session will address housing authority structure and potential funding mechanisms.
Commissioner Updates
Commissioners reported on legislative session tracking and county modernization efforts. Commissioner Jeanne McQueeney said the legislative session that started in mid-January includes roughly 600 bills, with county staff analyzing impacts specific to Eagle County.
Commissioners announced online building permit submissions are now available on the Eagle County website. The new system modernizes permit applications and represents broader county efforts to improve service delivery.
Wildfire Code Implementation
Community Mitigation Manager Eric Lovgren and Wildfire Mitigation Specialist Katie Jenkins presented updates on Eagle County’s wildfire resiliency code implementation. The county is adapting California’s Chapter 7A building code standards for local wildfire conditions.
Senate Bill 23-166 established the state Wildfire Resiliency Code Board in 2023, with the state adopting minimum standards in July 2025. The April 1, 2026 rollout date applies statewide.
Eagle County has required wildfire standards in building codes since 2004, two decades before the state mandate. Commissioners discussed how the county’s existing Chapter 7A approach already exceeds pending state requirements.
Jenkins said the code addresses shared wildfire risk affecting insurance availability and costs. The county offers free home wildfire risk assessments and up to $1,000 in cost-share assistance for defensible space projects.
Administrative Actions
The board approved Clerk and Recorder office closures June 30 and November 3, 2026 for election administration. The office also updated Motor Vehicle Division hours to close Mondays for administrative work during a statewide DMV system transition February 13-18.
Commissioners authorized routine contracts with THT Limited for electrical work, Taft Engineering for boiler services, and Rod’s Painting for on-call maintenance. Treasurer and Public Trustee quarterly reports were rescheduled to the afternoon session.
Support Independent Local Journalism — High Country Advocate was created as a real alternative to regional media that too often silences dissenting voices while taking sides in the political struggle. Producing in-depth, unflinching reporting like this series and others is expensive: servers, editing, research time, and legal review all add up quickly. If these articles have informed you or given you new perspective, please consider supporting HCA with a paid subscription — every subscriber helps keep this reporting strong and independent. 