The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel
REAL ESTATE WEEKLY
By Penny Stine
Published: 3/14/2021
The city of Fruita adopted Fruita in Motion, the comprehensive plan that will help it guide growth and development, in 2020. The plan recognizes that Fruita is growing and growth is good, but also tries to manage growth in a way that will allow the town of Fruita to retain its small-town characteristics that locals love.
The new comprehensive plan meant that the town could turn its attention to other plans and procedures that fell under the comprehensive plan, like the Parks, Health, Recreation, Open Space and Trails Master Plan (PHROST), which is scheduled for final approval by the Fruita City Council in April.
The biggest goals of the PHROST plan were to prioritize projects that improved park spaces, continue trail connectivity and offered expanded recreational and health opportunities to more citizens. The last time Fruita had updated its Parks, Open Space and Trails (POST) master plan was in 2008, and town leaders wanted to include health and recreation in the new plan.
“It (the 2008 plan) has served as a great tool, since we accomplished a lot in the old plan,” said Fruita City Manager Michael Bennett. “It was time to update it.”
The town is also updating land use codes in an effort to give developers more direction in creating housing projects, while also staying true to the town’s community values of friendliness, safety, accessibility of outdoor recreation, community events and continued preservation of its agricultural roots.
Through the process to develop the Fruita in Motion plan, a housing assessment was done for the town that showed that Fruita had the highest median housing prices in the valley, which is not something the town wants to celebrate, since it means that first-time home buyers, and many of the people who work in Fruita can’t afford to buy in Fruita.
“We have goals and want to be able to address this as a community by encouraging and adding more affordable or attainable housing,” Bennett said. “There’s not an easy fix, but our land use code update identifies goals in addressing this.”
One of the biggest ways the land use code could spur less expensive housing is by increasing allowed densities to attract a greater variety of housing options. According to Bennett, 97% of the new homes permitted in Fruita between 2010 and 2018 were for single family detached homes, which are the most expensive housing option.
A new housing subdivision, Dwell, is currently working its way through the planning process in Fruita. The neighborhood, which is proposed for an almost-five acre site on 17 1/2 Road, will include 37 dwelling units, in a mixture of single family detached, single family attached duplexes and four- and five-plex buildings.
“We hope to build something a little more attainable,” said Kelly Maves, with the Maves Group at Coldwell Banker and the listing agent for Maves Construction. “We’re excited and passionate about it. I love the idea of our employees who work for us to be able to afford the houses we’re building.”
The concept plan for Dwell has been approved, and the development is set to go before the city council in May. Although some members of the planning commission expressed surprise at the density, it fits within the plans established by the town of Fruita, and it is the quickest way to build housing that those earning typical Grand Valley wages can afford.
Iron Wheel, a proposed subdivision off Highway 6 & 50, has been working its way through the planning process for years. Chronos Builders is still awaiting final financial approvals, but hopes to have 55 lots ready for home construction in the first filing in about five months.
“Our goal has always been affordable housing,” said Garrett Davis with Chronos. Risings costs for materials and fees have made it impossible to determine exactly what the price of the homes will be. Homes in the neighborhood will all be built by Chronos Builders, Home Again Builders and Mountain Coast Properties.
Alta Builders has built all the townhomes on Gewont Street in Fruita, and is finishing these final two, which are already under contract.
Oak Creek Estates in Fruita, which is on 18 1/2 Road directly across the street from the new Monument Ridge Elementary School, has proved to be a popular location for home buyers. Alta Builders waited until this house got close to completion to put it on the market, and is having an open house at the home today. Nicole Ruiz with Robinson and Co Realtors is listing the home for $ 529,000.
This home in Garden Estates built by Treytyn Homes is scheduled to be complete in June, and it was still available for sale at the end of last week. The home has three bedrooms and two baths in 1,877 square feet, and is listed for $439,900.
After years of working to raise funds, the Fruita Arts and Culture Board raised enough funds to install landscaping and artwork in the city’s roundabouts on the south side of Interstate 70. Jeff Bates, who has done other artwork for the city, will be installing several sculpture pieces on both roundabout.
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