You can fall in love with the open prairie around Calhan fast. But before you buy land and start planning a build, you need clear answers on access, utilities, and roads. You want a smooth path to permits, reliable water and wastewater plans, and predictable utility costs. This guide walks you through the key checks, with local links and steps you can use under contract. Let’s dive in.
Start with jurisdiction and contacts
Your first step is simple and critical: confirm whether the parcel sits inside the Town of Calhan or in unincorporated El Paso County. Permit rules and utility options change with jurisdiction. If the land is inside town limits, Town codes and processes apply, including possible connection to the municipal water system. You can review the Town’s water system information in the latest Consumer Confidence Reports to understand service coverage and standards at a high level. See the Town’s water page for details: Calhan Water System Consumer Confidence Reports.
If the land is outside town limits, you will work primarily with El Paso County departments for planning, access, and public works questions. Use the County’s Planning & Community Development contact page to confirm who reviews your driveway or site access and to understand submittal requirements: El Paso County Planning & Community Development.
Tip to save time: call both Town Hall and County Planning early with the parcel’s schedule number and legal description. Ask who issues building permits for the site and whether any municipal service commitments are recorded.
Roads and legal access
Rural listings near Calhan often front on county gravel roads or private roads. A few sit near state highways. What matters most is whether you have recorded legal vehicular access and who maintains the road you will rely on.
Public vs private roads
- If access is from a County road, a County access or driveway permit is required. Start on the Public Works forms page: El Paso County Public Works forms and applications.
- If access is by a private road or easement, ask for the recorded ingress-egress easement and any road maintenance agreement. Verify it through the official records: El Paso County Clerk & Recorder recorded documents.
Permits, culverts, and standards
The County sets standards for driveway intersections, sight distance, and drainage. Many rural driveways need a culvert sized to County specs. Expect to maintain any culvert on your property over time. Submit your access permit early so you know the exact conditions before you finalize site plans. The Planning team can also flag fire-review considerations tied to access. Start here for process questions: County Planning & Community Development.
Road impact fees
When you pull a building permit in unincorporated El Paso County, a Road Impact Fee usually applies. Budget for it alongside utility and site costs. You can review the program and fee schedule here: El Paso County Road Impact Fees.
Buyer checklist for roads
- Is the access public or private, and is there recorded legal access to the parcel?
- Who maintains the road, and how are costs shared if it is private?
- What are the County’s driveway and culvert requirements for your site?
- What Road Impact Fee applies to your planned home type?
Water: town taps vs private wells
Inside town limits, a connection to the Town water system may be possible if taps are available. Always ask the Town about tap availability, fees, and any required public improvements for subdivisions. Review water system info here: Calhan Water System Consumer Confidence Reports.
Outside town limits, most buyers rely on private wells, shared wells, or a local water district if one serves the area. New or replacement wells must be permitted by the Colorado Division of Water Resources (DWR). You can search permits and learn about application steps here: Colorado DWR well permitting.
What to verify before you buy:
- Ask the seller or listing agent for any existing well permit, well log, and pump test data tied to the legal description.
- Search nearby well permits and logs to set realistic expectations for depth and yield. Use DWR resources and consult local drillers for site-specific context.
- Understand that Denver Basin groundwater rules may apply and can affect allowable uses and well construction.
Budget note: well projects vary widely by site. Many residential wells land in the low-to-mid thousands up to the low tens of thousands depending on depth, formation, and equipment. Costs can change quickly with geology and depth. It varies widely by site; get written quotes from local drillers and review DWR records for nearby well performance before you set a budget.
Wastewater: septic and OWTS permitting
If the parcel is not on a sewer district, you will need an Onsite Wastewater Treatment System permitted through El Paso County Public Health under Colorado’s Regulation 43. Start with the state overview for definitions and rules: CDPHE Onsite Wastewater (Regulation 43). Then contact the County’s program for local permitting steps, required soil or percolation testing, setbacks, and system types: El Paso County Public Health.
Plan to order a soils or perc test early. Results determine whether a conventional system will work or whether an engineered system is needed. Budget ranges for a typical single-family system can vary widely with soils, groundwater, and design. It varies widely by site; get written quotes from licensed OWTS contractors after your soils test.
Electricity, gas, and broadband
Power: Mountain View Electric Association (MVEA)
MVEA is the primary electric cooperative serving much of the Calhan area. For any parcel, request a written cost-to-serve or line-extension estimate that outlines pole or transformer placement, trenching, meter fees, and whether the extension will be overhead or underground. Start your utility due diligence here: MVEA provider information.
Questions to ask MVEA or the serving utility:
- How far is the nearest energized line or transformer from my build site?
- Is underground service available and what trenching is required?
- What are the timelines and deposits for a line-extension agreement?
Gas and heating fuel
Natural gas infrastructure is limited across the eastern plains. Many rural homes near Calhan use propane or all-electric systems. Confirm gas availability with the serving utility for your specific parcel and plan for propane if gas lines are not nearby.
Broadband options
Service can be very location specific. Many rural addresses rely on fixed wireless providers, satellite services, cellular-based home internet, or Starlink. You can start with a quick scan of ISP options by ZIP to set expectations, then verify service at the exact parcel: 80808 internet providers overview. Always request a provider’s formal availability or build timeline in writing.
Easements, plats, and title
Recorded documents tell the real story of access, utilities, and use limitations. Before you close, review the title commitment and the recorded plat and easements, and order an ALTA or boundary survey so you can locate utility corridors, access lines, and building envelopes on the ground.
Where to search and what to check:
- Use the County’s official records portal to pull deeds, easements, and plats: Clerk & Recorder recorded documents.
- Ask the title company to explain exceptions and note any items that could limit your building envelope, such as utility easements through the center of the lot or drainage and conservation areas.
- Confirm mineral rights status and any reservations recorded by prior owners.
Red flags to resolve before closing include missing recorded access, ambiguous or expired road maintenance agreements, or easements that materially constrain your intended building site. Require cures or written clarifications as contract conditions.
A practical due-diligence checklist
Use this list in roughly this order while under contract:
Confirm jurisdiction. Call Town Hall and County Planning to verify who issues permits for the parcel and whether municipal services apply. Town water overview: Calhan Water Consumer Confidence Reports. County planning contacts: El Paso County Planning & Community Development.
Pull the Assessor card and plat. Confirm legal description and subdivision details: El Paso County Assessor. Cross-check recorded plats and easements here: Clerk & Recorder.
Secure title and survey. Obtain a title commitment and order an ALTA or boundary survey. Ask your title officer to walk through all exceptions.
Apply for access permits. If accessing a County road, submit for a driveway or Work in the Right-of-Way permit and get written conditions: Public Works forms and applications. Note the potential Road Impact Fees.
Verify water. If no municipal tap, run a DWR well-permit search and request nearby well logs. It varies widely by site; get written quotes from local drillers for depth, yield, and total project cost: DWR well permitting.
Plan septic. Order soils or perc testing and submit an OWTS application with El Paso County Public Health. Ask for bids from licensed installers after test results: CDPHE OWTS overview and El Paso County Public Health.
Price power and communications. Request a written line-extension and meter set estimate from the serving utility and confirm broadband options in writing: MVEA information and 80808 providers overview.
Verify fire district and insurance factors. Confirm the fire protection district and proximity to hydrants if applicable for insurance considerations.
Document private-road obligations. If access is private, require a recorded road maintenance agreement or an escrowed solution before closing.
Final budget check. Roll in quotes for driveway, culvert, well, septic, power, and broadband along with County impact fees so your build budget is complete.
Buying land near Calhan can be straightforward when you know where to look and what to ask. Focus on jurisdiction, access, water and wastewater, and utility cost-to-serve letters. Get every critical item in writing, and line up your tests and permits early to keep your build on schedule. If you want a knowledgeable partner to help you source the right parcel and manage the moving pieces, connect with CC Signature Group - Camellia Coray for expert, hands-on guidance from search to close.
FAQs
What permits do I need to build on rural land near Calhan?
- Confirm jurisdiction first, then expect a driveway/right-of-way permit from County Public Works, building permits through the applicable authority, and OWTS approval if you need septic; start with County Planning & Community Development.
How do I confirm legal road access to a parcel in El Paso County?
- Review the recorded plat and any ingress-egress easements through official records and your title commitment; search documents here: Clerk & Recorder recorded documents.
How can I tell if a Calhan parcel can connect to Town water?
- Ask Town Hall about tap availability and fees if the parcel is inside town limits; review the Town’s system information here: Calhan Water Consumer Confidence Reports.
What should I budget for a private well and septic near Calhan?
- Costs vary widely by site; pull nearby well logs from DWR well permitting and get written quotes from local drillers and licensed OWTS contractors after a soils or perc test via El Paso County Public Health.
Who provides electricity to rural Calhan properties and how do I estimate costs?
- Mountain View Electric Association serves much of the area; request a written line-extension and meter estimate with route and trenching details: MVEA provider info.
