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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Where is the Riverbed Ranch located?​

It's located in Juab County, Utah, at the border of Tooele County.  When we first saw the land, we were worried it was too far out. Now, with all the craziness from COVID and society in general, we're wondering if it's far enough! 

You can see where it's at by googling "Utah OSR Land Co-op", clicking the map, and zooming out.

Why are the land and construction costs so low?

We're Utah's first and only non-profit land developer, so we're saving everyone on construction costs through more inexpensive building methods, as well as group purchases.  Traditional land developers are focused on maximizing their profits, our focus is on saving our members money (in both the short and long-term).

Is this a legitimate project?

Here's some links to demonstrate the legitimacy of our project:

1. Browse here:  https://secure.utah.gov/bes/ and type in "Utah OSR Land Cooperative" and you'll see our registration with the State of Utah as a non-profit.

2. Then browse here:  http://63.78.118.148/recorder/taxweb/search.jsp , click "Public login" and in the field "Last Name First Name" type in "Utah OSR Land Cooperative" and hit "Search".  That will show you all 9 parcels of land that make up Riverbed Ranch and that we are the owner.

3. Here is the official map for the Utah Division of Water Rights that governs the use of well water in Utah:  https://maps.waterrights.utah.gov/EsriMap/map.asp..  If you know where to look, you can zoom in to Riverbed Ranch and you will see the map I have attached.  It shows that we have assigned water shares to all 250 lots.

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map.JPG

Will we be building any other states?

Our long-term plan includes building similar communities in AZ, WY, ID, and Alberta Canada.  Hopefully land prices will come back down to make this possible. OSR Green, LLC, has purchased 1,298 acres near Snowflake, Arizona, to build a second OSR community, Coslor Cove, Arizona's largest off-grid community.

Are there payment options?

Because the Riverbed Ranch is being developed by a non-profit organization and not a deep-pocketed investment group, payment plans are not an option.

Is this an HOA community?

We have no interest in setting up an HOA.  Home Owner Associations were invented to preserve property values; our goal is to preserve lives through food production and to preserve the lifestyle of self-reliance, not to preserve property values.

Are there building restrictions?

The vast majority of restrictions are imposed by government agencies.  The homes will need to be permanent and pass Juab County's building inspections. They use the International Residential Code.  The County also requires the homes to be engineered to a 115 mph wind load and a 40 pounds per square foot snow load.  Since this is an off-grid community, the homes will have to be able to stay warm in the Winter and cool in the Summer.  To that end, most of the 130+ members are planning some combination of:

• Solar panels for electricity

• Passive solar home designs

• Geothermal heating and cooling elements

• Highly-insulated walls and ceilings (40 to 50R in the walls, and, 80 to 100R in the ceiling)

• Some type of backup fuel (wood or propane) for those really long, cold, overcast Winter weeks that rarely happen.

What are the next steps to getting my own 2-acre plot of land?

  • Next step would be to figure out how you will fund building out your farm-stead.

  • Our current members are working on building their infrastructure and homes, and our best guess is that it will take a minimum of $235,000 to complete.

  • After you have a plan to fund the cost of building, the next step would be to schedule an "Entrance Interview" to review your plan and answer any remaining questions. 

  • You will then need to pay $35,000 for your 2-acre membership in the community, and sign (online) the Membership Agreement. 

  • Then comes the fun part! Picking your lot!  The most up-to-date lot map is always found here.

  • You will have 3 years from the time of purchase to build your passive solar home, set up your water well, your septic system, and build your barn & greenhouse. 

Is there Internet access there now, or planned in the future?

Yes, Elon Musk's Starlink Internet network is 8-times faster than Hughesnet that our residents were using.  We're very pleased with it.

What if I have more questions?

  • Join our live Zoom calls!  Most Thursday nights at 7pm Mountain Time. 

  • Read through our FAQ pages here and here. 

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