A brick privacy fence runs along Havana Street, Orchard Road and parts of Cherry Creek Drive. The fence, the county right-of-way beside it and the strip it lines all belong to the same caretaker, and it isn't Arapahoe County or the HOA. It's the Cherry Creek Vista Park and Recreation District, which maintains 2.6 miles of county rights-of-way along those roads, along with the fence itself.
The fence also traces the neighborhood's arterial edge, and that edge is where Arapahoe County's plows go first. Havana is a Priority One road on the county's list. The district has its own plow routes along its rights-of-way and park sidewalks, and it says it has added to them. The residential streets in between rank lowest on Arapahoe County's list. The last stretch, from the curb to your front door, is the homeowner's job.
The Edge Belongs to the District
Most people think of the park district as the pool and the tennis courts. It does more than that. The district owns and maintains seven tennis courts, a pickleball court, a swimming pool, a community room, six parks and six playgrounds, plus the right-of-way along the neighborhood's main roads.
The district's snow removal map page says that "there have been significant increases to the snow plowing routes along the District's right-of-ways and park sidewalks." It also notes that the map is "for representational/illustrative purposes only; not to scale."
So two kinds of ground are on the district's list. One is the right-of-way along Havana, Orchard and Cherry Creek Drive. The other is the sidewalks in and around district parks, including Orchard & Peakview Park, which the Cherry Creek Vista South HOA lists as district-maintained along with the CCV pool.
If a stretch on those routes still has snow on it, the district gives one number. Call JBK Landscape at 303-751-0192, the contractor named on the map page and on the district's contact page.
The County Ranks Your Street Last, on Purpose
Inside the fence line, the street in front of your house is a county road. The HOA's neighborhood page sends residents to Arapahoe County for roads, infrastructure, snow and maintenance, because Cherry Creek Vista sits in unincorporated Arapahoe County. The county's Road and Bridge Division clears roads, bridges and other transportation assets in unincorporated areas. Cities and towns plow their own roads, and CDOT handles state highways.
The county works through a three-tier Plowing Priority System. Priority One covers major arterials, generally the one-mile grid streets, plus routes to emergency services. Priority Two covers minor arterials, major collectors, and routes to schools, business areas, grocery stores and service stations. Every other street is "Non-Priority," which the county defines as "local residential streets and other streets not specifically identified in the priority system."
The policy is direct about what that means for a cul-de-sac:
"Except for emergency situations, or extreme snow conditions, equipment will not be diverted to non-priority streets due to budgetary and manpower restrictions."
Here is how the roads around the neighborhood are ranked in the county's snow route data:
| Road | County priority | Also maintained along the edge by |
|---|---|---|
| Havana Street | Priority One | Park district right-of-way and brick fence |
| Orchard Road | Priority One on some segments, Priority Two on others | Park district right-of-way and brick fence |
| Peakview Avenue | Priority Two | None |
| Interior residential streets | Non-Priority | Homeowners clear the sidewalks |
Orchard Road's mixed rating is why the table doesn't give it one tier. Its priority changes from segment to segment, so check the stretch you actually drive on the county's interactive plow route map before deciding which way out of the neighborhood will be cleared first.
The county's stated goal is "passable roadways" within the limits of the weather and its resources, and it has published a definition of a passable roadway for anyone who wants the exact standard. It also points out how much the snow varies across the county, from 20 to more than 100 inches a season depending on geography. Snow removal runs around the clock in urban areas.
The Last Stretch Is the Homeowner's
That leaves the part of Cherry Creek Vista that no plow reaches. The county's property owner rules put four items on the homeowner:
- Sidewalks. Owners keep the sidewalks next to their property clear of natural snow and ice accumulation. The county says snow and ice "should be removed within 24 hours of the last accumulation."
- Where the snow goes. Property owners and their contractors may not put snow from private property onto county streets or roadways. The county cites C.R.S. 43-5-301 for this rule.
- Hydrants. A fire hydrant on private property has to be cleared by the owner so the fire department can reach it.
- Driveways. The county will not plow private driveways or private roads. The only exception is a life-threatening emergency, when the Sheriff's Office makes the request and the Public Works director decides.
The rule about where the snow goes matters most here. A Non-Priority street may wait a while for a plow, and snow from the driveway can't be pushed into it in the meantime. It has to stay on the property. A contractor with a blade on a pickup is held to the same rule, so it's worth asking about before the first storm.
This is general information about the county's published rules, not legal advice. If you have a question about your own property's obligations, confirm it with Arapahoe County or a qualified professional.
When Something Is Missed, Call Based on Where the Snow Is
Who to call depends on whose ground the snow is on. The HOA's community resource directory collects most of these numbers in one place.
- A district right-of-way along Havana, Orchard or Cherry Creek Drive, or a park sidewalk. Call JBK Landscape at 303-751-0192, the contact the district lists for snow.
- A county road hazard, including an icy stretch of your own street. Call Arapahoe County Road Concerns & Hazards at 720-874-6820, or use the county's online portal for reporting a concern with a county service.
- A streetlight that went out in the storm. Report it to Xcel Energy through its outdoor lighting reporting page, which the HOA links.
- A district matter beyond snow. Contact Circuit Rider of Colorado, LLC, the district's listed contact, at 303-482-1002 or [email protected].
The Same District, Between Storms
The district that plows its rights-of-way in winter also runs the neighborhood's off-season amenities, and a few of them carry over into winter.
Tennis and pickleball stay available with a key. One district key opens both the tennis and pickleball courts, and the district lists it at $30 for residents and $80 for non-residents. The tennis and pickleball page also has the court calendar.
The pool is closed for the year. Its 2026 season ran from Friday, May 22 through September 13, and the district's pool page signs off with "We look forward to seeing you in 2027!"
The district board is made up of Bernie Gehris as President, Deb Botton as Secretary/VP, Doug Mohr as Treasurer, and Aaron Spencer and Greg Mitarotonda as Vice Presidents. Residents with something to raise about plow routes, parks or the brick fence along the edge can bring it to the board. Its mailing address is P.O. Box 359, Littleton, CO 80160, through Circuit Rider of Colorado.
If you have questions about how these responsibilities affect a Cherry Creek Vista home you own or are thinking about, from winter upkeep to how a property presents in the off-season, Debbie Jacobs is glad to talk it through. Book an Appointment and we'll start with your street.
