In the Region

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In the Region

WELD COUNTY SAYS IT WILL SHELVE CONTROVERSIAL ROAD PLAN
The Weld County Commissioners are again drawing criticism from nearby local elected officials. This time it’s over a plan to extend WCR 7 by building a 4-lane byway through the St. Vrain State Park. The commissioners say the anticipated growth in the area warrants an additional north-south arterial as an alternative to I-25 for local traffic. To be sure, planned growth in unincorporated Weld County is largely responsible for the significant new roadway capacity needs. But, it is also fueled by development in north Broomfield, Thornton, the tri-towns of Frederick, Firestone and Dacono, as well as Erie. According to the Longmont Times-Call, Firestone Mayor Mike Simone said his town will annex the land and give the road to the park rather than allow the plan to be implemented; the Longmont City Council, state park officials and local environmentalists are also against the proposal. On the other hand, residents of the nearby Meadow Vale subdivision supported the idea because the alternative is widening WCR 5 ½ which would affect their neighborhood. Earlier this year the commissioners conceded to opposition to the project and said they would abandon the proposal, then revived it, with the justification that they’ve already spent over $200,000 on the study. Now, it has apparently been dropped from consideration. Other Weld County north-south roads being considered for expansion include WCR 9.5, WCR 13, Two Rivers Parkway and WCR 49. East-west corridors under study include WCR 22/24 and WCR 74.

RESIDENTIAL GROWTH SANS NEW REVENUE SOURCES PRESSURES MEAD
Mead officials are asking voters to provide a little fiscal breathing room at this November election. Hundreds of new homes have been added to Mead over the past couple of years but the Town has note seen any revenue producing business development to speak of. In fact, key parcels of land have been lost to the City of Longmont on the west and Weld County authorized the formation of a sewer and wastewater treatment district on unincorporated land adjacent to Mead’s eastern boundary that is expected to support thousands of homes as well as office and retail development. With an annual budget of only $1.1 million, Mead will ask voters to allow them to cut publication costs by printing only ordinance titles in public notices to save money. The Town will also seek to amend, for the third time since 2001, a law requiring a public vote on all annexation; a law that has left the Town handicapped to address neighboring communities encroachment. Special annexations cost the town between $3000 and $9000 each.

GREELEY METROPOLITAN AREA THE FASTING GROWING IN THE NATION
First a definition. The U. S. Census Bureau defines the Greeley Metropolitan Area as all of Weld County. That helps explain the 16.8 percent growth between 2000 and 2003. The county added more than 30,000 people during the period, largely on land that was formerly agricultural. Incorporated Greeley added more than 6,550 residents to a total of more than 83,000. During the three-year period, total Weld County population grew from 181,000 to more than 211,000. Less expensive land and a favorable development climate is credited for the rapid growth. St. George, UT and Las Vegas, NV were second and third respectively. The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight identifies Greeley as having one of the lowest home price appreciation rates in the country.