The Real Deal on Boulder from Folks Without an Axe to Grind, Please! (Denver: neighborhoods, schools)

[suzco]

Originally Posted by Remember

. . .
While we were driving around in a neighborhood in North Boulder (east of Broadway), we saw a fox trotting across the street and squeezing into someone's bushes. Then we saw a group of deer nibbling on someone's lawn. I think it's the first time I've seen a red fox in my life - very cute. Are these common occurrences in Boulder? Do the deer limit what you can grow there? Are any animals threats to having outdoor cats?

The answer is yes to all of those questions.

There are also coyotes, skunks, raccoons, prairie dogs. Less frequently, but not rarely, mountain lions and bears are seen. Wildlife is a fact of life in virtually all areas of Colorado.

Definitely keep cats indoors if you want them to live a long, healthy life. In Boulder, there are dangers to small pets from animals such as coyotes, owls, hawks, and mountain lions, and there are also urban dangers such as cars on busy streets.

[Neditate]

Originally Posted by Remember

Do the deer limit what you can grow there?

There are lots of deer in Boulder. (I swear we see more deer in town than where we live in the mountains.) So yes, you do have to deer-proof your garden/yard. I've seen them eating fruit off trees, and they love roses.
Here is a site with info on deer resistant gardening:
http://www.roxwater.com/pdfdocs/The%...ops%20Here.pdf.
Black bears are a problem in certain areas especially when people leave their garbage out. The City of Boulder website has information on wildlife in the area: City of Boulder, Colorado -- Official Web Site - OSMP - Black Bears and Mountain Lions

[livecontent]

The real deal on Boulder and I do not have an axe to grind. I moved to Colorado in the 1970s from Dallas/Ft.Worth; I am originally from New York. I live and worked in Boulder. I like Boulder but as time went on, I decided that real opportunity and better pay was in Denver. In addition Denver, as a major city, offers more and better venues than a college town.

Boulder is very appealing but it came at a time in my life, where I did want to live in an environment where a university and the students have such a strong influence. Yes, it is exciting and colleges bring interesting stimulation to a community but I was a student; lived in a dorm; graduate from colleges; served in the army, and I have already lived in cities that did not revolve around the college scene and the exuberance of youth.

I live in Arvada which is very close to Boulder and I visit Boulder but less and less as years go on. Boulder is very densely populated and has heavy auto traffic and suffers from the the youth who believe that they are going to live forever and yet are always in a hurry and drive too fast through life; I prefer a slower pace. There are many areas in Denver and the suburbs that are much more tranquil than many areas of Boulder. Yes, Boulder can be a good place to live. It has great advantages in public transit and you can have a car free lifestyle. Yet Denver has many find neighborhoods which offer the same amenities and good transportation.

Boulder has nice parks and open space but many parts are heavily used. Denver, the suburbs and the surrounding counties have much more open space, parks, and trails that are not so crowded. Yes, Boulder is closer and in the foothills, but the western suburbs of Denver does have some less used Canyons into the mountains, and the expansive mountain parks of Denver and Jefferson County.

I am talking now as an older, retired person. Boulder is nice when you are young but, for me, I find other cities and towns of Colorado much more to my lifestyle. That is not to say that Boulder is not good for retirees; it is very nice place to retire and I have met many who are very happy, but I prefer a more diverse environment of people, industries, and ideas. So, when you thinking about your own life and where you want to live, keep in mind that you are constantly changing and what attracts you at one age, may not hold the same appeal in latter years.

Livecontent

[CCCVDUR]

Originally Posted by livecontent

Boulder is very appealing but it came at a time in my life, where I did want to live in an environment where a university and the students have such a strong influence.....That is not to say that Boulder is not good for retirees; it is very nice place to retire and I have met many who are very happy........So, when you thinking about your own life and where you want to live, keep in mind that you are constantly changing and what attracts you at one age, may not hold the same appeal in latter years.

Indeed. One of the problems of Boulder, Ashland (OR), and Flagstaff is the high cost of living for young people in college w/o much money. Sadly, that is not being addressed by the City Councils of these towns. Neither of them can claim to be liberal with such expensive rental housing. Boulder is much more expensive than Flagstaff. Ironically, the art towns of Santa Fe, NM and Sedona, AZ are cheaper than these college/art towns. Albuquerque and Tucson are also cheaper. Eugene, Oregon is a cheap, small college town.

[DressageRider]

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

Indeed. One of the problems of Boulder, Ashland (OR), and Flagstaff is the high cost of living for young people in college w/o much money. Sadly, that is not being addressed by the City Councils of these towns. Neither of them can claim to be liberal with such expensive rental housing.

While purchasing real estate in Boulder is expensive, I found that renting in Boulder is quite affordable.

[McGowdog]

Originally Posted by Neditate

There are lots of deer in Boulder.

4-legged, or 2-legged?

Originally Posted by DressageRider

...I found that renting in Boulder is quite affordable.

Really? I did not know this. I'd assumed that anything in Boulder County was insane. I wonder what people consider to be affordable rent. I've always considered renting to being a transition between relationships/homes, but if it can be used to attain an improved lifestyle/experience, it would be worth considering.

As Live mentions, Arvada and the northwest section of Westminster is pretty close to Boulder if you need.

[WolfBoy914]

This is my first post so please bear with me. I've been reading the board for a while and just felt I had to comment.

We are currently in the process of moving up from Texas to the Denver area (simply not soon enough.) I am up for 2 jobs in Boulder and 1 in Littleton. We also love Boulder but can not afford it. No, it is not lush or ultra green but you can work within the climate restrictions and still produce a beautiful yard through xeriscaping. Different, but beautiful still.

Livecontent. Yo've offered some great advice on this board and I have to agree with you here too. Old Town Arvada might be a good place for the OP to check out. That is one of the places we've narrowed our housing search down to, Lowry is the other. I was stationed there in the 90's just before it closed so I really like what they've done with the base. We ate at the Pei Wei there when we were up last month for a housing search. If anyone has any other suggestions, drop me a PM so we can keep on topic.


Finally.
Tom, I've been reading this board for more than a month now. You really need to get your anger under control about snobs and cliques. It is quite apparent how you feel about Boulder, yet you do not live there. You live 2 states away in Arizona, right? Flagstaff? I would never even come close to comparing these to towns. Boulder is far and away above Flag. Yes it is pretty there, but it is just a rest stop on the way to the grand canyon.

[DressageRider]

Originally Posted by McGowdog

Really? I did not know this. I'd assumed that anything in Boulder County was insane. I wonder what people consider to be affordable rent. I've always considered renting to being a transition between relationships/homes, but if it can be used to attain an improved lifestyle/experience, it would be worth considering.

It is true that it is completely relative. But we found a spacious 2-bd apartment with a fireplace and a pool within blocks from downtown for 800 bucks. And they actually lowered the rent while we were there. There are just so many apartments in Boulder and so many shiny new buildings going up.

We moved here from Boston so it felt dirt cheap at the time. I still think it is affordable. Buying in Boulder, however. No thanks.

[jkcoop]

The southwest side of Longmont is a great area as well - we are minutes from Boulder. I love this side of town. Great schools as well. We live in a very small little neighborhood, next to a great park and a wonderful trail along a creek that I run on every day. Most of Longmont is Boulder County.

[McGowdog]

Originally Posted by WolfBoy914

Finally.
Tom, I've been reading this board for more than a month now. You really need to get your anger under control about snobs and cliques. It is quite apparent how you feel about Boulder, yet you do not live there. You live 2 states away in Arizona, right? Flagstaff? I would never even come close to comparing these to towns. Boulder is far and away above Flag. Yes it is pretty there, but it is just a rest stop on the way to the grand canyon.

Woof! Very nice first post. You just made City-Data a better place.

A rest stop on the way to the Grand Canyon! Beautiful!

DR! 800 bucks! That sounds like a deal to me! That's what I paid to live in Evergreen.