Ideal population (Denver, Fort Collins, Pueblo: home, buy, luxury)

[Josseppie]

Jazz,

If you do not like growth so much and it's obvious the front range from Pueblo to Fort Collins will only get bigger why do you stay here? I know if I lived in a city that was small and showed no signs of growing I would move. There are plenty of cities and towns, even in Colorado, that show no signs of major growth. I am not trying to be rude but just point out why not live in a small rural town if that is what you like so much?

[DOUBLE H]

Idunn. For the year and a half I've been on city data that is one of the best posts I have ever read. Thanks for your efforts!

[denverian]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

If most of the latecomers to Colorado knew what Colorado was like when it was less then 2 million, there would be no one (except maybe Josseppie, but I don't count him) who would like this state to be any more populous than it already is. The people who want it just to be more and more populous just don't know how WONDERFUL a place it was before it started getting overrun. Either that, or they have a personal pecuniary interest in the development that is killing the place.

I'm sure the Native Americans preferred it before the Spaniards and white people came in and did what they did! But we don't have a time machine, so I won't dwell on what was.

I said 6.4 million. I'd like to see another million in Denver because I like big cities and a bussling, urban environment. I'd like to see Denver keep its footprint and become more urban with high rises along the light rail lines as they're built out, and for it to become a less auto-centric city. Much of the state will remain relatively unpopulated because the Eastern Plains will never attract large numbers of people, and many mountain areas just aren't habitable. Keep the people along the Front Range and the rest of the state as a vacation "playground".

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by denverian

I'm sure the Native Americans preferred it before the Spaniards and white people came in and did what they did! But we don't have a time machine, so I won't dwell on what was.

I said 6.4 million. I'd like to see another million in Denver because I like big cities and a bussling, urban environment. I'd like to see Denver keep its footprint and become more urban with high rises along the light rail lines as they're built out, and for it to become a less auto-centric city. Much of the state will remain relatively unpopulated because the Eastern Plains will never attract large numbers of people, and many mountain areas just aren't habitable. Keep the people along the Front Range and the rest of the state as a vacation "playground".

I had the same thought process as you do but I said 12 million because I want Pueblo area to grow to 1 million people. Before you know it if cities along the front range grow that adds up and Colorado will hit 12 million people before you know it.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

If I could give you 1,000 rep points, Idunn, I would. Your research is impeccable, the conclusions irrefutable. Sadly, the brainwashed growth-without-limit morons will never "get it" unitl they are living in cardboard shacks, starving to death, and killing each other for what little resources are available. Even then, some of these people will be too thick-headed to figure out what has happened.

As for Josseppie's recommendation to read "Surburban Nation," I have. It's a "growth apologist" feel-good bull**** piece that makes gullible people believe that if we just "grow smartly", then the sky is the limit. That's pure unadulterated crap. It may sell some books and make some suburban yuppies feel good about themselves, but Dr. Bartlett points out the stupidity of this entire book in one paragraph:



And, yes, people are ****ing right that I'm not happy about population growth in Colorado--it has destroyed or is destroying both the quantity and the quality of EVERY natural and historical feature of this state that I cherish. I feel truly fortunate that I did not father any children--first, because I did not contribute to more destruction by doing so; and, second, because I won't have to watch any progeny of mine have to live the tragedy of trying to scratch a bare existence out of a depleted and destroyed natural environment.

Geez you're negative! I'm more concerned with out of control population increases of the entire planet than with Colorado. Most of this state is still relatively desolate. Your Chicken Little attitude is over the top. For the Front Range to become like the Southern California mess, you'd need another 10 million people to move here, at least, and that's not going to happen in your lifetime, my lifetime, or my kids' lifetime. When they start building McMansions on Pikes Peak and I-25 is a 16 lane freeway from Wyoming to New Mexico, give me a call and we'll have a bit@h session!

[iknowftbll]

Originally Posted by denverian

I'm sure the Native Americans preferred it before the Spaniards and white people came in and did what they did! But we don't have a time machine, so I won't dwell on what was.

I said 6.4 million. I'd like to see another million in Denver because I like big cities and a bussling, urban environment. I'd like to see Denver keep its footprint and become more urban with high rises along the light rail lines as they're built out, and for it to become a less auto-centric city. Much of the state will remain relatively unpopulated because the Eastern Plains will never attract large numbers of people, and many mountain areas just aren't habitable. Keep the people along the Front Range and the rest of the state as a vacation "playground".

I agree. Keep the development close to what is already developed. Last thing we need is for cities like Sterling and Burlington to spring up over 50,000. Really the only non-front range place where this is likely to happen is Grand Junction. 50,000 people and counting, metro of about 150,000. If the rest of the development is centered around Denver and Colorado Springs, and Pueblo (that one is for Josseppie) the state will be just fine.

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by iknowftbll

I agree. Keep the development close to what is already developed. Last thing we need is for cities like Sterling and Burlington to spring up over 50,000. Really the only non-front range place where this is likely to happen is Grand Junction. 50,000 people and counting, metro of about 150,000. If the rest of the development is centered around Denver and Colorado Springs, and Pueblo (that one is for Josseppie) the state will be just fine.

Thank You!

[Sockeye]

Where will the Front Range get the necessary W-A-T-E-R for these grandiose delusions? Hmm?

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by Sockeye

Where will the Front Range get the necessary W-A-T-E-R for these grandiose delusions? Hmm?

Good question but Pueblo already has enough water for a city of 500,000 people and we are buying water from the Bessemer ditch that should give enough water for a city close to 750,000 people. Even at my optimistic projections that gives us more then enough water for this century, even if we do not buy another drop of water and I am sure we will.

As far as the other cities I am not sure so if people want water they should move to Pueblo!

[bproven]

Originally Posted by Sockeye

Where will the Front Range get the necessary W-A-T-E-R for these grandiose delusions? Hmm?

Exactly - the limiter here is WATER. No matter what people want. I say no more than 6-7mil - ever. Doesn't matter how many reservoirs you build there is only so much water to go around before we hit the limit. I really hope we cap out at a sustainable level that makes for a nice standard of living. Personally, I think we are pretty close to that right now.

Jossepphie :: 1 million people in Pueblo? Give me a break. Your city (and Fort Collins as you mention) would be better off with no more than 250K or so and at the MAX CO Springs size pop. Anything more than that it will be hell and smart growth ain't going to save it. Why would you wish that on your city if you love it? I'd rather the pops stay like they are and I live in Fort Collins myself. I think that if you want a city that size you might want to consider moving to Denver or to another large city. You can enjoy that life today without bloating up Pueblo or FC or any other CO city.

This is all moot anyway as I believe resource constraints will kick in to limit population. My only hope is that they kick in early before CO becomes a crappy place to live...