Broomfield or Highlands Ranch? (Denver, Boulder: hotel, house, subdivision)

[chilicheesefries]

Originally Posted by bhcompy

How long does housing have to be around for it to be established? Parts of HR have been around for nearly 30 years.

Good point - it was started in 1981. It's been around longer than many people think. When I am mentioned established housing I think I mean back before it was all cul-de-sac and subdivisions.

By the way - from what I've seen the older sections of HR have not aged particularly well.

[Tumbleweed101]

So what is the average commute times from Highlands Ranch to LoDo (be to work by 8:15 and leave after 6:30)?

[Count David]

I pick Broomfield.

Originally Posted by Tumbleweed101

So what is the average commute times from Highlands Ranch to LoDo (be to work by 8:15 and leave after 6:30)?

prob @ 45 each way or so (sans snow of course).

[sunnyc]

Thank you to everyone for replying to my inquiry. I appreciate the feedback. I do not have a job in Denver, but am considering a move there and although only having visited the area minimally I recall both the Highlands Ranch and Broomfield areas to be attractive. My hope is to choose best area, relocate, and hopefully find a job after settling down.

No family, in my 30's, and love the outdoors--one of the reasons Denver appeals to me. Seems to me I once read the job market in Highlands Ranch is strong, but I don't recall where I saw that.

I may visit the area soon to get a better feel.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by sunnyc

Seems to me I once read the job market in Highlands Ranch is strong, but I don't recall where I saw that.

I wasn't aware there was a job market in Highlands Ranch. But it is near the tech center. Someone in HR would have access to the tech center and downtown Denver job centers while Broomfield residents would have access to Denver and Boulder. Find a job, then a home.

[livecontent]

Highland Ranch and Broomfield have one big difference, as Highland Ranch is only a development, operating as a metro district in Douglas County, and Broomfied is a City and its own County.

Highland Ranch contracts for most of their services from Douglas County and nearby city of Littleton which are in Arapahoe County. It is mostly residential with some white collar offices and some retail. Highland Ranch is a very large and expansive populated area (93,000 people on 23000 acres) and I think it is problematic in contracting some of these services; eventually, it will be forced to form a City. For example the Police coverage is not local but provided by Douglas County Sheriff--that to me is less than ideal and not adequate for the size and scope of this "pretend" city which is 30 yrs. old.

Broomfield is well established and a few years ago formed its own County because of the problems with it expanding over three counties. Denver is the only other City/County in Colorado. This makes the operation of Broomfield much easier and efficient than the type of governance of Highland Ranch. Broomfield has all its own services. It has extensive parks, recreation centers, library and open space. The older areas are not that old and very well maintained and it has extensive newly developed areas. In addition, Broomfield is a Balance City with light industry, white collar offices and much more extensive retail for a tax base.

One of the big issues in comparing these two areas is the fast coming future as Highland Ranch will be forced to raise taxes in forming its own support structure when it becomes a city. WATER is even a bigger issue as Highland Ranch and all of Douglas County does not have good stable and sufficient water supply and relies too much on the underlying depleting aquifer. Broomfield has established more permanent water supplies and does not need to depend on the underlying Denver Basin. There is going to be some big taxes and cost for water in Douglas County and Highland Ranch as it looks to purchase more water sources.

I would bet on the City of Broomfield having a much better secure future than the Highland Ranch Development.

Livecontent

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

I wasn't aware there was a job market in Highlands Ranch. But it is near the tech center. Someone in HR would have access to the tech center and downtown Denver job centers while Broomfield residents would have access to Denver and Boulder. Find a job, then a home.

Broomfield itself has Interlocken office park which has a huge number of jobs.

[chilicheesefries]

Originally Posted by livecontent

Highland Ranch and Broomfield have one big difference, as Highland Ranch is only a development, operating as a metro district in Douglas County, and Broomfied is a City and its own County.

Highland Ranch contracts for most of their services from Douglas County and nearby city of Littleton which are in Arapahoe County. It is mostly residential with some white collar offices and some retail. Highland Ranch is a very large and expansive populated area (93,000 people on 23000 acres) and I think it is problematic in contracting some of these services; eventually, it will be forced to form a City. For example the Police coverage is not local but provided by Douglas County Sheriff--that to me is less than ideal and not adequate for the size and scope of this "pretend" city which is 30 yrs. old.

Broomfield is well established and a few years ago formed its own County because of the problems with it expanding over three counties. Denver is the only other City/County in Colorado. This makes the operation of Broomfield much easier and efficient than the type of governance of Highland Ranch. Broomfield has all its own services. It has extensive parks, recreation centers, library and open space. The older areas are not that old and very well maintained and it has extensive newly developed areas. In addition, Broomfield is a Balance City with light industry, white collar offices and much more extensive retail for a tax base.

One of the big issues in comparing these two areas is the fast coming future as Highland Ranch will be forced to raise taxes in forming its own support structure when it becomes a city. WATER is even a bigger issue as Highland Ranch and all of Douglas County does not have good stable and sufficient water supply and relies too much on the underlying depleting aquifer. Broomfield has established more permanent water supplies and does not need to depend on the underlying Denver Basin. There is going to be some big taxes and cost for water in Douglas County and Highland Ranch as it looks to purchase more water sources.

I would bet on the City of Broomfield having a much better secure future than the Highland Ranch Development.

Livecontent

Other than the water issue I disagree with much of your asessment. Highlands Ranch doesn't contract with Douglas County because it isn't a city - the services are provided to them as unincorporated areas. They pay the 4.5 mill levy for the Douglas County Sheriff just like all other unincorporated areas in the county. That is not charged to the incorporated areas - Castle Rock, Parker, Lone Tree, etc. The mill levy for the Towns of Castle Rock and Parker is less than the 4.5 mill levy they are currently paying for law enforcement. How is the sheriff not providing sufficient service? Do you have examples?

In Douglas County a lot of the services are provided by special districts which remain when they incorporate. Therefore the property taxes in Highlands Ranch could remain quite similar to where they are today if they incorporated since many of the services are now provided by the Highlands Ranch Metropolitan District and not the county. They would continue as such. And the property tax is lower than many areas of Broomfield. The sales tax would necessarily increase but most likely would still remain among the lowest in the area.

Douglas Libraries is generally recognized as the best library system in the state. Broomfield's is nice but Highlands Ranch's is better. Broomfield has the advantage of being in Prospector but Douglas' collection rivals that of Prospector.

The only service that Highlands Ranch contracts with Littleton for is fire protection and that is only half true. Highlands Ranch is it's own fire district and it owns the stations and equipment and contracts with Littleton Fire Department for manpower only. This could change shortly as there have been disagreements. It could go to South Metro or even West Metro. Fire Protection is coincidentally a service that Broomfield doesn't provide themselves either. They are part of North Metro which they share with Northglenn.

Highlands Ranch also has extensive parks, recreation centers and open space. The differences in future are not as large as they might appear.

[Mach50]

Broomfield for me.

1) Highlands Ranch is too much like Orange County, CA.
2) I like being close to the mountains
3) I like being between Boulder and Denver.

[bhcompy]

Originally Posted by livecontent

Highland Ranch contracts for most of their services from Douglas County and nearby city of Littleton which are in Arapahoe County. It is mostly residential with some white collar offices and some retail. Highland Ranch is a very large and expansive populated area (93,000 people on 23000 acres) and I think it is problematic in contracting some of these services; eventually, it will be forced to form a City. For example the Police coverage is not local but provided by Douglas County Sheriff--that to me is less than ideal and not adequate for the size and scope of this "pretend" city which is 30 yrs. old.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with contracting services. Lakewood, CA(which is an incorporated city) has done it for ~60 years(they pioneered the concept) and the city is a very successful suburban family community of 90k people.