Yards - The hardest thing to find in Denver (Aurora: house, established neighborhood)

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by rkb0305

It is common urban planning to build on small lots. City and County planning guidelines set minimum lot sizes. Everyone complains about urban sprawl but everyone wants a huge lot...

The minimum often becomes the maximum. Lot sizes are bigger in the eastern and midwestern suburbs.

[BTNS_TX]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

BTNS_TX: The things MaddieClaire described happen in my neighborhood, too. Maybe you are just lucky.

Having a hiking trail doesn't help much when you have small children who need a place to play while you are making dinner.

We live on a curve in the street so we don't look out the window on to a string of houses. I have noticed in friends' homes on straight streets, that the view is mostly of other homes. And this is in a neighborhood with larger than average lots and 8' side yards rather than the standard 5', which only puts 10' between houses.

Perhaps we are lucky. I just want to provide an alternate viewpoint from the largely negative viewpoints commonly expressed on this board concerning HR. No place is perfect, but there does seem an imbalance in the perceptions of HR here.

Counterpoint: this afternoon with our windows open we got to listen to some mother screaming "Jeremiah! Jeremiah!" for about 5 minutes and then listen to her screaming AT Jeremiah when he finally showed up half an hour later for riding off without telling her where he was going. But even with large yards, if you've got a screamer (or a barker), the problem is the same.

Your point about the curve in the street is a good one for people house shopping. Our house is on a bit of a curve, too. It breaks up the lines of houses nicely.

True, I don't have little ones anymore, but if I did, our back yard is plenty big for play where I could always see them. Granted, those giant wooden structures with 500 square feet of play space might eat up too much room, but a swing set, sandbox, and Little Tikes play house would work great.

On the other hand, the yard in Texas (when they were little) was so big, I had to be out there with them (generally in the lovely humid heat...) to keep them in sight, so no cooking dinner for me.

Not trying to be contrary, just wanting to point out a lot of the negatives to some people are positives to others.

[patrickmich]

You are describing the new layout of subdivisions. I lived in Indianapolis prior to Denver, and it was the same there. Gone are the days of housing divisions
with nice yards. I do not know the economic reasons behind this, but I suppose one could easily see that is allows for more profit to build homes
close together. In Indy, the houses are so tight that people grill out in
front of their garages on the cement. They are practically living on top of
each other in these vinyl villages. Only the wealthy can afford to live in
the more spacious areas now. Besides the small lots, there is also cheap
production. I think the reason these newer houses are run down is that
the owners of the mortgage are of the subprime variety. They probably
had very little investment in the property.

[Katarina Witt]

Not trying to be contrary, just wanting to point out a lot of the negatives to some people are positives to others.

I appreciate your point of view.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by MaddieClaire

NO CHARACTER!
Highlands Ranch and vicinity reminds me of the community in Edward Scissorhands!

Highlands Ranch? Naaaaww...

Image courtesy of Colorado Sprawl Action Center.

Disclaimer: I've never lived or spent any significant amount of time in Highlands Ranch. The few times that I have been there, I've felt it was kind of bland and soulless, but almost everyone who lives there speaks pretty highly of the area, so they obviously know something that I don't.

[livecontent]

Highland Ranch must have an inordinate amount of influence on this forum because it is the only topic that is a sticky. Why?? It is no better than other areas and certainly does not have a unique enough value as other areas such as Downtown.

I worked in a large office in Inverness Park and there were many people who lived in Highland Ranch. My opinion was that many of them never saw anything in the Denver area other then from the highways and did not know or appreciate any history or significants of some of the neighborhoods of Denver.
Yet, they considered themselves enviable because they lived in a "better area".

I am with the opinion of many that it is bland, sterile community but has the amenities that make some people happier. So be it.

The light rail is planned to extend to highland ranch. It definitely will bring more diverse ethnic people to live, shop and recreate there, giving the area some character.

[BTNS_TX]

I think it has a sticky because it is a compilation of about 50 different posts with that information for people to find easier, thus keeping the board free of clutter in terms of too many HR post/questions.

I'm sure if someone wanted to compile another thread with all the information ever posted here on Aurora or Westminster, etc, that would be stickied at the top as well.

[yukon]

Holy cow, is that a picture of a real subdivision or a square on a Monopoly game?

[2bindenver]

I think it's a small part of Westridge, the west part of HR. The red roofs are Oakwood Homes, and the trees are 3-6 years old.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by 2bindenver

I think it's a small part of Westridge. The red roofs are Oakwood Homes, and the trees are 3-6 years old.

Is that part of or near Highlands Ranch? The website identifies the picture as Highlands Ranch (not that that couldn't be wrong).