Adjusting to Fort Collins,Co from Phx. Az. (Highlands Ranch, Broomfield: lawyer, relocating)

[Katiana]

I'm not going to quote your post b/c it is so long. I meant I have lived in CO for 27/28 yrs. I have lived in Boulder County for 25 of those yrs. We have made frequent trips to the FC area in those years. I have seen a lot of changes everywhere in CO during those years, yes. But to a long-timer like me, they have been incremental changes. There have been years of greater and lesser migration to CO in that time frame (since 1980), and even a few years of negative migration, but there have been no big bulges.

Colorado Population and Components of Change

Fort Collins-Loveland, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA) Population and Components of Change

I have seen Louisville quadruple in size since we moved here. Now, it is pretty much built out and will likely not get much bigger. I have said over and over to many people, the change has been both good and bad.

Of course, some of the people who have moved in are "rude". Some of the people who already lived there are rude, too. There is a subset of people who just are rude. I doubt it's any higher in the newcomers than the old-timers. Of course, people will excuse someone they know (his bark is worse than his bite) quicker than someone they don't know (d*** Californian!).

I am surprised your neighbors are so minimally impacted by the students. It wasn't that way in Champaign; it's not that way in Boulder, both cities of similar size and home to a university. Just yesterday as my DD and I drove to church we noticed a lot of traffic for a Sunday morning in a part of Boulder nowhere near the university. She said it was probably the students coming back and I agreed. Going to the grocery store, just coming and going into town, etc. As I have stated in other posts, there are students living everywhere in Boulder though the majority live near the University, as was the case in Champaign. Turnover in a college town is constant. The undergrads are there 4-5 yrs; grad students a little longer.

I think if you live in Colorado you have to expect growth.

[Moving2CO]

Amolog: I think you should consider moving to Denver area or even Boulder... I honestly think and feel CO has a lot more to offer than PHX in terms of quality of life, diversity, and unique atmosphere.

When I first thought about moving to CO, I did a ton of research and still am until my upcoming visit in March. I didn't get swept away or convinced by articles listing Fort Colins as #1 city in America to live in because people are different.

You have to ask yourself what's the kind of environment you see yourself in, what are you willing to live with that may lack, and the rest - the people, that's just you doing work in cultivating some good friendships... you can do it, there are good people everywhere.

I am planning on moving to Boulder and will have to make friends too, I don't know anyone there, but I have faith that I will find the kind of people that possess qualities I look for in friendships... it might take a few tries, but hey, it's all about experiencing.

I wouldn't mind meeting up with you, afterall, I do need to go check out FC :-)

[fire_flyer]

PittNurse,

I agree with your last post. Especially, with the turnover in a college town and expecting growth in CO. Just North Fort Collins is much more effected by the turn over then south town.

I really like Boulder. It reminds me of a bigger Corvallis, OR or Eugene, OR so it feels kind of homey to me. So for Amalog, I would have to agree with Moving2CO on that one. If you are trying to seek a similar feel to Eugene. I also like to visit Boulder and have had great experiences meeting people there and on the various trails around the town. Interestingly, Boulder's population numbers are artificially low because of the 'now growth' initiatives. So surrounding cities have grown dramatically since living in Boulder can be quite expensive. Much more expensive for housing than surrounding cities or FC. And the traffic although it has increased in FC is not close to the normal traffic in Boulder. I would live in Boulder if I could afford it.

As Moving2CO said, it's really dependent on what someone is looking for in their new home. I didn't paste the hyperlinks to the CNN articles trying to convince anyone of anything. Just to offer ideas of things available in and around FC and to show why some people may be moving here.

FC is a pretty nice place to live, but has it's ups and downs just like anywhere else.

[hello-world]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

Of course, some of the people who have moved in are "rude". Some of the people who already lived there are rude, too. There is a subset of people who just are rude. I doubt it's any higher in the newcomers than the old-timers. Of course, people will excuse someone they know (his bark is worse than his bite) quicker than someone they don't know (d*** Californian!).

i think you're right that people can just be rude. i also sense that there might be a particular type of person that TENDS to gravitate to the area, and a type that tends to stay, lately. (probably always - there was definitely a particular breed that pioneered out this way back in the day, right?) i think that can sometimes have a bit to do with it. sometimes, some cultures draw some cultures and evolve into new cultures that old timers feel, or new timers that aren't really quite as of the culture can feel it. and i think some cultures more readily accept or excuse different demeanors than other cultures. as an extreme example, i think of something like "how does a 'minority' person feel when s/he visits some place where the klan is still very active? would they be inclined to then pick that place to live? or to stay there after getting a feel from the community that might not be so welcoming? would other people that tend to be more like what that 'minority' person was feeling be more inclined to stick around?" and NO, denver is not some white supremecist mecca...far from it. (though the klan WAS very active here, and rather recently...70's, right pittnurse? i think you had mentioned that.) but in my experience, it's not like THAT these days. maybe a bit more (not entirely, or the "rule") former soccer team captain sort of looking for the old highschool team feel here to go skiing with. or latino and maybe not spending a ton of time with the old high school soccer teamers.

and yes, there are many other types of people here, though there are a couple of cultures that seem to be most pervasive. (for those seeing nothing but "stereotyping"...)

[Katiana]

fire_flyer:

Interestingly, Boulder's population numbers are artificially low because of the 'now growth' initiatives.

Yes, this is true. That is why Louisville quadrupled in about 20 yrs (population has been stable for a few yrs now). Lafayette, Longmont, and Niwot have experience significant growth and Superior just mushroomed, as Erie is now doing. These are all Boulder Co. towns/cities (some of Erie is in Weld Co.).

On the one hand, it was nice when Lsvl was a little town of 5000. We loved walking around the open areas (unfortunately, not all of it city-owned open space) and looking at the wildflowers in the spring. My DH found some old mine shafts while out walking around one time. Harper Lake was a little pond, now a city reservoir. When it froze, we would drive our little Ford Fiesta in as far as we could, till we got stuck in the mud. Then we would put on our ice skates, get out our shovels, shovel it off and skate on it. No ice skating allowed now.

OTOH, the library was just a small area inside City Hall, and there was no rec center. The rec dept held activities at the schools, for which it had to pay rent, and it was always subject to availability. There were limitations on what could be offered b/c of lack of space. There was no high school in town. There was very little shopping, just a grocery store and a few small businesses. One had to drive to Boulder for everything.

So Louisville grew. If growth controls had not been in place, most of us would be residents of Boulder. Boulder would be much larger. Maybe decentralization isn't so bad.

[Katiana]

(though the klan WAS very active here, and rather recently...70's, right pittnurse? i think you had mentioned that.)

It was the 1920s.

[hello-world]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

Yeah, that, too! Despite all that, I still like it here.

LOL i agree it's a likeable place...despite all that! i've heard that thomas robb called boulder one of his favorite places, because it's "natural for people to want to be with their own" or something like that. i think it was in the boulderweekly a while back. i'm not sure i'm putting a lot of stock in an editorial in the boulderweekly, though...

all in all, denver's changing fast, as is much of the front range. some good, some less good. some truth in much of what we're all saying, i think. and hey, we're sticking around, evidently...

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by hello-world

LOL it's a likeable place...despite all that! i've heard that thomas robb called boulder one of his favorite places, because it's "natural for people to want to be with their own" or something like that. i thin kit was in the boulderweekly a while back. i'm not sure i'm putting a lot of stock in an editorial in the boulderweekly, though...

Me, neither. A few yrs ago channel 2 new's cover story was "Who's in charge in Boulder? The people or the prairie dogs?" My family found it hilarious. Boulder is a nice place to visit; I just wouldn't want to live there! LOL!

[hello-world]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

Me, neither. A few yrs ago channel 2 new's cover story was "Who's in charge in Boulder? The people or the prairie dogs?" My family found it hilarious. Boulder is a nice place to visit; I just wouldn't want to live there! LOL!

there was once an article in westword (i think...) about the prairie dog (and plague) "problem" due to the partitioning of the ecosystems (predator/prey) from some of the development around there. there's some irony in there somewhere... or some science fiction.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by hello-world

there was once an article in westword (i think...) about the prairie dog (and plague) "problem" due to the partitioning of the ecosystems (predator/prey) from some of the development around there. there's some irony in there somewhere... or some science fiction.

It's a constant issue up here, and not just in Boulder:

Broomfield to freeze, donate exterminated prairie dogs : County News : Boulder Daily Camera