I feel like Denver metro Colorado isn't a good place to invest in my future (Littleton: buy, high school)

[DougStark]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

This was a public vote that the city council opposed.

Shows how little the general public knows about "practical" solutions to serious problems like urban heat island. These "green roofs" won't reduce Denver's urban heat island, but they will be a maintenance head-ache to the buildings' owners. However, they'll be seen as a victory by enviro- extremists.

Easier solution that "green roofs": white roof tops! they reflect infra-red solar radiation to reduce heat gain and they don't need irrigation, a gardener, or fertilizer, etc.!

[john-staten island]

Originally Posted by patch62383

Hello everyone my name is Patrick. I'm a Colorado native and I do love this state. I just want to speak my mind about my feelings of where Denver is going. While I can't say I'm right about everything I can say that I think my opinion is valid and my thoughts aren't totally crazy. I currently live in Aurora and have for 9 years which is OK except the school district is absolutely horrible and traffic has almost doubled or tripled within the last 5 years, Denver traffic is absolutely insane IMHO. I need to move because me my wife and are out growing my little 1400 square foot house. While I have a lot of equity in my house but I feel like I can't comfortably afford to move up and into a better school district and a bigger house. I do make decent money but I don't see the benefits of buying a 450,000+ house with a 150,000,170,000 down payment because I refuse to be house poor and I'd rather put the money into retirement and my wife and I want her to stay home to raise our kiddos. I might **** a lot of people off but I think Colorado is going to become the next California which if you like that cool but I myself I just don't want to be around it. My idea is why stay here??? When I can move somewhere else like Wichita Kansas and buy a mansion for 175,000 and move to the suburbs of Wichita and put my kids in some of the best schools in the country. I union and I do commercial light industrial hvac work and would make about 2 dollars an hour less than I do here but with better retirement and health care. I guess I'm asking this because I want some feedback because I don't want to make a bad decision and move to a place I'd hate although I don't expect you to tell me what you do I just want an opinion and maybe if someone else is thinking about this or if you think I'm totally bat **** crazy. Any input is appreciated thanks again everyone

You stated your case very well, with lots of good responses.I live in a big metro area NYC so I get your concerns. I've been looking hard at the Denver area for awhile as an escape from NY. Like you I have lots of equity, ands it's tempting to cash out. My thought is you're living in one of the hottest housing markets in the US. No doubt Denver is experiencing growing pains, they need more light rails, trains whatever to ease traffic issues. Aurora is a good location that will experience gentrification, improving your home equity, improving schools, but probably increasing density, crowding, etc. Unless you're completely miserable and the whole family agrees moving now might be untimely.Denver is on a prolonged upswing, ride that until it crests. In the meantime research areas that meet your interests. Cheaper areas sometimes have little growth, crime, or something negative. Example; Upstate NY is very pretty, quiet, and you get a lot of house for less money. The downside is you're stuck, your castle depreciates, taxes are high, few amenities,etc...Kids grow up and want out of the rural life with few opportunities...My point is, Sometimes No move is the best move, good luck...

[tanbark813]

Originally Posted by N610DL

The plastic bag thing is beyond annoying though. In L.A. you have to ask for a bag at the store and it actually costs an extra 10 cents for one.

I believe that's statewide now.

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

Boulder passed a plastic bag tax 4 years before California so maybe California is becoming more like Colorado.

Not a tax, a ban. Paper bags cost 10 cents per bag and you can't get plastic bags in grocery stores anymore.

[emm74]

Originally Posted by DougStark

Shows how little the general public knows about "practical" solutions to serious problems like urban heat island. These "green roofs" won't reduce Denver's urban heat island, but they will be a maintenance head-ache to the buildings' owners. However, they'll be seen as a victory by enviro- extremists.

Easier solution that "green roofs": white roof tops! they reflect infra-red solar radiation to reduce heat gain and they don't need irrigation, a gardener, or fertilizer, etc.!

I didn't vote for 300 but I did take the time to educate myself about it, and the basis for it goes far beyond the idea of reflecting solar radiation with a white roof.

[orngkat]

The upside of plastic bag bans is a lot less litter which makes your city look a lot nicer.

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by tanbark813

I believe that's statewide now.



Not a tax, a ban. Paper bags cost 10 cents per bag and you can't get plastic bags in grocery stores anymore.

Got it. I’m in favor.

The green roof thing in Denver I’m not. Like a lot fo progressive policy, I think it’s heart was in the right place, but the mechanics of it are very flawed.

[N610DL]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

Boulder passed a plastic bag tax 4 years before California so maybe California is becoming more like Colorado.

Wow. I usually walk to the grocery store so I always need bags. The whole "green" thing of bringing your own is beyond dated.

Forgot that there's a big plastic bag ban in CA. There's a heavy duty version available but the flimsy ones like they have in Denver are banned in Los Angeles. That's at least at CVS and Safeway (Vons in CA.) The heavy duty plastic bags are great for kitchen garbage recepticals.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by N610DL

Wow. I usually walk to the grocery store so I always need bags. The whole "green" thing of bringing your own is beyond dated.

Forgot that there's a big plastic bag ban in CA. There's a heavy duty version available but the flimsy ones like they have in Denver are banned in Los Angeles. That's at least at CVS and Safeway (Vons in CA.) The heavy duty plastic bags are great for kitchen garbage recepticals.

At least the ones you buy here in CA (also banned everywhere I've been in the Inland Empire i.e. Stater Bros, Wal-Mart) are high quality and won't fall apart if you have canned food/etc. in them.

I've reaffirmed that Southern CA isn't a good place for people's futures as well. The last few days have been a clear reminder as to why I left this place 13 years ago. SMDH.

[Phil P]

Originally Posted by DougStark

Shows how little the general public knows about "practical" solutions to serious problems like urban heat island. These "green roofs" won't reduce Denver's urban heat island, but they will be a maintenance head-ache to the buildings' owners. However, they'll be seen as a victory by enviro- extremists.

Easier solution that "green roofs": white roof tops! they reflect infra-red solar radiation to reduce heat gain and they don't need irrigation, a gardener, or fertilizer, etc.!

I'll paste my comments from the other Denver voting thread here about greenroofs, assuming city counsel doesn't shoot it down and it isn't just loopholed through:

Denver really shot itself in the foot with this one. First, green roofs are a pain in the a$$ to build as you have to add significant structural support for the weight of the soil install a full irrigation system on a roof. For existing buildings, they all have to have structural and plumbing reviews ($$$) and retrofits ($$$) to have a green roof installed.

Second there's no real benefits from it. CO is one of the hardest states for landscaping, it's difficult to get plants to stay alive on the ground, much less on a roof. And there's no language requiring that the installed green roof be maintained so that the landscape stays alive. So odds are most of them will have 3/4 of the landscaping die after 10 years. My parents landscaped a green roof out at Schriever AFB about 10ish years ago. If it was such a success, the military bases would have installed more green roofs, but they haven't, so guess what that means?

So what we'll end up with is a bunch of exceptionally expensive dirt on roofs, flight to the suburbs to avoid the regulation, and less building as it will be more expensive and take longer in a place that already has a severe construction shortage. Best case scenario there's loopholes around getting a green roof built, which means extra useless paperwork and legal time...

It's great that Denver cares about the environment, I do too. But this is one of the worst ways to try to green up a city. There are SOOOOO many better ways to spend resources for a greener city than this.

I'm with the OP though, you have to make a significant sacrifice to live in Denver. I could afford to live here as I don't have debt and have saved a decent amount, but there's no charm that makes it worth the sacrifice. There's nothing special about the city besides mountains. You now have to make about $80000 a year to buy the median price home (We're in between Portland and DC): https://www.hsh.com/finance/mortgage...25-cities.html

I could move back to Colorado Springs, my hometown, which I think is significantly nicer than Denver from a livability aspect, but I also want to get out and explore some too.

From my city data research for me, it seems like the cities in Ohio and Kentucky offer the best bang for your buck: Affordability with decent economies, cities the size I'd like to live in, well run cities (not St. Louis or Houston or CA), lack of gross evangelicals or Roy Moore Republicans or Trumpies or big race problems (in the big cities), and greenery with a pretty temperate 4 season climate, decent outdoor options. I want to check that area of the country out soon. It looks like Columbus is kind of like Kansas City, but basically better in every metric.

[wilberry]

Happy Thanksgiving