Colorado is at a crux. As more people are drawn to its natural beauty and relaxed lifestyle, the less those qualities shine through. On the other hand, if these qualities are too highly valued, communities can very well price themselves out of it.
No city is currently struggling with this conundrum more than Longmont. Since its founding, Longmont has been a rural town clearly distinct from its more urban counterparts in Boulder, Fort Collins, and Denver. That line, however, is quickly blurring as populations boom and real estate costs skyrocket.
No sign is more evident of this coming change than the city council updating its zoning and land development codes for the first time in 17 years.
Though the new codes were officially enacted in September, the first development proposals making use of these new allowances are now being reviewed by Longmont Planning and Development Services, providing a glimpse into future.
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For starters, Longmont will be a much more populous city. By the year 2035, the Longmont Planning Department predicts the city will grow by another 30 percent, or 24,000 people, resulting in the demand for another 9,000 units of housing as the population nears 120,000 people.
Read the full story on timescall.com.
