Weld population boom

Latest census figures show north creeping up on south as metro's growth engine

John Aguilar, Rocky Mountain News

Published June 24, 2004 at midnight

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The metro area's magnet for growth is switching poles, with northern communities beginning to gain population at a faster clip than those to the south.

Of the 20 fastest-growing towns and cities in Colorado last year, 10 are in Weld County, according to census figures released Wednesday.

The figures represent the first definitive signs that growth will creep from the south metro area to the north, said Jim Westkott, a demographer with the state's Department of Local Affairs.

Westkott cites the location of Denver International Airport and its related industries as one of the top reasons for the population spurt in Weld and neighboring Adams counties.

The growth north of Denver challenges the demographic trends of the past few years, during which Douglas County has been the area's growth engine and was, until recently, the fastest-growing county in the nation.

But Douglas County as a whole still outpaces Weld County's growth, and Westkott said it will do so for the next 15 years.

But by 2020, he predicted that the counties' growth rates will flip-flop, and by 2025, Weld County's population will exceed Douglas County's - 407,000 residents to 403,000.

Currently, Weld County has a population of 211,000, compared with Douglas County's 223,500.

The Weld County towns of Severance, Firestone and Milliken were the fastest-growing in Colorado last year.

Severance, at the top of the list, saw its population jump by a third, from 845 residents to 1,134.

The other Weld County towns making the Census Bureau's top 20 growth list were Frederick, Johnstown, Evans, Lochbuie, Erie, Eaton and Windsor.

The Douglas County towns of Parker and Castle Rock were also on the list.

"We're not slowing it down," said Betty Allen, assistant director of community development for Douglas County. "The growth is on target with what we have planned for."

Castle Rock is still growing, mainly because of an improving economy and its location.

"Construction and new-home ownership is on the rise, and that's the function of the economy and the interest rates," said Fritz Sprague, assistant town manager. "Castle Rock is a clean, vibrant community. We have a core downtown, and all the construction is new."

Westkott said Weld County's phenomenal growth reflects basic geographical realities in the metro area.

At four times the size of Douglas County, Weld County simply has more room to grow.

"It's the place with the available land," Westkott said.

Ron Klaphake, head of the Greeley/Weld Economic Partnership Action Network, said that Weld County is attractive because housing is more affordable.

The median sales price of a home ranged from $158,000 in the northern part of Weld County to $240,000 in the south, he said. That compares with $243,000 for homes sold in the Denver area this month.

Along with cheaper housing, good jobs are still within commuting distance of Weld County, said Jeff Romine, an economist for the Denver Regional Council of Governments.

Highways and major roads in and near Weld County, particularly the new Northwest Parkway and E-470 extensions, make access "to both existing and emerging job markets" in Denver, Fort Collins, Broomfield, Loveland, Boulder and Longmont easy, Romine said.

One-third of Weld County residents work outside the county.

But, Klaphake said, Weld County is more than just a bedroom community for nearby cities.

"It's not just rooftops and retail - primary-sector jobs are here, too," he said.

Businesses have been sprouting along the I-25 corridor.

"Local governments are still very much supporting growth," Klaphake said. "They don't drag out the development process."

Still considered the fifth-largest agricultural and food-producing county in the country, Klaphake said Weld County is attracting its share of high-tech outfits such as Peak Industries, Meadowlark Optics and Boulder Scientific.

Eastman Kodak Co. plans a $40 million expansion of its plant outside Windsor, Owens-Illinois is building a glass factory near Windsor, and the state's first ethanol plant should open near Greeley this year.

With all the growth in Weld County, some fear that the county's agricultural and small-town heritage and appeal will be diluted.

Longtime resident Dave Owen, who is also a state senator representing Greeley and surrounding towns, said it's a legitimate worry. He remembers when Severance was nothing more than Bruce's Bar, with its world-famous Rocky Mountain oysters.

But he also recognizes that with bigger companies comes a new level of economic security.

"I think this growth of new industry will stabilize the boom-and-bust cycle (of agriculture)," he said.

Weld County Commissioner Glenn Vaad, whose district includes Frederick, Firestone, Johnston and Milliken, said he wasn't surprised at the growth in the county, or in those towns.

He said the county is becoming more urbanized along the I-25 corridor, but remains rural farther east.

But he said what has happened has forced towns in Weld County to look more at planning.

"We have to work on economic development to produce wealth for all the people," he said.

Firestone is one of the communities that is trying to balance the new and the old.

"Loveland, Windsor and Longmont are growing so quickly, and people are looking for a small-town atmosphere," said Bridget Dalrymple, Firestone's community-resource coordinator.

She said with the influx of new people, the town is also seeing new services. Residents used to have to travel to Frederick to get groceries, but now, with a Safeway store and a King Soopers coming in, they can shop in town.

News staff writer Tillie Fong contributed to this report.

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