Areas that are progressive and ruralish with a sustainable plan... (Colorado Springs: crime, townhome)

[TinajaCo]

The first place that came to mind when I read your original post was the Boulder-area-- it's much more environmentally, politically, etc progressive than a lot of other areas. And, there are a lot of options with larger plots of land around there than other progressive areas (most notably Denver). The only drawback is that the Boulder area can be pretty pricey, although prices decreases the farther you get from the city, generally speaking.

[wkmu2]

hello
i am in the escape from LA mode myself ... i've been searching in the trinidad, walsenburg, rye, la veta .....et al area's anyone know much about thies southern colorado area?
thanks
willie m.
91303

[sunsprit]

The Free Republic of Boulder is the place that meets all of your requirements except price. Try adding about $1 mil to your budget and you might be able to find something.

Oh, and do be careful about your equine property in the "progressive" areas.
The don't want your smells, flies, noises ... and Boulder severely limits the number of horses per acre now, even in the equine zoned properties.

You might find something in the Erie-Longmont area, outside of Bouder county (Weld County areas). But your budget will definitely have you in the sticks away from the municipal water supply.

[elemental]

There are quite a few horse ranches in Erie with several acre plots. On RT 7 just west of 25, there is a ranch with buffalo, horse and cattle! From your post, it appears the kids are grown, so another suitable area might be Firestone.

[sunsprit]

We left our 5 acre horse property in Erie in 1999, just off CR 5, because the growth spilling over from Boulder was driving Weld County prices sky high, and Erie was planning high density residential development right on our doorstep. Being Weld county residents, we had no input into the Eric City planning/zoning process. Our sales price then for a heavily wooded site, 3/2 2,400 sq ft custom brick ranch with attached 3 car garage, detached brick 2 car garage, large south facing sunroom, and a metal 24x36 workshop was close to the top of your price range.

That proposed growth was incompatible with the open rhorseback iding we had enjoyed for years in the surrounding countryside, quiet dirt roads, abandoned railroad track propertyand open spaces.

While there are larger equine properties and some new barns/stabling operations in the Erie area, the prices are on par with Boulder now. Especially due to the anti-equine attitude and zoning of Boulder, forcing equine operations out of that area. There's a lot of "trophy" homes being built in the Erie area, which is also driving up land prices and the overall neighborhood values. The town of Erie itself is mostly pretty run-down with older small houses, but it's not equine property.

My impression is that you'll not find a suitable equine property in your price range around Erie anymore, unless you're satisfied to ride in an arena or around a small acreage.

Trail riding will require trailering to the open spaces/parks in the area, some of which are very nice places to ride ... but are mixed use. We had a lot of difficulty sharing the trails with aggressive bicyclists in the area ... they'd come screaming past us on the downhills and we'd ride past them on the uphills, only to have them come screaming past us again, and so on.

Some bicyclists ignore the signs restricting several areas use to hikers and horseback riders, and we got a lot of rude comments about the "horse pollution" on the trails from bicyclists who would seek to frighten horses if they could .... For the most part, people were courteous and respectful of each other, but it only takes a couple of bad apples each day to ruin it for the rest of us.

[ediet]

I have lived in Colorado for 30 years now and I have never known a single community out here with a sustainable plan. Everyone complains when they have to curb their water usage (we live in a fricken arid climate!), the only people that can get out in the winter have their big lung clogging 1 ton PU trucks that spew diesel particles in the air (I think that is why we have more snow than ever--all that particulate matter in the air creates more matter for moisture to attach itself to). All that counts here is money and more of it. The growth is insane, there are almost no areas of open space when you get close to any city (unless you count golf courses and cemetaries). Sure, it is beautiful here for about the 1st 3-5 years and then it just gets to the point where you try to get away from everyone else and next thing you know, there's a Walmart trying to drain a lake to bring us "progressively forward". They drain wetlands for highways and cut down mountains for a few bucks if someone wants to spend enough on their home. And they call this progress.

[mjjjracing]

Walsenburg,Rye,Colorado city and the southern parts of colorado are excellent areas if you want quiet peaceful affordable living.we live in pueblo west and own property in fremont county and a cabin in Rye,we are thinking about moving to Rye when the kids get a little older,these areas are people friendly and animal friendly and are my idea of true Colorado living.Just My Opinion

[Katarina Witt]

There are a few rural-like areas left in Boulder County, however, the lifestyle is basically suburban throughout the lower elevations of the entire county. There are a few mountain communities, but even there, most people work in Boulder or even farther away.

[carolinajack]

affordable is 300-500K??

wow, i thought I was a conservative capitalist rich pig! Not So much now!!!


if that is affordable what happens to the poor? making minimum wage, or less than 50K a year? wow the progressives are the same as us bad republicans now a days

thanks for the vindication

[tfox]

Originally Posted by carolinajack

affordable is 300-500K??

wow, i thought I was a conservative capitalist rich pig! Not So much now!!!


if that is affordable what happens to the poor? making minimum wage, or less than 50K a year? wow the progressives are the same as us bad republicans now a days

thanks for the vindication

CarolinaJack,

We're talking about ultra-large-lot equine properties, not homes for those earning a living wage.