Longmont, CO: Community Information for Home Buyers

Longmont began as a completely planned community in 1871, with a group of investors in Chicago mapping out 640 acres and selling plots to those who promised not to serve liquor in the new land. Longmont intended to “support a farming community, an enduring relationship with the land.” Longmont quickly became the regional agricultural center in northeast Boulder County.

Now this community of 86,000 has expanded into a major commercial hub offering a mix of lifestyles from ranching to biotechnology. An historic downtown and productive farmland combine with large neighborhoods and high-tech jobs making Longmont a very popular draw for people moving to the area.

The city covers over 21 square miles, with Hwy 287 bisecting north and south through the historic downtown; The Diagonal Hwy connecting with Boulder to the southwest (15 miles away) with a grid system of main east-west thoroughfares. Several of these roads connect further east to the state’s main north/south Hwy I-25. As the northern-most community in Boulder County the city offers easy access to the mountains, Denver and Boulder.

In 2006 Longmont was named one of the Top 100 Best Places to Live by Money Magazine, a ranking of small cities with the best possible blend of good jobs, low crime, quality schools, plenty of open space, rational home prices and lots to do.

Longmont’s long history as the agricultural hub of Boulder County (the 134th County Fair occurs in 2008) has evolved with the rapid expansion in the 1960s of the Boulder area’s high tech manufacturing and service industries. Farmland began to develop into residential subdivisions, particularly on the east and southwest part of town, during the 1980s and 1990s. A highlight to this growth spurt was the first New Urbanist project in Colorado, called Prospect New Town, designed by renowned architect Andres Duany. Also during the 1990s, various high-tech and biotechnology firms began locating here as land, regulations and expenses were more favorable than in nearby Boulder, plus the community has a welcoming philosophy towards economic development to compliment its agricultural roots.

Key employers include Seagate, DigitalGlobe, Amgen, Xilinx and Intrado. Butterball and McLane Western are top employers within the city’s longstanding food services industry. Over the last 20 years, the city was savvy to cultivate itself as an alternative for growing companies that could not expand within Boulder.  In other ways the city benefited from the ricochet effect of companies drawn to Boulder because of the reputation for that city’s scientific and high-tech labor force, but found Longmont to offer much more reasonable development options.

The city touts itself as being in the middle of “Colorado’s Technology Corridor,” between Denver and Fort Collins. In fact, the Longmont area has been recognized as having the highest concentration of software and technology workers per capita in the United States. The city has made a conscious effort to attract such employers, with fee waivers and tax exemptions on equipment and property used in research and manufacturing.

The city has been a partner in (although not always the champion of) countywide growth regulations that has created buffers between Longmont and neighbors Erie, Lafayette and Boulder. In the last 10 years significant growth has occurred to Longmont’s east in Weld County. Unlike the intentional sprawl-reducing growth policies within Boulder County, Weld County has approved numerous developments that compete with Longmont for consumer and employment offerings, and additional traffic into Longmont from commuting employees is a rising concern.

A key issue impacting the November 2007 City Council election was the earlier decision by Council to approve a large annexation for a new residential and commercial neighborhood called LifeBridge. A sitting Councilor who had voted to support the annexation was elected Mayor, whereas others in opposition were also elected to Council positions. Residents opposed to the project gathered thousands of signatures, forcing the City Council to schedule a January 2008 vote of the people on the issue. Before that vote could happen, the backers of the proposal withdrew their application, and they intend to petition Weld County for approval. The public debate over how much more the city should grow, and in what manner, is similar to debates in other Boulder County communities.

Another example of recent controversy regarding growth is the redevelopment of the Twin Peaks Mall. The relatively dated and struggling retail center was sold in 2007 and the new owners have petitions for certain city financing and zoning designations to facilitate redevelopment. The City Council is pursuing concepts to assist the developer with financial incentives, causing much debate over the benefits of such public/private partnerships.

Longmont has numerous civic priorities that are less controversial; a new Recreation Center, museum and continued investment in parks and trails add to the quality of life that draws many new residents. The city has two nationally registered historic districts and 119 registered historic structures.

A telling policy dating to 2000 is the Quality of Life Benchmarks program. Every department in the city’s organization is analyzed, from water service to noise complaints, school services to traffic congestion. City Council gets reports every quarter and addresses issues promptly. This kind of responsiveness is a key component of the city’s character.

Additional details:

The Longmont City Council consists of seven members. To see the Longmont Area Comprehensive Plan click here. A map of Longmont’s open space holdings is here.