June 7, 2019
Growth in Berthoud
There’s a lot going on in Berthoud. Recently Planning Director Curt Freese and Economic Development Director Walt Elish briefed the Loveland-Berthoud Association of REALTORS® on new development in town. Freese said 521 single-family homes were built last year. This growth spurt prompted concern among some members of the community and a few Board Trustees, however after discussion, the Board of Trustees determined it did not want to consider another building moratorium (the last one was lifted in 2003 and caused damage to Berthoud’s reputation in the development community). Rather, the Board opted to pursue a policy of managing growth, although it is not completely clear what that means.
New residential development in Berthoud often requires the use of metro districts to make the projects “pencil out,” said Freese. Complaints from residents who’ve said they didn’t understand the implications of living in a metro district have led the Town to pursue a new disclosure document for buyers. LBAR will work with the attorney drafting the disclosure to ensure it is easy for consumers and REALTORS® to understand.
Freese and Elish noted a major development is planned for a property located at the intersection of Colorado 56 and I-25. It will add 4,000 residential units (single-family, condos and townhomes), along with a village center concept including retail and restaurant spaces. They said the project should be started in the next two years and will take 20 years to reach build-out.
Both men said Berthoud is well positioned for growth. Because the staff is small, development applications can be approved quickly, which is a huge benefit to developers. The Town has plenty of water and its sewer treatment facilities will be able to handle the growth. In addition, planning is underway for Berthoud Reservoir and other recreational amenities like parks and trails.
IRES MLS: Come Home to Colorado 