If development on Fort Collins' I-25 corridor is inevitable — and it is — here's how to manage it

It would seem there is little consensus on a desired vision for the stretch of land along the Interstate 25 corridor bordering Fort Collins and Timnath.

But there are plenty of viewpoints.

When we told you the news that Timnath is interested in bringing a Topgolf facility to the I-25 and Harmony Road interchange, we received a lot of comments lamenting that possibility as an "eyesore" and overwhelmingly negative about any new development.

So we decided to ask you: What do you want future development along I-25 in Larimer County to look and feel like? As the North I-25 corridor develops, what are your hopes and priorities for future amenities, views and features as this once rural stretch of interstate urbanizes? What principles should guide future development along North I-25?

Based on the comments we received on various social media platforms and on our own website, we can see how competing values, laid out below, have made growth in Northern Colorado a challenging topic.

Preserve the natural Colorado

For many, that's the end of the sentence.

"My hope for the corridor is farmland but we all know that's not going to happen," Alan M. said.

"We should be thinking about height limits to protect the views as well as traffic congestion. Do we really want NoCo to become Denver?" Barb G. said. "They will build it and don’t care what they leave. I’d much prefer open space, parks, natural area, which I think are more consistent with the area."

Meg D. offered a balanced approach to impacts of pollution from vehicles on the interstate:

"I think retail directly along the highway makes the most health sense, since the noise and pollution from interstates has been shown to effect cognition, emotional health, heart health, etc." Meg said. "With retail, people wouldn't be sticking around long. Industrial development would also make sense along the interstate."

Reduce congestion as much as possible

If there's some common ground, it is that if growth is inevitable, it must be well-planned and take into consideration the attributes that residents value.

"It would be nice to retain scenic viewsheds from I-25 to the west in this area," Glen H. said, and "any city planning to add major traffic-attracting features should be required to build the infrastructure required to handle the additional traffic created by those features."

In agreement, John W. and Judi T. said: "Infrastructure to accommodate additional traffic must be put in place in tandem with development rather than after it becomes a problem."

"I definitely agree with this," Meg D. said. "We really need to beef up our east/west transit routes, perhaps with a MAX-like line along Harmony. The improvements to I-25 include connecting the Poudre Trail between Fort Collins and Timnath, so that'll help. And we really need to make sure that we not only have density in this area, but that we also have a wide range of amenities so that people aren't all living in one place and then having to travel a distance to get to things like the bank, the library, etc. Without these kinds of 360 (degree) infrastructure considerations, we're just going to be building for gridlock."

For Craig P., that means considering affordable housing.

"If you increase the capacity of the road, it will simply spur development until the old traffic density is reached. So we will see more people seeking to live in areas with access to the improved I-25. What I'd like to see is a strategy that accommodates that growth (as we have little choice) but limits sprawl and makes housing more affordable. In that light, I suggest we emphasize tall apartment (say 8-story) buildings along I-25. They are far enough east that they won't block mountain views (generally) and by creating high-quality and relatively dense housing, we discourage sprawl and can require developers to set aside many units for affordable housing. It also makes public transit easier — indeed, given the density, a block of apartment buildings could have its own shuttles into downtown Fort Collins or Windsor or Loveland. Also, require all parking spaces in parking lots to be covered with solar panels."

Respect landowners' rights

"What principles should guide future development along North I-25? It should be the property owners choice, period. If people don't like that answer, they can offer to purchase any specific property themselves," Brandon G. said.

But someone pushed back on that idea:

Strive for the collective good

"With that perspective why have a town planning department or zoning regulations?" William J. said. "We live in a collective society where there needs to be some consideration of the community, not just let the 'owner do what ever they want.'"

Other wishes for the I-25 corridor

From Katie: "I’d vote for a sports complex with two sheets of ice (for hockey and figure skating), indoor soccer field, conditioning rooms and possibly a pool. This would be a magnet for families wanting to have athletics/sports in their children’s lives!'

From Meg: "I'd really like to see Timnath make the most of its little historic downtown area. With rehabilitation of some of those historic buildings, they could have a charming commercial area that gets people to head east of Costco. ... Then a little farther away, it would be great to get some dense, mixed-use commercial connected to downtown Timnath/Windsor/Fort Collins/Loveland/Greeley with a really robust transit system (MAX-like) that's easy and efficient to use. (Gondolas? you ask? No, I don't think gondolas are the answer. I'm looking at you, Loveland.)"

If you're still in the Topgolf is an eyesore camp, Joan B. offered one silver lining: "I actually like seeing the Topgolf framework at I-25 and the DIA exit. I can see it from a reasonable distance and it helps me know when to get in the exit lane. When on the highway, we are going fast enough that I don't think a Topgolf venue would be any worse than the Walmart Supercenter or the Costco at that intersection."

Rebecca Powell is a content strategist at the Coloradoan, working to connect our community with the answers they seek. Contact her at RebeccaPowell@coloradoan.com. The Coloradoan can't do the important work of keeping our community informed without you. Support us by purchasing a digital subscription today.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: I-25 growth in Northern Colorado prompts multiple solutions