These are the best of times ... only a cynic or fanatic could "think" otherwise.
Grand County is doing very well, and much of Colorado and the US in general
is entering a golden period of history. The stock market has been astonishing.
Here in Grand Lake, we have been reporting a 7% annual growth rate in sales tax
revenue for over 15 years. For some, this may not seem like much, and in fact the recent
growth rate has been greater than 7%. However, it is phenomenal for anything to
grow undeterred at a significant rate year after year. We have endured persistent
exponential growth and matured gracefully! Grand County is in the enviable position
of having anticipated and prepared for its growth. Of course this is a hot political topic
with many naysayers, but in truth, we have done an outstanding job and continue to do so.
More details below.
June, 1998
Huge projects to upgrade the utilities, drainage and paving of Grand Lake's
main street have just been completed. Parking continues to be a problem, but
it is an enviable "problem" to have. If you are not able to park on main street,
please remember that there is a large parking area behind our office and also
parking by Grand Lake's beach just one block away. The main roads to Grand Lake
have received and continue to get lots of attention. Hwy. 40 over 11,307 foot
Berthoud Pass to Winter Park has had millions of dollars lavished upon it and
more improvements are already planned. If you don't appreciate it, compare it
with any other significant mountain route in the world.
More details below.
Berthoud Pass is a blast! Shown above is one of the few sections of
Hwy. 40 which have not yet been widened. All of the Grand County side
has a passing lane and lots of room on the edges for snow removal and/or
emergency parking. Ski traffic can be a problem, but Winter Park's undeveloped
base will soon have a huge new project creating amenities to spread out the
departure and arrival times for our visitors. Property owners in Grand Lake,
Granby and Fraser are located away from the traffic flow from Winter Park
to Interstate 70 via Hwy. 40 over Berthoud Pass. If you have a cozy cabin
already waiting here for you, you can avoid the usual ski area and restaurant
rush times.
Grand County has an extensive and dynamic design review process to manage its
growth and to protect its private and public property values. It's not perfect, but
you are welcomed to call or visit our County Planning Commission in Hot Sulphur
Springs and give your two bits. Tel: 970-725-3347, from Denver/Boulder: 447-9355.
Write to Box 239, Hot Sulphur Springs, CO 80451.
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom,
it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity,
it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope,
it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us,
we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way-in short,
the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted
on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
(from Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, bk. 1, ch. 1 (1859)
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