Centennial, Colorado Relocation
Find out what is going
on in Centennial, Colorado
Denver is a huge city, and so just a short
while ago, some people decided to make their area, located
to the south of Denver, a city in its own right. Residents
got together in September 12, 2000 to choose the name Centennial,
and elected they its first officials on February 6, 2001.
Centennial officially
became a city on February 7, 2001, and currently has a population
of 103,000. It is one of the largest newly incorporated cities
in America. Centennial is also one of a new “breed” of
cities where city leaders want citizens and private and non-profit
corporations to step up to the plate and take over many of
the public services themselves.
In their "city of the future," citizens have
an unusual degree of control over their government. The government,
in turn, is small — so lean, in fact, that it is almost
invisible. Private companies deliver most public services.
There is not, nor will be a city hall, there
are a bare minimum of city ordinances and no army of code enforcers
to intrude in people's lives. The key to achieving these goals,
Centennial's leaders believe, will be preserving the sense
of citizen involvement that initially started all of this.
They hope to rely far
less on public employees and professional managers than is
common in more established jurisdictions. The motto of the
people of Centennial is: "Govern
yourselves, or somebody else will."
One of the main challenges facing Centennial
is that it was already a well-established and affluent neighborhood
of Denver. Even though it was unincorporated, it was used to
a certain number of services, which residents no longer get.
And there are on-going repairs that come with
any city, and new road construction to aid in the growing population.
As the city and the surrounding county fill up, there's talk
about preserving open space.
Homes here are well-established, especially
on the west side of the city. New homes are more frequently
found on the north and east side. Single family and condos
are under construction in this lovely part of Colorado. Most
single-family homes here sell in the region of $200,000, although
some sell for less.
The cost of living
here in Centennial is extremely reasonable in comparison
to other communities surrounding it. The city has created
a 1.5% sales tax and that’s it for
the city! The cost of living in the Denver area is high, but
because of the new measures implemented in Centennial, it is
one of the most cost-effective cities in Colorado!
Centennial ties into two public school systems
for now. These schools are one of the most secure, and safe
schools in the nation. Education is especially important to
the residents of Centennial, as parents want to make sure their
children are prepared for a future where they are responsible
and committed citizens.
Its location is ideal too! Based on the south
side of Denver, it is a quick, easy drive to and from work
daily, although there are plenty of corporations right in Centennial
too.
And if you are looking
for recreation, well look no further than the Denver area!
Skiing is the number pastime of folks, but don’t think that’s all Denver
is famous for! Mountain climbing, hiking, trail riding, mountain
biking, golf, rock climbing, tennis, swimming, water skiing — if
you can imagine it, you can do it here!
Despite the challenges that Centennial faces,
this is the face of the new generation of cities, of towns
to come. Many people in other cities are watching Centennial
very closely to see how to run a city that is not making ordinances
left and right, that expect neighbors to resolve issues without
expecting the city to step in and make things rights; and that
expect its residents and citizens to take care of the day-to-day
running of the city.
Centennial is not a place for the faint of
heart, or for those who want to be left alone! This is a city
for people who are willing to work hard, to communicate and
have a very big say in the future of their community. If you
are tired of all the rules and regulations that have crept
into your life and your community, Centennial is definitely
the place for you!