Many are concerned that Fort Collins is growing too rapidly. Fear of losing the City’s small-town vibe, along with an influx of traffic and an increase in costs, are issues that worry long-term residents.  Indeed, during the last city council election, candidates debated how to solve problems resulting from the rise in the population.

While this issue was key to members of the community, CSU students, who often view Fort Collins as a pit stop in the game of Life, need to understand and participate in deciding the City’s future responsibly. Though our presence here is rarely permanent, collectively we are influential in deciding the culture of Fort Collins.

According to the Coloradoan, Fort Collins is expected to increase from 159,000 to 239,000 people by 2040, or an annual growth rate of 2.4 to 3 percent. In contrast to this, Boulder, which currently has a population of 105,000, has a growth rate of 1 percent.