92 percent of Coloradans say state more crowded, many unhappy with growth

As urban centers continue to sprawl in Colorado, how the state should properly adjust to the recent population and housing boom continues to remain a hot topic. With Colorado's population basically doubling since the 1980s, one government study found that 86 percent (or more) of the depletion of open space, natural habitat, and farmland in Colorado over recent decades can be attributed to more people living in the state. Rasmussen Reports sought to determine how locals feel about all this growth, asking a series of questions related to the impact of development and the future of Colorado.

Perhaps the most telling question posed to the 1,024 'likely Colorado voters' that were included in the survey was one that asked whether or not a continued trend of rapid growth would be a good thing for the state. A total of 75 percent of those asked said additional rapid growth would make the state worse, with only eight percent saying this would make the state better. The remaining 17 percent felt that the growth wouldn't make much of a difference or that they weren't sure how they felt.

While these results may make it seem as if most Coloradans want to stop growth altogether, that's not necessarily true. While only seven percent of those polled said they wanted the rapid growth to continue, 31 percent said growth was fine, as long as it was occurring at a slower rate. Meanwhile, 27 percent of residents were happy with the state's population at its current level and 32 percent wanted the population to decline.

In terms of how the local government might act to slow growth, 63 percent of those polled were fine with additional restrictions in development, while 17 percent were not. It's also worth noting that 53 percent of those polled felt that a federal reduction in immigration should be a tactic used to reduce Colorado's population growth.

The survey also covered the effects of population growth, with those polled providing a clear picture of why they may feel rapid growth is problematic.

When asked if Colorado's cities, parks, neighborhoods, schools, and roads were becoming more crowded in recent years, 92 percent of residents said yes, while just three percent felt that their part of the state had become less crowded. Along the lines of crowding, 81 percent of those polled stated that more rapid growth would make traffic much worse, with only 13 percent believing that the government could make moves to accommodate these additional drivers.

There was also fear expressed about the potential of a 'mega-city' forming by 2050 – one that stretches from Colorado Springs to Denver to Fort Collins. A whopping 76 percent of those polled thought that this development would be a negative for the state.

In a question about how Colorado's natural resources should be allocated amid rising populations, 76 percent of those polled said resources should go toward supporting wildlife instead of more residents, with 70 percent of those polled feeling that water should not be diverted for additional agricultural needs associated with growth.

Overall, 61 percent of those polled felt that Colorado has already been developed too much, with 31 percent feeling as if it's developed to the point that it should and only 8 percent thinking the development has been too little.

Will this growth and development be a positive or negative to Coloradans? Let us know what you think in the comment section below.

See the full poll here.

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