2018 Adopted Annual Operating & Capital Improvement Budget

COMMUNITY PROFILE
History
The area surrounding the City of Greenwood Village has a rich heritage that includes early settlers, prospecting, farming,
and ranching. Although the first pioneers began to arrive in the region in the early 1800s, it was not until fifty years later
that the discovery of gold brought about profound changes to the
area and gave rise to several small communities.
During the early 1900s, the area continued to thrive as prospecting
gave way to agriculture. Orchards of cherry, apple, apricot, plum, and
pear trees flourished in the area until 1933 when the Castlewood
Dam burst, effectively drying up the source of irrigation. While dairy
farming and ranching remained widespread, by the 1940s the region
had attracted a number of suburbanites along with seasonal
residents from Denver looking to escape to the rural countryside. As
the area’s popularity increased,
so did concerns that ongoing
development from Denver would
threaten the pastoral lifestyle
enjoyed by local residents. In response, the City of Greenwood Village officially
incorporated as a statutory city on September 8, 1950.
Location
The City of Greenwood Village is a mature community,
surrounded by other jurisdictions and situated in
Arapahoe County 9 miles south of downtown Denver,
Colorado. The City occupies 8.4 square miles and per
the US Census Bureau, is home to an estimated
16,043 residents.
Climate
At 5,422 feet above sea level, the area is considered
semi-arid with very low humidity and relatively little
precipitation. The area is well-known for its abundant
sunshine, averaging over 275 sunny days per year.
During the summer, it is not uncommon to have
temperatures in excess of 90°; however, days for which
temperatures reach 100° are unusual. Thunderstorms
are common during the growing season between April
and September and supply approximately 75% of the
annual precipitation to the area. Winters are normally
mild; however, snowstorms measured in feet, do occur
on occasion.
Whereas farming and ranching characterized the area during the first half of the
century, by the late-1960s the community had transformed into a predominately
residential area. However, the absence of a revenue-generating commercial tax
base made it difficult to provide the most basic of municipal services. Therefore,
Greenwood Village embarked on what would become a twenty-year period of
annexation and growth, resulting in the incorporation of several emerging, yet
lucrative, business parks and commercial areas, including the Denver Technological
Center and Greenwood Plaza business parks. As the population of the City
increased, so did the desire for enhanced local control, resulting in the adoption of
a city charter on July 30, 1968, transforming the community into a self-governing,
Colorado Home Rule Municipality.
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