Page 12 - Littleton, CO Comprehensive Plan

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advance the community’s desire for quality development outcomes while recognizing economic and community character
factors. They should not delay or interfere unnecessarily with development deemed consistent with Plan principles and
directives.
Partnerships and Coordination

Some community initiatives identified in the Plan cannot be accomplished by City government alone. They may require
direct coordination, intergovernmental agreements, or funding support from other public entities or levels of government.
Additionally, the unique role of potential private and non-profit partners to advance the community’s action agenda should
not be underestimated. This may occur through cooperative efforts, volunteer activities, and in-kind services (which can
count toward the local match requirements for various grant opportunities), and from public/private financing of community
improvements.

More Targeted Planning / Study

Various areas of City governance require more detailed study and planning, especially as required to qualify for external
funding opportunities. These studies involve targeted planning work at a “finer grain” level of detail than is appropriate for
comprehensive planning purposes (e.g., utility master plans, roadway alignment studies, etc.). As such, some parts of the
Plan will be implemented only after additional planning or special studies that clarify next steps and associated costs and
considerations, including clarification of roles and potential cost-sharing when partnering is involved.
COMMUNITY LOCATION AND FEATURES

The City of Littleton is located in central Colorado, within the Front Range of the Southern Rocky Mountains. The South
Platte River flows from south to north through Littleton, with additional tributaries also running through the city.

Littleton is the county seat of Arapahoe County, with the majority of the city located within Arapahoe County and small
portions located in Douglas and Jefferson counties. Littleton is part of the greater Denver metropolitan region and is
approximately nine miles south of Downtown Denver.
Littleton is accessible via two Regional Transportation District (RTD) light rail stations, Downtown and at Mineral Avenue,
and is home to the main campus of Arapahoe Community College. The city limits encompass a total area of
approximately 13.8 square miles. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Littleton had a 2010 population of 41,737 and an
estimated 2017 population of 47,734.
Littleton lies 5,351 feet above sea level and has an average temperature range of 35-64 degrees, an average rainfall of
16.3 inches per year, and an average of 65.7 inches of snowfall per year. Given its location along the South Platte River
and extensive open space, parks, and trails, Littleton is home to a range of recreation activities. Littleton also retains its
original and historic downtown. The recreational and historical aspects of the community continue to attract tourists to
Littleton.
POPULATION GROWTH PROJECTIONS

Population projections are an important component of a long-range planning process. They help determine and quantify
the demands that will be placed on public facilities and services based on the potential pace and scale of the community’s
physical growth. Projections reflect local, regional, national, and international trends and offer a basis to prepare for the
future. However, forecasting population changes can be challenging, particularly for the long term, because it is often
difficult to account for all circumstances that may arise. Therefore, it will be important for the City to monitor population
and economic growth continually to account for both short- and longer-term shifts that can influence development activity
and trends in the community and larger region.
ALTERNATIVE GROWTH SCENARIOS

Demographers caution that population projections become trickier as the geographic area gets smaller, making city-level
population the most difficult to forecast. This is because local population change is strongly influenced by less predictable
factors such as housing prices, availability of vacant land to develop, and annexation of additional territory, which may
already have existing residents and results in an instant increase in the citywide total.

Adopted October 15, 2019