Timnath, Colorado
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Founded in 1884, Timnath is a small agricultural/farming community located in Larimer County, Colorado southeast of Fort Collins, Colorado approximately one-half mile east of the Harmony Road/Interstate 25 interchange, on a small bluff east of the Cache la Poudre River. The surrounding farmlands have been used primarily for potatoes, alfalfa, sugar beets, and cattle. Although the town has remained virtually unchanged in recent decades, the encroaching growth of both Fort Collins to the west and Windsor to the south have placed the town in an area considered favorable to development.
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Description
The town sits on a small bluff on the east side of the Cache la Poudre River, approximately one-half mile east of the Harmony Road interchange on Interstate 25. The surrounding farmlands have been used primarily for potatoes, alfalfa, sugar beets, and cattle. The town is located just to the north of Harmony Road, where County Road 5 is intersected by the Union Pacific Railroad line between Windsor and Fort Collins. The current town buildings (which are known commonly known as "Old Town Timnath" in anticipation of impending development) largely line the north-south Main Street, which is a section of County Road 5. Most of the residences are one-family houses. The town has a small defined grid, with one street parallel to Main Street. Main Street structures include an elementary school (in the Poudre School District), a one-story modern post-office, a one-story town hall, and several other historic buildings. Commercial businesses include a sheet metal manufacturing facility. Most residences are single-family homes.
Image:Timnath-BarGallery.JPG The town was formerly home to large bar housed in the former Colorado Feed and Grain facility. The controversial business was shut down in early 2005 after the Board of Trustees refused to renew the liquor license. To the north, south and east of the town lie cattle pasture lands and cultivated fields. The areas of the south and east of the town are currently slated for first round of development. In 2002, in a move that brought about the current controversy with the county, the town declared these farm areas blighted as an "urban renewal area." Under state law, the move denies tax powers to the county and school district. The areas just north of town are somewhat protected by conservation easements obtained by the City of Fort Collins as a separator between the two communities. In 2004, however, the town annexed land north of the separator area, effectively stranding the separator between two parts of the town.
History
Image:Timnath-PresChurch.JPG The area was first homesteaded by white settlers in 1869. The first schoolhouse was constructed that year, approximately one-half mile west of the current town, and was named "Fairview". By 1880, the community had outgrown the schoolhouse, and new "Fairview" school was built just north of the current town. The school also served as an early meeting place for the Presbyterian Church. The turning point in the early history of the community was in 1882, with the arrival of the Greeley, Salt Lake and Pacific Railroad (controlled by the Union Pacific) linking Greeley and Fort Collins. The following year, the Presbyterian Church, petitioned by local residents, sent a missionary to found a congregation. The current structure along Main Street dates from that year.
Image:Timnath-ElementarySchool-OldBuilding.JPG A post office was established in 1884, headed by Reverend Charles A. Taylor, the local Presbyterian minister. When the post office was formed, Taylor bestowed the current name of the town from the 14th chapter of the Book of Judges, as the place where Samson went to obtain a Philistine wife. In 1900 the second school became outdated and a new one was built, dropping the name "Fairview" permanently. This structure currently stands as an out-building to the current elementary school. A larger school was built in 1918 (which burned in 1935 and was rebuilt the following year). The school district was consolidated with that of Fort Collins in 1960.
Geography
Image:COMap-doton-Timnath.PNG Timnath is located at 40°31'47" North, 104°58'54" West (40.529718, -104.981654)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, as of the 2000 census, the town has a total area of 0.6 km² (0.2 mi²). 0.6 km² (0.2 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.
The historical downtown lies along County Road Five, which runs north-south parallel to Interstate 25 half a mile to the east (Existing Land Use Map). Since the 2000 census, the town of Timnath has annexed several square miles of land to the east and southeast; the town Future Land Use Plan anticipates commercial development along the east-west corridor of County Road 38 (Harmony Road). The majority of the six mile (north-south) by three mile (east-west) block of land that lies within Timnath's growth management area is low-density residential or agricultural, and is designated to remain so, with open space and parkland filling the remainder of the area, particularly near the Poudre River and Timnath Reservoir.
Government
Image:DSCN9638 timnathtownhall e.jpg Timnath exists as a statutory town in the state of Colorado, meaning that town officials exercise the powers allowed them by the state legislature. Under Colorado law, Timnath is governed in the mayor-council form of government by a Board of Trustees. The mayor and the four trustees (all elected at-large; there are no districts) are elected to four year terms.
In 2005, the town trustees authorized consideration of becoming a home rule municipality, which would allow greater regulatory latitude, but would also require the approval of city residents and the drafting of a city charter. Voters approved the creation of a home-rule charter commission in 2006 municipal elections. [1]
Timnath exists as a statutory town in the state of Colorado, meaning that town officials exercise the powers allowed them by the state legislature. Under Colorado law, Timnath is governed in the mayor-council form of government by a Board of Trustees. The mayor and the four trustees (all elected at-large; there are no districts) are elected to four year terms. As of 2006, the mayor of Timnath is Donna Benson, Benson defeated incumbent mayor Annalee Foster in the April 2004 town elections, in which 58 of the towns 145 registered votes participated. [2]. In April 2006, Timnath residents elected Charlie Snider, Rose Moon, Meg Corwin and Kim Speaker to terms as trustees on the town board; the turnout of 62 out of 140 registered voters set a voter turnout record for Timnath of 44%. [3]
The mayor and trustee positions are all unpaid; until recent years, the only full-time municipal employee has been the town-clerk. A town administrator position was created in 2002, but has proven difficult to fill; in the three years since its creation, the post has been held by three individuals; as of November 2005, the post is vacant. Recent additions to town staff have included a town treasurer, town engineer, and deputy clerk.
The bulk of the town's budget, which, in 2005, was about $600,000 (US) comes from development fees assessed on newly-annexed land. In April 2006, however, citizens approved the creation of a grocery tax in anticipation of future development, even though there are not yet any grocery stores within the town limits.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 223 people, 88 households, and 62 families residing in the town. The population density was 374.4/km² (960.2/mi²). There were 91 housing units at an average density of 152.8/km² (391.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 91.93% White, 0.00% African American, 3.14% Native American, 0.00% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 4.48% from two or more races. 8.07% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 88 households out of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.8% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.5% under the age of 18, 0.9% from 18 to 24, 35.9% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $51,250, and the median income for a family was $55,000. Males had a median income of $41,250 versus $29,375 for females. The per capita income for the town was $27,089. 10.5% of the population and 7.7% of families were below the poverty line. 11.6% of those under the age of 18 and 0.0% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
External links
- Town of Timnath (official website)
- Timnath Presbyterian Church
- Timnath Elementary School