Absorbing Growth and Protecting Quality of Life

Jake Marsing believes that the question facing Longmont isn’t whether we grow, it’s how we grow, and who our growth serves.

For too long, development decisions have felt disconnected from community priorities. Residents see projects approved before infrastructure is ready, open space threatened, and prices rising faster than wages. It’s understandable that many in our community are frustrated because people want growth that reflects Longmont’s values, not just its capacity.

Jake believes we need to be choosy about development, focusing on projects that strengthen our neighborhoods, protect what makes Longmont special, and actually meet community need. That means:

*No development on designated open space and clear protections for wildlife corridors and view sheds.

*Ensuring infrastructure keeps pace — roads, schools, utilities, and services must be ready before new development breaks ground.

*Prioritizing infill and redevelopment of underutilized commercial corridors.

*Preserving community character through design standards that reflect Longmont’s identity and scale, while protecting neighborhood character.

At the same time, stopping all growth isn’t a solution. It would make housing even more expensive and push working families further out of reach. Jake supports targeted, sustainable growth that helps working people live and thrive here, housing that teachers, nurses, tradespeople, and young families can afford to buy, not just rent.

That means updating Envision Longmont to focus on the right kind of housing: for-sale, middle-income homes that give families a stake in their community, while setting clear expectations for developers to contribute to infrastructure, childcare access, and affordability.

Sustainable growth also means planning for a changing climate and ensuring that new development is energy-efficient, transit-accessible, and water-conscious.

Jake will insist that every growth decision be guided by one simple test: Does this make life better for the people who already call Longmont home?

By being deliberate, transparent, and rooted in community input, Jake will work to protect Longmont’s character while ensuring it remains a place where working families can put down roots for generations to come.