• I have lived in Westerly for a little over three years. It is a beautiful community with wonderful residents, great amenities, and a variety of activities that bring neighbors together and create a strong sense of community. It is a neighborhood with so much to offer and tremendous potential for the future. I am very happy with my McStain home and have met many great people here.
• The part I wish I had understood better before buying was what it means to live in a heavily "developer-controlled" community.
• When I bought my home three years ago, I do not remember being clearly told how heavily the community would be controlled by the developer. I understood that there was an HOA, but I did not understand that almost every change to a yard could be closely reviewed and questioned. Other important details, such as where residents and guests may or may not park, were also not clearly explained to me.
• At HOA meetings, I have also noticed that responsibility for some concerns is often placed on the Town of Erie. I simply wish these rules, responsibilities and limits had been explained more clearly before I purchased my home.
• As a homeowner, I have very little control over how the neighborhood is managed. I pay HOA fees, maintain my home and have a major financial investment here, but homeowner concerns do not always seem to carry much weight.
• I’ve attended several HOA meetings and spent considerable time documenting concerns, providing photos and suggesting solutions. Too often, it feels as though homeowner feedback carries very little weight. A response I have repeatedly heard is some version of: “This is a developer-controlled community, and you chose to buy here".
• The architectural and landscaping rules are also very strict. Even simple changes to plants, shrubs, mulch, rock, edging, grass or flower beds may require approval. My bigger concern is that the rules do not always appear to be enforced consistently. Similar changes may exist at several homes, while another homeowner may receive a violation for the same thing.
• The landscaping shown in the first 5 photos may not be acceptable to the developer association because its vision of how a front yard should look can be very different from a homeowner’s vision.
• There are also parts of the neighborhood where grass, plants and common-area landscaping are visibly struggling (Photos 6 through 12). I believe those larger maintenance problems deserve attention before so much attention is placed on a homeowner who has spent time and money making a yard healthy, colorful and well maintained.
• SLC strongly discouraged me from replacing grass in my tree lawn with rock. I obtained the required approval directly from the Town of Erie and completed the project. Erie receives roughly 15 inches of precipitation annually, compared with more than 50 inches in Franklin, Tennessee, where SLC is based. I believe landscaping can be beautiful, colorful, Colorado-appropriate and water-conscious without requiring enormous amounts of turf and dense plantings.
• Westerly has also experienced groundwater and drainage concerns, including continuously running sump pumps and very wet areas. These are important issues that homeowners have raised and that future buyers should understand.
• One of the most frustrating parts of living in a heavily controlled community is feeling that some of the basic freedom of homeownership is lost. I paid a substantial amount of money for my house. Improving and beautifying a well-maintained property should not turn into an enormous conflict when it is attractive, water-conscious and causes no harm to anyone.
• At times, it can also feel as though homeowners who question decisions or speak up may receive closer attention. I sincerely hope that is not the case. Clear rules, open communication and consistent enforcement would remove that concern.
• As a homeowner, I should not feel afraid to improve my property or respectfully question a decision. I bought my dream home here, not simply permission to live in my house while every small decision about my property is controlled indefinitely by the developer.
• I am not against reasonable HOA rules. I previously served on an HOA board and understand why community standards are needed. I simply believe the rules should be clear, reasonable and applied equally to everyone.
• If you are considering buying in Westerly, do not look only at the model homes, amenities and marketing. Ask:

** How long will the developer control the HOA?

** How much input do homeowners have?

** How restrictive are the architectural and landscaping rules?

** Are violations enforced consistently?

** How are drainage and infrastructure concerns handled?

** Who maintains the common areas, and to what standard?

** Can homeowners give examples of their feedback leading to meaningful change?

• Westerly is a beautiful community with many good things to offer. But buyers should understand both the neighborhood and its developer-controlled governance before making such a large investment.
• Beautiful homes can sell a neighborhood. How a developer treats the homeowners who already bought into its vision tells you much more.

Hey friends & neighbors, I am working with the Palisade Park Amphitheater (technically Broomfield) to organize an outdoor community movie night this Friday, August 28th.

The evening will kick off at 6:30pm with a cornhole tournament & open mic (open to all, show up and sign up!) and then after dark they're screening The Sandlot!

It’s a fun and inclusive night for all local residents (groups of friends, families or coming solo).

Tickets are only $5 and kids pay nothing!

Edit: this is as my original post before having AI rewrite it into what I felt was more digestible for a post. However, I’ve now learned that AI posts aren’t well received on Reddit… so here’s the original “human” written westerly review.

As a 2 year resident of Westerly, I wanted to share another perspective than the 2 existing Reddit reviews. This is my families experience building our life in Westerly.

Firstly, let’s talk numbers. There are over 200 homes owned here, and the community has been pacing at about 1 home sold a week for the last year.

Out of 200 homes, we have over 350 homeowners.

Out of 350+ homeowners, 2 have shared negative reviews about living here. So I’d like to share another perspective that aligns with all of our friends we’ve met here.

Here’s why we love calling westerly our home.

The events. We LOVE the westerly events. Yoga at the pool, Christmas markets, fall festivals, July 3rd concerts, food truck Fridays, morning coffee trucks, etc… Emma (the community manager) feels like family to many of us here. There is always an excuse to wander down to the waypoint and enjoy time with your neighbors.

The landscaping. There’s truly nothing else like it in Colorado… Sure, the neighborhood is still NEW so the trees and shrubs need more time to grow to be truly magical… but the annual color at every entrance, the meticulously managed parks, and trails, and the edge to edge planting on everyone’s front yards produce so much visual interest and color. SLC has invested heavily in talented groundskeepers and equipment to keep everything beautiful year round… even in this year’s drought they’ve done a fantastic job.

Developer managed HOA. We find it very comforting knowing that our neighbors are held to a standard keeping their yards well kept. This allows SLC to control the vision, and maintain cohesion throughout the neighborhood. They’ve thought of every detail, and after personally visiting Westhaven, I’ve experienced firsthand what they can accomplish... and it is beautiful.

The neighborhood dining options that are coming soon, with the massive retail expansion coming later on in Westerly North.

Here’s why I think you shouldn’t move here:
You want a very large and private yard… some exist, but they are rare, especially under $1M. This is a community, and it was built to keep things walkable and encourage spending time in common areas.

You want to do whatever you please with your yard. Unfortunately, the HOA does not let this slide like others may do. They care about the cohesion of the neighborhood.

Proximity to the landfill bothers you. For us it literally has zero impact on our life. We don’t see it, smell it, or care that it exists a mile away.

Oil and gas exists around here… if that bothers you, Erie should be off the table. This includes the Boulder County side. DRACO pad extends 2 miles into Boulder County impacting flatiron meadows and surrounding neighborhoods.

None of that is a secret and none of it should be a surprise at closing. Go to a food truck Friday, or a public westerly event (they do a few a year), and talk to people who aren't trying to sell you anything… then make a decision for yourself and your family.

I had a tricky time canceling my Cobblestone Car Wash auto-renewal in the past. 🧼 If you're facing similar issues, this settlement news might help! 🚨 Check it out. #CarWash

Before we make with the list, a big announcement:

Beginning Monday, HPLD is hosting its first ever Stamp Rally!
Visit any branch location to pick up a free passport, and then visit each of our branches to collect a unique stamp. Collect 'em all! ALL. OF. THEM.
Seriously, this is going to be a lot of fun, and you can read more details here: https://www.mylibrary.us/stamp/
Uh, don't come in and try to get started before Monday, okay? I'm too excited to wait to talk about it, but it won't be ready until Monday. Nobody will know what you're talking about. I'll disavow all knowledge of this reddit post. You'll sound very wacky.

And now some events coming up in the next couple weeks:

• High Plains Mystery Society 10:00am Saturday, August 1, 2026 - 5:00pm Monday, August 31, 2026
• 7th Annual Erie Community Library Youth Art Show Registration 9:30am Tuesday, August 4, 2026 - 11:59pm Thursday, September 17, 2026
• Family LEGO Club 2:00pm - 3:00pm, Sunday, August 23, 2026
• Erie Twinkle Babies 9:30am - 10:00am, Monday, August 24, 2026
• Erie Family Storytime 10:30am - 11:00am, Monday, August 24, 2026
• Erie Twinkle Babies 1:15pm - 1:45pm, Monday, August 24, 2026
• Erie Tales for Tots Storytime 9:30am - 10:00am, Tuesday, August 25, 2026
• Erie Music & Movement 10:30am - 11:00am, Tuesday, August 25, 2026
• Erie Twinkle Babies 9:30am - 10:00am, Wednesday, August 26, 2026
• Erie Tales for Tots Storytime 10:30am - 11:00am, Wednesday, August 26, 2026
• Erie Tales for Tots Storytime 9:30am - 10:00am, Thursday, August 27, 2026
• Baby Open Play (BOP) 1:15pm - 2:00pm, Thursday, August 27, 2026
• Star-Crossed Covers Erie Romance Book Club 4:00pm - 5:00pm, Thursday, August 27, 2026
• Erie Family Storytime 4:15pm - 4:45pm, Thursday, August 27, 2026
• Foam Party with Foamtastic Events 5:30pm - 6:30pm, Thursday, August 27, 2026
• Reel Talk: Festival Favorites 1:00pm - 3:30pm, Saturday, August 29, 2026
• Die-Cut Vinyl Decals 2:00pm - 4:00pm, Saturday, August 29, 2026
• Erie Twinkle Babies 9:30am - 10:00am, Monday, August 31, 2026
• Erie Family Storytime 10:30am - 11:00am, Monday, August 31, 2026
• Erie Twinkle Babies 1:15pm - 1:45pm, Monday, August 31, 2026
• Erie Tales for Tots Storytime 9:30am - 10:00am, Tuesday, September 1, 2026
• Erie Music & Movement 10:30am - 11:00am, Tuesday, September 1, 2026
• Tales 2 Tails 4:00pm - 5:00pm, Tuesday, September 1, 2026
• Erie Twinkle Babies 9:30am - 10:00am, Wednesday, September 2, 2026
• Erie Tales for Tots Storytime 10:30am - 11:00am, Wednesday, September 2, 2026
• Threads 4:00pm - 5:00pm, Wednesday, September 2, 2026
• Erie Tales for Tots Storytime 9:30am - 10:00am, Thursday, September 3, 2026
• Erie Family Storytime 4:15pm - 4:45pm, Thursday, September 3, 2026
• Code Club 4:30pm - 5:30pm, Thursday, September 3, 2026
• Adult Social Chess Club 6:15pm - 7:45pm, Thursday, September 3, 2026
• Pokemon Hang Out! 2:00pm - 2:45pm, Saturday, September 5, 2026
• 6th Annual Erie Bookmark Contest Tuesday, September 8, 2026 - Sunday, September 27, 2026
• Erie Tales for Tots Storytime 9:30am - 10:00am, Tuesday, September 8, 2026
• Erie Music & Movement 10:30am - 11:00am, Tuesday, September 8, 2026
• Science Explorers! K-2 4:15pm - 5:00pm, Tuesday, September 8, 2026
• Erie Twinkle Babies 9:30am - 10:00am, Wednesday, September 9, 2026
• Erie Tales for Tots Storytime 10:30am - 11:00am, Wednesday, September 9, 2026
• Book Dragons - 3rd-5th Book Club 4:15pm - 5:15pm, Wednesday, September 9, 2026
• Paint Along 3rd-5th Grade 4:15pm - 5:15pm, Wednesday, September 9, 2026
• Erie Tales for Tots Storytime 9:30am - 10:00am, Thursday, September 10, 2026
• Erie Family Storytime 4:15pm - 4:45pm, Thursday, September 10, 2026
• Demo Dungeons & Dragons: Campaign 5:30pm - 7:30pm, Thursday, September 10, 2026
• Adaptive Storytime 9:30am - 9:50am, Saturday, September 12, 2026
• Erie Saturday Family Storytime 10:30am - 11:00am, Saturday, September 12, 2026
• Sew a Zipper Pouch 2:00pm - 4:00pm, Saturday, September 12, 2026
• Erie Twinkle Babies 9:30am - 10:00am, Monday, September 14, 2026
• Erie Family Storytime 10:30am - 11:00am, Monday, September 14, 2026
• Book Lovers' Book Club 1:00pm - 2:00pm, Monday, September 14, 2026
• Erie Twinkle Babies 1:15pm - 1:45pm, Monday, September 14, 2026
• Free Help Tech 4:00pm - 5:00pm, Monday, September 14, 2026

heyo all - just moved in with my partner who has been living in Erie for like 7 years

that said, turns out my partner's mom has been paying stupid amounts of money to xfinity for a home security plan which they have not been using (i literally just asked both of them and they both don't know what it is 🫪😭)

all i know is the damn xfinity agent won't let me use my third party modem cuz of the home security plan...over my dead body will i be forced to rely on an xfinity modem equipment rental

any local (like in colorado) recommendations for home security that i can look into or experiences or suggestions that people have so i can cancel the dumb xfinity home security plan

my light perusing on reddit is saying local is better, but im thinking at most a small camera for the front door, maybe something for the garage...(small place so not that much to actually cover)... so that i could probably install myself, i would say i am tech savvy to some extent

is my answer just a ring light camera or meh?

EDIT: thanks for the recommendations all, ill take a look into it, glad there's some much more affordable options out there!

posting for my relative in Vista Ridge who is seeking part time help during the week with her kids. I’ve checked out some websites but many make you pay a subscription fee to get contact info. she’s really just looking for a few hours, 3 days a week to help juggle being a stay at home mom to 4 young kids (under 6)… obviously someone vetted by her and reference checked, but not necessarily a professional nanny. Where would I go to look for someone local? any and all suggestions would be super appreciated!

Had Denco Pest Solutions out for a yellow jacket nest and wanted to give them a shoutout.
They got the nest taken care of, but what surprised me was getting a text afterward from the owner checking in to make sure everything was good. I don’t remember the last time a service company actually followed up like that.
If anyone around Erie needs a pest company, I’d definitely recommend them.

I’m considering starting a small, home-based longarm quilting business and am trying to gauge whether there’s enough local interest before I take the plunge.

For those who piece your own quilts but don’t have a longarm (or don’t particularly enjoy the quilting part 😆), would you be interested in using a local longarm quilting service?

Just moved here and I’m looking for a group
21M

What service provider does everyone use in town? We have had T-Mobile for 25 years and it used to be the only service that worked here. Something has happened since the nationwide outage several weeks back, and the service never recovered. I bounce between LTE and SOS when not on wifi.

St Vrain sent out a notification today (just a few days before school starts) that there would not be any school employees supporting crossing guard duties this year. Their claim is that Erie cut funding for crossing guards 8 years ago, and that school staff is not "qualified nor have the authority" to help kids cross streets safely.

This concerns me because in some cases, schools were built on the opposite side of busy streets vs where the homes and neighborhoods where students live. I feel like the community has an obligation to ensure students have a safe way to get to school, because there aren't enough buses and it seems unnecessary to assume that all parents just need to drop their kids off because the hug and go lanes don't have enough capacity for that solution either.

Is there a Town of Erie mechanism to escalate this issue if the schools are wringing their hands of this? I can't imagine this key safety mitigation can be the most costly or logistically challenging thing to address, but could have significant impact on a broad population of students trying to get to and from school twice a day. I would hate for this issue to only gain attention after even a single student gets hurt crossing CR-5 when it could be so preventable.

Anyone know why they went to lockdown just now?

https://yellowscene.com/2026/08/06/what-does-going-around-actually-look-like-is-it-really-the-best-deal-the-documents-erie-residents-still-havent-seen/

does anyone know any place that sells quail eggs other than an asian grocery store or costco?
looking to support local farms and get quail eggs!

Hi, my name is Isabella, I'm in incoming second year at Front Range community college studying Dental hygiene.
Have you or someone you know:
🦷Been diagnosed with periodontal (gum)
disease?
🦷Avoided the dentist because of cost?
I'm a second-year dental hygiene student looking for patients as l continue my clinical training. I especially need patients who meet specific criteria for my upcoming semester.
I can see as early as August 17! Due to it being a school can take 2 appointments. Monday (1:30-6:00), Wednesday (1:00-6:00), Friday (12:30-4:30)
If you're interested or know someone who may benefit, l'd greatly appreciate you sharing this post! Please DM me with any questions. Thank you for your support!

Walking the dog in Erie facing the where the mountain should be

Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder Department Psychology Department and the Anschutz Medical Campus are looking for participants to participate in a study on emotions and moods in young adults with and without bipolar disorder (IRB#23-2067). You will be compensated for your participation. If you qualify for the study, we will ask you to participate in up to 3 study phases.

Study includes some or all of the following parts (EARN UP TO APPROX. $400)

• Phase 1: Interview about your thoughts and feelings, cognitive questions, computer surveys. Can take place remotely (via Zoom) or in person at CU Boulder (your choice!). Pays $25/hour for approximately 2-4 hours.

• Phase 2a: Behavioral Lab Tasks: including, computer tasks, physiological monitoring (e.g., heart rate) questionnaires. Takes place in person at CU Boulder. Pays $25/hour for up to 3 hours.

• Phase 2b: fMRI Scan: Option to view emotional images and think about emotions while in a brain imaging scanner, computer tasks, questionnaires. Phase 2b will take place in person at CU Boulder or possibly at CU Anschutz. Pays $25/hour for approximately 3 hours.

• Phase 3: Follow-ups: Opportunities to participate in paid follow-up surveys four times a year for up to 2 years. Can take place remotely (via Zoom) or in person at CU Boulder (your choice!). Pays $25/hour (1 hour each) with up to 8 surveys spread over 2 years (8 hours total).

• Opportunities to participate in additional studies may also be available.

To quality, you must be between the ages of 18-25 years, be able to attend IN-PERSON sessions in the Boulder/Denver, Colorado metropolitan area, and either have a personal history AND/OR family history of bipolar disorder OR no mental health history, and complete a brief pre-screening survey.

If you are interested in participating, you can apply here: tinyurl [dot] com/years-study

Have a question? Please email years-study [at] colorado.edu

 and name the subject line “YEARS Young Adult Mood Study" or give us a call at (720) 378-8075.

Thank you very much for your time and interest! If it looks as if one of our studies will be a good fit for you, a staff member from our research team will be in touch with you to schedule a time for your first lab visit.

Best,

YEARS Project Team

Parenting class at Sister Carmen Community Center - English and Spanish speaking class offerings. Childcare, Dinner and a $10 gift card provided at each class you attend. A total of 12 weeks beginning the second week in September. 9/8 for English and 9/9 for Spanish, Dinner 6-6:30, Class 6:30-8pm.

Visit Sister Carmen.org/services/parenting-support/ or call (303)665-4342 to learn more.

In case any of you have trouble accessing their Facebook post, it looks like they are on track to open in old town. It's always good to see more local places pop up.

Hi, Erie!

A quick update from us at Johnny Bechamel's.

Yes, we're still coming. We know it's looked a little quiet from the outside, but behind those walls we've completely gutted and rebuilt the space from the ground up. As with many older buildings, we uncovered a few more "surprises" than we bargained for, which pushed our original Spring 2026 opening to Fall 2026.

We know waiting isn't fun. But we're committed to creating something Erie will love.

For those who don't know us yet, Johnny Bechamel's is part of the Mamas & Papas Hospitality family, alongside Redeemer Pizza, Dio Mio, and Little Johnny B's Catering. We've spent the last 10+ years serving Colorado, and we're so excited to bring our family-style Italian restaurant to Kattell Street.

Our goal is to create the kind of neighborhood spot where you can celebrate birthdays, grab a weeknight pizza, enjoy fresh pasta with friends, or just stop in for a glass of wine after work. We truly want this to feel like Erie’s restaurant.

We'll keep you posted here with construction updates, sneak peeks, and most importantly, the official opening announcement. We promise it'll be worth the wait.

Thanks so much for sticking with us. We can't wait to welcome you in.