Brighton Standard Blade 102722 by Colorado Community Media

STANDARD BLADE B R I G H T O N

SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1903

75cI

VOLUME 119

Issue 43

WEEK OF OCTOBER 27, 2022

Braving the haunted fields along Riverdale Road

Suburbs face reality of less water Turf bans, other measures taken BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

families. But that’s where we are. There are no other options.” The cost is $278 per year for a $500,000 home. If voters turn down the override, the district said it will cut middle- and high-school sports programs, though no specifics were available. Extracurricular programs

Growth is good. But hold the sod. And have the checkbook handy. Colorado’s population growth and the swelling stress on state water resources amid climate change and drought are sending Front Range suburbs in a scramble to shore up sustainable supplies. Castle Rock is banning traditional grass turf in front yards of new homes and offering developers steep fee discounts for water-saving “Coloradoscaping” yards. The Douglas County town that is a center for housing sprawl in Colorado foresees dwindling aquifer resources and ever-higher prices to secure new surface water from the state’s overtaxed mountain river basins. Arvada, on the opposite corner of the Denver metro area to the northwest, is more than doubling homebuilders’ water and sewer connection fees and sharply raising existing homeowners’ utility rates. The city has so far avoided turf bans or other strong conservation measures on development, while a debate builds on whether the its new $54,000 connection fees are making homes even less affordable. The two cities’ big moves, combined with Aurora’s recent decision to restrict new lawns and ban new golf courses, reflect the strains on high-growth Colorado cities confronted by higher water prices and dwindling supply, older collection and treatment systems hitting capacity, and everyday inflation. Arvada says it is paying 30% more for water treatment chemicals, and triple for piping, amid worldwide price increases. “Water is a critical resource

SEE BALLOT, P2

SEE WATER, P3

Families, friends, and kids can wear costumes and play on the haystacks at Palombo Farms Field of Screams.

Cheery Maize in the City shows its scary side after dark BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

It was a scene from a nightmare come true along the infamous Riverdale Road. A simple trip into the the woods is met by a zombie revving a chainsaw while scary dolls come to life, jumping up on the passing

vehicle. The Haunted Field of Screams is Colorado’s largest haunting attraction, built on 40-acres corn fields. It’s a mile-long journey along Riverdale Road that then veers off to walk through a corn maze with stops into haunted houses chased by a zombie apocalypse with monsters, ghosts, killer clowns and haunting scarecrows popping out from everywhere. “Each year, we challenge ourselves to make the haunted attraction a more thrilling, memorable experience for our visitors,” said Mark Villano, co-owner of the Haunted

PHOTO BY BELEN WARD

Field of Screams. “We purposefully play on the natural elements of our site – the corn field, the woods, the moonlight – and use these elements to create a more realistic, daunting and bone-chilling scare.” At night, the site is Haunted Field of Screams. With dawn, it transforms into the benigh Maize in the City attraction with family-friendly activities. Families can participate with sand art, a barrel train, mini maize, a petting zoo, pony rides, and a pumpkin patch, including a SEE HAUNTED, P5

Brighton schools lay out impacts without mill-levy override BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Brighton’s school district says it needs money. So, come Tuesday, Nov. 8, voters will be asked to approve an increase of eight mills to provide for school safety, retention of teachers and something else. The last time Brighton voters ap-

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proved a mill-levy override was 2000. “We’ve pulled all the budgettrimming levers we have,” said 27J spokesperson Janelle Asmus. “There is no more nibbling around the edges that we can do to make ends meet. It’s that simple. It’s that dire. We are at the point where we are having to face cuts to things that will negatively impact students and

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School of Choice In this week’s paper!