Economic Development Strategic Plan
Poncha Springs, Colorado

Poncha Springs, once a pass-through crossroads at the foot of Monarch Pass, is grappling with 40 percent population growth in a decade. The Town hired Better City in 2025 to craft a plan that would keep local spending in-town, expand the tax base, and preserve the small town character.

In preparing this Economic Development Strategic Plan, local demographic shifts, property data, and market potential to guide strategic goals were analyzed. From considering these data in the context of the community interviews, six major focus areas emerged:

1. Preserving small-town identity
2. Creating a vibrant town center
3. Expanding lodging and tourism services
4. Growing the industrial base
5. Enhancing community engagement and placemaking
6. Creating systematic capacity to execute on strategies