Arvada, CO

Arvada is a city located in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The population was 116,911 at the 2010 census. Arvada is the second most populous city in Jefferson County after Denver and the third most populous city in Colorado.

The City of Arvada is a Home Rule Municipality that operates under the provisions of the Colorado Constitution and statutes. The governing body consists of a Mayor and six Council Members who are elected to four-year terms by majority vote at-large. Council members serve without compensation other than reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred as part of their official duties. The Mayor appoints an Executive Director who serves as Chief Administrative Officer and oversees all aspects of municipal government operations.

The City's primary source of revenue is property taxes which generate approximately $25 million annually. Other sources include sales taxes, user fees, grants and contributions from federal, state and local governments. In 2009 Arvada completed construction on its first ever dedicated public safety facility - a Police Department headquarters that replaced two aging facilities on opposite ends of town - resulting in significant cost savings for taxpayers while providing improved services to residents. In addition to public safety initiatives, Arvada has made significant investments in parks and recreation including construction of a new multipurpose sports complex; renovation/expansion of three parks; acquisition/development of more than 500 acres (200 hectares) for open space; creation or expansion of several neighborhood parks; upgrades to existing park facilities; installation or improvement of street lighting; development/maintaining green infrastructure such as rain gardens and bioswales; installation or improvement sidewalks/bike lanes throughout the city; among others

Real estate has been an important part of Arvada's economy since its inception over 50 years ago when developers developed tracts along Highway 85 between Denver and Boulder into what would become known as "the Mile High City." Today there are numerous residential subdivisions within the city limits including: Arbor Hills Estates (northwest), Briarwood Village (southwest), Country Club Hills (east), Heritage Hills (northcentral), Legacy Ridge Estates (northeast), Mountain Shadows Estates (southeast) Park Meadows Rancho Springs Rancho Verde Seven Lakes Village Stonegate Woods Timberline Trails Westridge Villages Willow Creek Villages

Arvada also has a growing commercial base with businesses such as: Anadarko Petroleum Corporation Headquarters & Exploration Center Aurora Health Care Corporate Headquarters AutoZone Incorporated Bank One Corporation BNSF Railway Company Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation Children's Hospital Colorado Springs Campus Comcast Xfinity Regional Operations Center Dick's Sporting Goods Dillard's Department Store Kroger Co., Inc La Quinta Inn & Suites Marriott International Corporation MetroPCS Communications LLC Nike Incorporated PepsiCo North America Procter & Gamble Company Safeway Stores Southwest Airlines Co., LLLP Starbucks Coffee Company Taco Bell Corp Union Pacific Railroad