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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTWIN SPRUCE FARM PUD PRELIMINARY AND FINAL - 22 90 - MEDIA - CORRESPONDENCEL.A. REFUGEES: Julie and Rick Burcham pose in the office puter software company here in May to escape growing of their home in west Fort Collins. They moved their com- urban problems in Southern California. Fort Collins soothes L.A. refugee: Husband -and -wife team happy they moved business to Colorado By J. LEWANDOWSKI The Coloradoar Rick Burcham talks about Southern California the way a political refugee might talk about fleeing the Soviet Union. "When you are in the middle of it, it just takes over, day to day. Every- body lives with the frustration. .. . It's dangerous. There's pollution, and ro.9 we appreciate ins more than Fort Collins Rick Burcham, e Information Systems then there's earthquakes, and gang violence.... You drink bottled water. No one sends their kids to public schools if you've got any money at all." In turn he talks about Fort Collins in a way that might suggest he's employed by the Chamber of Com- merce. "It's amazing to go to a gas station and not have to pay for gas in advance. The grocery stores have directories. In California, they don't want you to know where anything is. They want you to walk around the whole store so you'll spend more money." Last spring, Burcham and his wife, Julie, decided to escape the madness of Los Angeles for the calm of Fort Collins. In May, their computer soft- ware company — Hawkeye Informa- tion Systems — moved its operation here. Now the couple operate the $2 million business in a hidden, three - acre enclave on the city's west side, surrounded by cottonwood trees and a cedarfence. Economic development officials hope that more people like the Burc- hams will consider leaving Southern California for Colorado. But Burcham wasn't recruited by Fort Collins Inc., the local economic development group. He asked for no financial incentives to move here. He's seeking no tax breaks or special recognition. He doesn't want to employ dozens of people. He just wants to live simply. Burcham, 42, started the compan, in 1976 and operated it from his hom in an L.A. suburb. Last winter, hi neighbors started complaining the the company's employees were takin up too many parking spots on th street. Burcham agreed it was time t move the business. But he was ad: mant about keeping it in a home. Prices for large homes in Californi that could accommodate the busine: were, as Burcham puts it, "insane." Burcham believes he can do that in On the advice of a friend he visite Fort Collins. Colorado and wound up in Fort Collin "I think we appreciate Fort Collins during an early April snowstorr more than people in Fort Collins do," They returned a week later, boug' Burcham said. their property — which includes His descriptions of life here are house and another building wi comical, sort of a city slicker goes to offices — and by May 12 were runnn the farm. the business in Fort Collins. Thr, "We haven't been honked at once. employees from California move We haven't been flipped off. We've with them. been here a month, so we've had Hawkeye Information Systems plenty of opportunity," Burcham said. just the type of company econorr. Burcham's company writes soft- developers want to see come hei ware that's used by computer pro- said Ed Stoner, executive director grammers. The software is for the Fort Collins lof companies that mig IBM AS400, a mid -sized mainframe type P computer used primarily for business locate here are the ones where t applications. The company sells vari- CEO is the president of the compa ations of its sole product, known as and here also or the he qualitjanitor. life,' col on Pathfinder. said. According to company literature, the software analyzes files, programs, "If the CEO is not going to live he fields and other items in existing soft- we won't have that much of a char ware systems, and determines how because the they'llincebe looking es. Weat g ca they are used. Then it shows how ting financialchanging programs will affect the afford that." entire system. Programmers use the Stoner has faith that the expe: analysis to assist them in writing new and hassle of life in Southern Calij programs tailored to their particular nia will help his economic devel business or use. ment efforts. About 80 percent of Customers include General Motors, companies he talks to about mov Coca-Cola and other large companies. are located in the L.A. area. The software packages range in price Burcham and his wife aren't from $3,000 to $4,500. In 1990, Burcham setters; they like their company expects sales for the company to be the way it is. They only have about $2 million. regret: "That we didn't move her Not bad for a company that employs years ago," Burcham said. nine people.