Since publishing a couple letters to Times-Call on the topic, I have had conversations with Bagley and Waters, and exchanged emails with Martin. Here are some of my takeaways.

Somewhere there arose a plan for Longmont to fulfill "buildout" at 125,000 residents, but no one has explained to me yet where the number came from.  It seems rooted in City managers' minds, and so long as we don't exceed it -- well, then, it's OK planning.  An example is the size of investment in new water resources.  To serve 125K was a design element in the decision.  As you know there is a scramble in the entire US West for water (the climate change deniers seem muted now, but that's another story).  I wouldn't mind having more water than absolutely needed in our inventory, as I can imagine that Federal regulators will demand a haircut of all who hold water rights.  One rationale for allowing more growth seems to rest on that 125K figure and that we are at "only" 100K now.  But let's look at our growth in recent history and chat about it.  I continue below.