Severance, Colorado
Severance is a small town located in the northern Front Range region of Colorado, United States, situated in Weld County. The community sits near the foothills that serve as a gateway to the Rocky Mountains and is characterized by a semi-arid climate typical of the region. Though modest in size, Severance has attracted attention beyond its local surroundings on more than one occasion, most notably in 2018 when a nine-year-old resident successfully campaigned to overturn a longstanding municipal ban on snowball fights, earning the town brief international recognition. The Town of Severance maintains its municipal offices at 3 South Timber Ridge Parkway and operates under the governance structures common to small Colorado municipalities. Its official motto — "Where the geese fly and the bulls don't" — speaks to both the agricultural character of the surrounding landscape and a well-known local tradition tied to the town's history.
History
The community of Severance takes its name from David Severance, a pioneer who played a foundational role in the area's early settlement.[1] As with many small towns in northern Colorado, Severance developed in the context of agricultural expansion across the Weld County plains during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The broader region attracted pioneers drawn by opportunities in farming, ranching, and the establishment of permanent communities along the Colorado Front Range corridor.
The town's motto, "Where the geese fly and the bulls don't," reflects a longstanding local custom involving the annual Testicle Festival, a community tradition that has contributed to Severance's quirky regional identity over the decades. This phrase became embedded in the town's official identity and continues to be referenced in descriptions of the community today.
Over time, Severance grew from its pioneer roots into an incorporated municipality with its own town hall, administrative offices, and civic infrastructure. The Town of Severance maintains a formal government structure that oversees local ordinances, land use, and community services for its residents. Town Hall is located at 3 South Timber Ridge Parkway, Severance, Colorado 80546, and the municipality can be reached through official channels including telephone and written correspondence.[2]
Geography and Climate
Severance is situated within the northern Front Range region of Colorado, a geographic area that forms the transitional zone between the expansive Great Plains to the east and the Rocky Mountains to the west. This positioning gives Severance and the surrounding communities access to both the open agricultural plains characteristic of Weld County and the dramatic mountain scenery that defines much of Colorado's identity.[3]
The climate of Severance is semi-arid, a classification consistent with much of the Colorado Front Range. Residents and visitors can expect relatively low annual precipitation, hot summers, and cold winters with periodic snowfall. The semi-arid conditions shape local agriculture, landscaping, and water resource management practices throughout the area. Despite the dry conditions, the region's proximity to the Rocky Mountains means that weather patterns can shift, bringing periods of snow and cold air during the winter months — a meteorological reality that figures into the town's notable 2018 snowball fight story.[4]
The landscape surrounding Severance is characterized by open terrain typical of northeastern Colorado, with agricultural land use playing a significant role in defining the visual character of the area. The town serves as one of several communities in Weld County that offer access to both the agricultural flatlands and the natural amenities associated with proximity to the mountains.
Government and Administration
Severance operates as an incorporated Colorado municipality under the standard framework governing towns in the state. The Town of Severance maintains an official Town Hall at 3 South Timber Ridge Parkway, with a mailing address at PO Box 339, Severance, CO 80546. Residents and inquiries can reach municipal offices by telephone at 970-686-1218 or by fax at 970-686-6250.[5]
The town government is responsible for administering local ordinances, managing public services, and overseeing land use and development within the municipal boundaries. As with other small Colorado towns, Severance's government must balance the needs of a community that retains a rural character while managing pressures associated with the growth of the broader northern Colorado region, which has seen significant population increases over recent decades driven by the expansion of nearby cities.
Municipal governance in Severance also involves the periodic review and revision of local codes and ordinances — a process that occasionally brings matters of civic policy to broader public attention, as demonstrated by the 2018 snowball fight episode in which a local ordinance dating back years was formally revised following advocacy by a young resident.
Notable Events
The Snowball Fight Ordinance
among the most widely reported events in Severance's recent history occurred in December 2018, when a nine-year-old boy named Dane Best successfully petitioned the town's governing authorities to lift a longstanding ban on snowball fights.[6] The ban, which had been embedded in local ordinances for an undetermined length of time, prohibited the throwing of snowballs within town limits. For many residents, particularly children, the prohibition had long seemed an overly restrictive measure that was seldom enforced in practice but remained on the books as official town policy.
Dane Best, who was nine years old at the time, brought the matter before town officials and made the case for repealing the ban. His effort resulted in a formal vote by local authorities, who agreed to lift the prohibition. The decision was announced on a Monday, making the act of throwing a snowball within Severance's town limits legal for the first time under the revised ordinance.[7]
The story attracted significant media coverage both nationally and internationally. Reports of the young boy's civic engagement appeared across numerous news outlets, presenting the episode as an example of grassroots participation in local government. The Associated Press covered the event in a report distributed widely,[8] and publications as far removed geographically as The Tennessean in Nashville, Tennessee, ran accounts of the story.[9]
The episode is frequently cited as a charming illustration of civic participation at the most local level, with a child demonstrating that municipal ordinances are not immutable and that community members of any age can engage with the processes that govern daily life. For Severance, the story provided a moment of national recognition that, while light-hearted in nature, underscored the responsiveness of small-town government to its constituents.
Community and Culture
Severance maintains the character of a small northern Colorado community with roots in the agricultural heritage of the region. The town's motto — "Where the geese fly and the bulls don't" — connects its identity to local traditions, including the Testicle Festival, which has historically drawn visitors and contributed to the area's distinct local culture. This tradition, reflecting the ranching background of the surrounding region, is among the features that distinguish Severance from neighboring communities along the Front Range.
The semi-arid environment and the town's position as a gateway to the Rocky Mountains give residents access to outdoor recreational opportunities associated with northern Colorado, including proximity to open lands, wildlife, and the scenic landscapes for which the region is recognized.[10] The presence of migratory birds in the region — suggested by the town's own motto referencing flying geese — reflects the ecological character of the Weld County landscape, which encompasses wetlands, agricultural fields, and riparian corridors that support diverse wildlife populations.
As a small municipality, Severance's community life is shaped by the rhythms of local governance, agricultural activity, and the social bonds characteristic of less densely populated Colorado towns. Civic engagement, as demonstrated by the 2018 snowball fight campaign, plays a visible role in how the community navigates questions of local policy and identity.
Location and Access
Severance is located in Weld County, Colorado, in the northern portion of the Front Range Urban Corridor. The town is accessible via the regional road network that connects northern Colorado communities with larger population centers, including Greeley and Fort Collins. Its position in the northern Front Range places it within reach of the broader amenities and infrastructure of the greater northern Colorado metropolitan region while retaining the scale and character of a small town.
The Town of Severance's administrative address — 3 South Timber Ridge Parkway — serves as the primary point of contact for municipal matters, and the town maintains communication infrastructure including fax and telephone services for residents and external inquiries.[11]