SUPERIOR, Colo. -- The land was partly barren back then, but Steven Sellars saw the potential of the 171 houses being built. They would be minutes from Boulder and a short drive to Denver, abutting protected fields and offering glorious views of the foothills. He popped into the developer's trailer, looked at the floor plans on offer and put down a deposit for a four-bedroom on Mohawk Circle a few days later.