Garfield County has two distinct faces.

The east, criss-crossed by spectacular forested canyons spilling into the showy tourist magnet of Glenwood Springs, draws an adventurous crowd in search of rafting, restaurants, vapor caves and mineral baths.

The west, a topograpical blender of towering plateaus, sloping mesas and emerald cropland, is anchored by the dusty Interstate stopovers of Rifle and Parachute, towns now dominated by the blue-collar gas industry.

The county's politics are becoming equally distinct, according to some residents and politicians, with the more liberal east end of the county favoring stronger regulation of the gas industry, and the more conservative west end liking things the way they are.

In a perfect world, according to Republican County Commissioner John Martin, keeping the status quo would mean fewer liberals moving in from places like Pitkin and Eagle counties, a process he calls "the Aspening of Garfield County."

Democratic Commissioner Tresi Houpt hails from Glenwood Springs, while her public critic and political sparring partner, Republican Commissioner Larry McCowan, is from Rifle. Those two routinely vote on the opposite side of issues.

Martin, a resident of Glenwood Springs, generally sides with McCowan on industry issues, while occasionally voting with Houpt to make or break other policy initiatives.

"They say it's John's county," joked Houpt recently, sipping coffee at a Glenwood Springs cafe in between waves and hellos to familiar faces.

Martin calls himself the "peacemaker."

"I love good debates and extreme (opinions)," he said, referring to the commissioners' frequent disagreements. "If you don't have difference of opinion, you'll have a stagnant and myopic view of the world."

That "difference of opinion" is most pronounced when it comes to regulating the multibillion-dollar oil and gas industry.

Garfield County is Colorado's fastest-growing county in terms of energy development, accounting for nearly one- third of the state's total permits for new wells.

Although the industry is creating lucrative jobs, while paying millions of dollars in property taxes and donating generously to local projects, it also is having enormous impacts on the county's communities.

The arrival of oil and gas workers and their higher salaries have contributed to runaway home prices, for example. One recent study conducted for the county said local wages had increased 18 percent between 1999 and 2005, while home prices had shot up 48 percent.

"Current for-sale prices of homes indicate that sale prices will continue to rise faster than local incomes, further reducing the affordability of homes to local employees and residents," the study said.

County commissioners agree that there is a shortage of affordable housing, but disagree on how to solve the problem.

They also have different opinions about whether the gas industry should pay more to cover the cost of repairing county roads or improve other infrastructure.

"There are a whole variety of things, such as which road gets closed or which road stays open, or public tax issues, which can be decided by the county commissioners but are affected by their philosophies and their positions," said County Assessor John Gorman, a Democrat elected earlier this year. "I think (the commissioners) have some maybe historic aversion to discussion of certain policy matters."

Houpt "has drawn criticism from people who think she's an opponent of the energy industry," according to an editorial in a local newspaper. She does support tighter regulation of the industry.

She also wants the county to become more directly involved in providing affordable housing and enacting environmentally friendly land-use plans. She would like the commissioners to discuss an impact fee on new gas wells, too.

But Houpt's views are generally not shared by McCowan or Martin.

"There never is a political desire from the other two commissioners to adopt stricter regulations, which other counties have," complained Houpt, who recently was appointed by Gov. Bill Ritter to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, the state agency that regulates the industry, to give voice to local concerns.

McCowan didn't return repeated calls from the Rocky, but Martin said too many local stipulations would unnecessarily hamper the industry, whose health is critical to the county's financial well-being.

Oil and gas companies follow designated haul routes, have paved local roads and have donated millions of dollars to a local college. Those things are worth more than impact fees, Martin said.

He also disagrees that Garfield County is slow to regulate the industry, noting that it passed a frost law - a seasonal restriction on specified roads that requires the road base to be firm enough to handle the weight of heavy equipment. The county also employs an oil and gas liaison to address complaints from residents.

Regarding the lack of affordable housing, Martin said Garfield County is no different from any other desirable spot that has more people than available housing stock. He also points to efforts by the county housing authority to accommodate seniors and low-income families.

"It's an instant gratification society now: 'If I live there, I should have an apartment or a home I can afford,' " Martin said. "But it has never been like that in a resort area."

Martin also blames wealthy Eagle and Pitkin counties, home to Vail and Aspen, for pushing their less well-to-do residents down valley to Garfield County, exacerbating the housing crisis and bringing their liberal values to a traditionally conservative area.

He sees a movement toward "social government."

"It's coming at a great expense of those who really cherish their freedoms and believe that not everyone is the same, they don't do the same jobs or live in the same type of homes," he said.

Martin's term is up in January 2009. By then he will have served a dozen years, or three terms, as commissioner. He wants to run for one more term.

McCowan has indicated that he doesn't plan to run again after his third term ends at the same time as Martin's.

Houpt, who is beginning her second term this year, has yet to announce her long-term plans.

Depending on voters' mood and election outcomes next year, Garfield County, which has experienced tremendous change from the energy boom, could change even more.

"I think people are looking forward with probably hope and horror at what changes may take place," said County Assessor Gorman.

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