Castle Rock Town Council Meeting - March 21, 2023

The Castle Rock Town Council met on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, beginning at 6:00 PM in the Town Hall Council Chambers in a hybrid format, and adjourned at 8:52 PM. All seven councilmembers were present; Councilmember Ryan Hollingshead participated remotely. Mayor Jason Gray presided. The Council approved the agenda, the consent calendar, and all action items on 7-0 votes.

Town Manager’s Report

• 2023 Capital Carryforward: Town Manager Dave Corliss reported that unspent 2022 capital appropriations automatically carry forward, totaling over $80 million, with major projects including the Crystal Valley Interchange scheduled to begin construction this summer.
• 2023 Pavement Maintenance Program: Public Works Director Dan Sailer outlined the $18.5 million program, including slurry seal, asphalt mill and overlay, full depth reclamation, curb/gutter/sidewalk repair, parking lot work, pavement markings, and nighttime construction variances. He said Public Works Commission unanimously recommended the associated contract awards.
• Boards and Commissions Recruitment: Shannon Eklund presented the schedule; applications open April 1-24, interviews are scheduled for May 9, and appointments will be considered May 16 and in June.
• Calendar reminders: A Pavement Maintenance Program open house for Founders Village is scheduled March 23; the State Demographer will present at the April 6 Town Hall meeting.
• Lake Nutrient Criteria: Castle Rock Water Director Mark Marlowe reported on an April 10 Water Quality Control Commission hearing. The proposed statewide lake nutrient standards could require reverse osmosis and could roughly triple wastewater rates. A letter signed by the mayor supported delaying implementation for reservoirs downstream of wastewater plants, including Chatfield and Cherry Creek, to allow site-specific standards. The state cost-benefit analysis was expected that day but had not yet been released.
• Development Services and quasi-judicial project updates were provided as information. The Town Attorney noted Lena McClelland will attend the April 4 meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Unscheduled public appearances: Residents Jim Modafferi and Josh Clopton, who live on Antelope Place, asked about the future intent of extending roadway pavement up to Antelope Place. They cited public safety, fire apparatus access, mud and erosion concerns, and said heavy construction traffic had affected their property, including a family member’s vehicle sliding. They asked the Town to take responsibility and pave the road. Mayor Gray and staff agreed to investigate, provide a map, and follow up with Council and the residents. Staff noted some portions may involve unincorporated county roads and developer obligations.
• RES 2023-041 Meadows Subdivision: No public comment was received.
• DIR 2023-010 Multi-family Parking: No public comment was received.
• Council Community Grants: Representatives of the Castle Rock Orchestra, Castle Rock Pirates Rugby Club, and Castle View Band Booster Club spoke in support of their grant requests.
• ORD 2023-007, ORD 2023-008, and ORD 2023-009: No public comment was received.

Consent Calendar

• The Council approved the consent calendar 7-0, including 15 items: ORD 2023-006 (Plum Creek Planned Development Plan Amendment No. 3, second reading); RES 2023-029 (Police Department Improvements change order with MW Golden Constructors); RES 2023-030 and RES 2023-031 (Schmidt Construction asphalt overlay and full depth reclamation); RES 2023-032 (Metro Pavers parking lot improvements); RES 2023-033 (Chato’s Concrete curb, gutter, and sidewalk replacement); RES 2023-034 (Vance Brothers slurry seal); RES 2023-035 (Colorado Barricade pavement marking maintenance agreement); RES 2023-036 (reallocation of 2023 Pavement Maintenance Program funds); RES 2023-037 (nighttime construction variance for the PMP and Capital Improvement Program); RES 2023-038 (Cherry Creek Project Water Authority capital assessment for Walker Reservoir Phase Two); RES 2023-039 (sole-source contract with Hydro Resources - Rocky Mountain, Inc. for the Bell Mountain Ranch Well A-3 re-drill); RES 2023-040 (nighttime construction variance for the Tank 18 Blue Zone Main Project); PROC 2023-001 (Mayor’s Challenge supporting April as Water Conservation Month); and MIN 2023-008 (March 7, 2023 meeting minutes).

Quasi-Judicial Hearing

• RES 2023-041 - Meadows Subdivision Parcel 6 Site Development Plan Amendment 13: Approved 7-0. The 136-acre site, zoned for single-family residential, would be developed with 77 lots rather than the previously approved 59-lot plan. Staff and applicant R.C. Hanisch said the amendment increases open space from 64% to 84%, or 114 acres, reduces the development footprint, protects golf course and ridgeline buffers, and preserves trail connections. Proposed lots average about 9,255 square feet; the previously approved lots averaged about 32,000 square feet. Planning Commission recommended approval 6-0 on March 9, 2023.

Discussion and Action Items

• DIR 2023-010 - Multi-family Parking Requirements: Staff reviewed the Town’s 11 parking regulatory frameworks, including three municipal code sections and eight planned developments. A 200-unit example produced parking requirements ranging from 298 spaces for Meadows Town Center to 412 spaces for Dawson Trails, with the municipal code at 393 spaces. R.C. Hanisch presented how shared parking works at Meadows Town Center. Council discussion raised concerns about parking capacity in the Meadows Town Center and downtown, the lack of mass transit, and senior parking needs. Mayor Pro Tem Bracken expressed his opinion that the Meadows Town Center would fail from parking if the remaining parcels do not solve the overall parking deficit. The Council directed staff to engage the multifamily development community and return with feedback and recommendations covering regular multifamily, senior multifamily, and downtown multifamily parking standards. Motion passed 7-0.
• DIR 2023-011 - First Quarter Council Community Grants: The Council awarded $500 to each of four applicants for a total of $2,000: Castle Rock Orchestra, Castle Rock Pirates Rugby Club, Castle View Band Booster Club, and Douglas County High School. Finance Director Trish Muller noted the annual grant program budget is $8,000 in quarterly awards; two additional applications were deferred to the second quarter. Motion passed 7-0.
• ORD 2023-007 - Title 17 Zoning Code Updates, First Reading: Approved 7-0. The ordinance creates a new industrial employment district, updates definitions for family child care homes and accessory dwelling units, and makes various consistency and cleanup changes to the zoning code. It does not change existing I-1 or I-2 zoning.
• ORD 2023-008 - First Amendment to the FY2023 Budget, First Reading: Approved 7-0. The amendment adds $167,800 in revenue and $5,902,635 in expenses, including water system repairs, storm sewer video inspection, transportation projects and grant matches, bridge maintenance, replacement vehicles, fire station improvements, a co-responder officer reimbursement from Douglas County, fire mitigation funds, and police station ADA improvements.
• ORD 2023-009 - Transportation Design Criteria Manual, Alley Access, and Downtown Overlay District, First Reading: Approved 7-0. Updates include a 10-foot minimum downtown sidewalk width where triggered by major building modifications, rapid flashing beacons at crosswalks, small cell facility placement in the right-of-way, updated pavement design standards, and alley access changes for residential units fronting collectors. Public Works Commission unanimously recommended the updates.

Key Outcomes

• All formal motions passed 7-0, including approval of the agenda, the consent calendar, the quasi-judicial resolution, the discussion-item motions, and the three first-reading ordinances.
• The Town took no formal action on the residents’ road-paving request; it was referred to staff for follow-up.
• Staff was directed to engage stakeholders on potential changes to multifamily parking standards and to bring back feedback and recommendations.
• Grant funding of $500 each was awarded to four community organizations.
• The meeting adjourned at 8:52 PM.