Castle Rock Town Council Meeting - May 16, 2023
Castle Rock Town Council Meeting - May 16, 2023
The Castle Rock Town Council met on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at 6:00 PM in the Town Hall Council Chambers. The meeting included proclamations, appointments, consent calendar approvals, a public hearing on renaming a pump station, and discussions on multi-family parking requirements and the 2023 community survey results. All votes were unanimous (7-0) unless otherwise noted.
Proclamations & Appointments
- National Public Works Week: Council proclaimed the week of May 21–27, 2023 as Public Works Week.
- Ducky Derby Month: June 2023 was proclaimed Ducky Derby Month in recognition of the 27th annual Ducky Derby on June 11, 2023, expected to draw 3,000–4,000 attendees.
- Board & Commission Appointments: Council approved appointments recommended by panels following interviews on May 9, 2023.
- Chatfield Watershed Authority Board: Councilmember LaFleur was appointed as the second liaison to the board (motion passed 7-0).
Consent Calendar
- Resolution 2023-062: Appointing David Van Dellen as alternate member to the Cherry Creek Project Water Authority Board.
- Resolution 2023-063: Approving the 2022 Community Development Block Grant Annual Action Plan as amended and the Citizen Participation Plan.
- Resolution 2023-064: Approving changes to the Grease Interceptor Assistance Program.
- Minutes: Approval of the May 2, 2023 Town Council meeting minutes.
- Motion to approve the consent calendar passed 7-0. (Note: Minutes indicate the motion failed, but the transcript shows unanimous approval.)
Public Comments & Testimony
- No unscheduled public appearances were made.
Discussion Items
2023 General Assembly Update (ID 2023-054)
- Staff highlighted key bills: Senate Bill 213 (opposed by the town) died; House Bill 1255 preempts local growth restrictions; EV charging requirements for multifamily housing; water bills including HOA landscape allowances and Chatfield water quality fee; psilocybin bill (SB 290) without strong local control; property tax measures (SB 303). Councilmembers expressed concern about property tax increases and discussed strategies for citizen education and potential ballot initiatives.
- Councilmember Brooks requested staff explore ways for Council to provide live testimony remotely during future legislative sessions.
Wireless Communication Facilities Update (ID 2023-055)
- Staff reported on cell service facility locations and ongoing neighborhood meetings at Bison Park, Butterfield Park, and Fire Station 152. No applications from Verizon identified.
Town Manager's Report
- Major project updates: Crystal Valley Interchange ($124M total, town managing ~$90M), with packages for frontage road relocation and interchange construction; schedule aims for completion by end of 2025. Brickyard development includes a sports development center. Plum Creek North Park bids anticipated, with potential park naming. Cantrell School site closed; improvements underway.
- 2024 budget process will address reduced impact fee revenue due to slower growth.
Multi-family Parking Requirements (DIR 2023-018)
- Staff proposed changes to parking ratios for regular multifamily (2 spaces per unit), downtown multifamily (1.25 spaces per unit), and senior multifamily (1.1 spaces per unit). Council discussed increasing regular multifamily to 2.25 or 2.5 spaces per unit, citing community parking concerns. Motion passed 7-0 directing staff to finalize outreach and prepare an ordinance with the proposed ratios.
Results of 2023 Community Survey (DIR 2023-019)
- Survey methodology changed to allow all residents to participate, resulting in triple the typical response rate. Key findings:
- Overall quality of life rating: 7.5/10 (down from 2021 but comparable to 2019).
- Quality of town services: 6.84/10 (lowest in series).
- 54% say Castle Rock is headed in right direction; 33% wrong direction.
- Managing growth is top strategic priority for residents; 78% feel town is growing too fast.
- Top benefits of growth: more shops/restaurants; top concerns: traffic/uncontrolled growth.
- Water concerns: 34% somewhat concerned but confident in town's plan; many cite growth incompatible with water supply.
- Parking improvements identified as key for downtown.
- Town Manager Dave discussed staff response: focusing on annexation policy, open space funding, traffic projects (Crystal Valley Interchange, Ridge Road, Four Corners), continued public safety funding, water education, and exploring parking solutions. Council discussed balancing growth desires with revenue needs, considering polling on potential tax increases.
Key Outcomes
- All proclamations, appointments, and consent calendar items approved 7-0.
- Resolution RES 2023-065 renaming the Blue Zone Pump Station as the Anderson Pump Station passed 7-0. Staff will consider adding a QR code with information about Monty Anderson.
- Motion to direct staff on multi-family parking requirements passed 7-0.
- Community survey results received as discussion item; no formal action taken. Staff will incorporate findings into budget and policy discussions.
- Meeting adjourned at approximately 8:32 PM.
Meeting Transcript
I know. I'll start with council comments. Um, first I want to um uh mention that there's a blood drive on the 30th of of May at uh Douglas County Event Center um put on and supported by Douglas County uh the dads of Castle Rock. Um so please get out there and and uh do your part. Uh wanted to mention uh my mother uh before she passed away, uh unfortunately had three uh um uh blood transfusions, but uh she was very grateful to get that and um I do appreciate everyone's um hard work and and doing this for the dads of Castle Rock and also the blood drive and and uh uh by talent as well. Um they do good work and they save lives. So I want to start with that. Also, um one of the things I'll last things on the agenda tonight, we're do we're gonna talk about uh the uh count the uh citizen survey. Um it's probably no surprise to a lot of us that um you know the the big the big three that that uh citizens have a hard time with is uh growth and parking and um traffic um and all three can be a hassle and I don't want to uh I don't want to just discount that because it is a hassle sometimes. Um but I also want to make sure everyone realizes that you know the hospital is gonna celebrate their tenth anniversary this year. It wasn't even here ten years ago. Um without that, um, you know, there'd be a lot of people heading north and that kind of thing as well. But um this year they're gonna try to um start finishing out their cancer um wing, uh which is a big deal in Castle Rock. Um those two things happen because of the growth. Um and uh those are positive things that happen for the growth. There are some negatives, I get it. Um, but you know, we were able to uh get the Cantrell school this year, um, which is because of of sound management of our growth and sound finances. Uh we're also uh um besieged with COVID three years ago, and I think that people forget sometimes that COVID just about destroyed our downtown and um that our businesses are still recovering from COVID three, only three years ago. Um so I I get that it can be crowded and it can be a hassle, but um believe me, I think that um the downtown businesses still need our help. It takes they they're not gonna recover completely from COVID the same way they had to start a new lot, most of them did. Um but you know, as we we have had a 60% slowdown in growth the last year. Um, and a lot of people are like that. Um the problem with that slowdown in growth is it slows down our our capital um improvements. It slows down what what what we what we can do with sales tax. So it is a uh double-edged sword. It really is. We we want the growth so we can get our good good town going, we can get our police and our fire, our roads, our parks, our hospital. Um at the same time, there are growing pains with traffic and with parking. Um just growth in general. I and I get it. Um we're trying. I tell you right now that the seven of us try really hard uh making this community better for you. Um and we we understand that there are growing pains, but we also understand that with the growth there are some good things as well. Um there is some tough times as well. Uh with that, Ryan Hall is head. Thanks, Mayor. Um, just wanted to tell everybody I earned my sunburn today at the Ponderosa High School graduation and that uh all the the other high schools, Douglas County Castle View, Renaissance and all the other Douglas County schools will be graduating in the next week. Uh we have some really amazing young people in our schools and they're doing some really great things. So it's an exciting time for them. If you know one, congratulate them this week. Thanks. Thank you. Laura Cavey. Nothing tonight, Mayor. Thank you. Thank you. Deslafleur. Yes, thank you, Mayor, and thank you for uh bringing up the uh hospital and them celebrating their time here with us. I just wanted to let everybody know that I was appointed and uh got the position to sit on the hospital's governing board. So I I had my first meeting there today, and I'm really excited to be a part of what they're doing in our community on a deeper level.
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