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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Castle Rock Town Council Meeting – April 2, 2024

Town Council — Tuesday, April 2, 2024

BodyCastle Rock, Colorado

SessionTown Council

DateTuesday, April 2, 2024

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:53:15

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:00

As we begin this meeting.

0:01

We gather here today intent on doing good work.

0:06

We seek to represent you fairly and well in these and those who have given us this task.

0:11

Please help us engage in meaningful discussion.

0:13

Give us clarity and strength to use only our best skills and judgment.

0:17

Please best this community, the residents, businesses, and visitors, and help us do good work in your name.

0:24

Amen.

0:26

Roll call, please.

0:28

Councilmember Hollingshead.

0:30

Here.

0:30

Councilmember KV.

0:31

Here.

0:31

Councilmember Bracken.

0:33

Councilmember Brooks.

0:34

Present.

0:35

Councilmember Deeds.

0:36

Here.

0:36

Mayor Pro Tam LaFleur.

0:38

Here.

0:38

Mayor Gray.

0:39

Here.

0:39

All are present.

0:40

Thank you.

0:41

Please rise to the Pledge of Leadance.

0:45

Pledge Allegiance.

1:07

First, I want to thank everyone for coming.

1:09

I appreciate the a full house.

1:12

Let's go ahead and welcome the town of Castle Rock, welcomes the veterans, veterans, foreign wars, BFW post 1, 2230.

1:23

A new veterans of foreign wars post is being established in Castle Rock.

1:26

The VFW's mission is to foster camaraderie among the United States veterans of overseas conflicts.

1:32

Those they serve our veterans, the milk military and communities, their advocates on behalf of all veterans.

1:38

The group's vision is to ensure veterans are respected with their service, always receive their earned entitlements, and recognize for their sacrifices they have with their loved ones and themselves have made on behalf of this great country.

2:23

I'd have you guys present.

2:42

And uh is everybody in the picture.

2:56

Steve wanna get in one or sure.

3:38

You can find my email on the follow-ups.

3:40

And as of this morning, uh the official post name is uh the uh Max Donnie.

3:48

Max D Fun two three zero is a council on this uh who is building action.

3:57

Thank you.

3:57

Thank you very much.

3:59

Yeah.

4:01

Thank you, Mayor.

4:02

Absolutely.

4:04

Next, I have proclamation for Mayor's Town supporting April as water conservation month, whereas water is a precious natural resource and essential to a vital community, and whereas the imperative residents are educated and understand the importance of conserving water, using water efficient products, maintaining practices at work and at home, to use water wisely and to fill in to as daily activities, and whereas Castle Rock residents have reduced their water consumption by more than 20% over the last ten years, and whereas Castle Rock Water has a goal of another 18% in conservation by 2055, and whereas the town of Castleroc has always encouraged and supported water conservation through various educational programs and special events, and whereas every business, industry, and school and resident can make a difference by the help they are saving water and thus promoting a healthy economy and community.

5:00

And whereas the mayor of town of Castle Rock is challenging each resident of the businesses to protect their precious resource by pledging to conserve water at mywaterpledge.com and entering to win a front yard caral escape at CR Conserve.com and by taking water wise uh workshops.

5:13

Now, therefore, the town council and the town of Castle Rock does hereby proclaim that April 24th, sorry, April 2024, the water conservation month of the town of Castle Rock pass approved and adopted the 19th of March 2024 by the town council of the town of Cass Rock, Colorado.

5:29

Thank you very much, Mark.

5:31

Water.

5:42

You know, I don't have a ton.

5:44

Um, but uh one of the things I mentioned a few times here and there, um, is just uh how sometimes people are going through a lot of stuff, um, and how things are are hard all over.

5:58

Um, I I've mentioned before we uh we had uh another suicide about a week and a half ago in town, and it's just uh it's hard because it doesn't like we forget how hard life is for a lot of people, um whether you're in this room or in Castle Rock, uh what families are due.

6:15

Uh my my mother's uh uh anniversary of her passing was last week, uh, another employee here and um anniversary of her of her passing is next week, and um it's uh it can be a hard time.

6:26

So I I ask uh as I always ask for a wide birth of grace um for your fellow citizens and your family and and most of all yourselves.

6:35

Um thank you very much.

6:37

Councilmember Hollinshead.

6:39

Thanks, Mayor.

6:40

Um, just wanted to give a shout out to our whole staff that puts together the Outlook magazine.

6:43

If you just got in your mailbox this week, um always does a great job of informing the town of you know budget and how those things work, but it was really a nice um not tribute, but uh a highlight of our police and fire department and how unique they are in their leadership and and in and their philosophies.

6:58

So if you get a chance, make sure you flip through the whole thing, not just the cover.

7:02

Thanks.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Land Use██████████████████████████26%

Immigration Policy████████████████16%

Procedural██████████████14%

Water And Wastewater Management██████████10%

Community Engagement██████6%

Public Engagement█████5%

Legal and Judicial█████5%

Arts And Culture███3%

Elections███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Castle Rock Town Council Meeting – April 2, 2024

The Castle Rock Town Council met on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Town Hall Council Chambers. Council voted 7-0 to declare that Castle Rock is not a sanctuary city, approved consent and public hearing items, heard public comment urging a Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) ballot measure, and received legislative and development updates.

Ceremonial Items & Council Comments

Mayor Gray welcomed VFW Post 12230; the post is named the Max Donahue Post to honor Donahue, killed in action in Afghanistan.
Mayor Gray presented the Mayor’s Challenge proclamation designating April 2024 as Water Conservation Month. The proclamation noted Castle Rock residents have reduced water consumption by more than 20% over the last ten years and set a goal of another 18% in conservation by 2055. It was approved on March 19, 2024, by a 6-0 vote.
Councilmember Brooks said the Town has not received an application from The Rock Church; any future application would first go to the Planning Commission and take months before reaching Council.
Town Manager David Corliss gave calendar reminders, including upcoming board/commission interviews and neighborhood meetings.

Consent Calendar

Council approved the consent calendar 6-0, with Hollingshead absent: RES 2024-034 (first amendment to Barricade Holdings services agreement), RES 2024-035 (Saunders Construction contract for Recreation Center Slide Tower Removal and Replacement), the 2024 Arbor Day Proclamation, and the March 19, 2024 draft minutes.

Public Comments & Testimony

Dana Bonham thanked Council for the sanctuary city vote, cited Laken Riley’s murder, said over 40,000 migrants have arrived in Denver, and called for empowering Castle Rock police on illegal immigration.
Hunter Burns, a filmmaker and Castle Rock Artist Alliance member, supported joining SCFD, saying his film festival benefits veterans and Castle Rock residents currently go elsewhere for arts and culture.
Park Covarubius, a retired Douglas County school teacher and administrator, supported SCFD because schools lose grant-funded art and music programming; the proposal can go on the ballot only every 12 years.
Tamara Anderson, a retired public school teacher, described benefits her SCFD-participating school received, including art, science, and dance programming.
Randy Reed said SCFD would benefit Castle Rock and urged Council to place it on the ballot so residents can decide.
Patty Handby, a non-resident and former library art staff member, urged Council to let citizens vote on SCFD, saying a society without art is empty.
KC Neel urged Council to put SCFD on the ballot for children, economic development, and democratic process reasons; residents already pay the SCFD tax when shopping outside town, and it has been 25 years since Castle Rock last voted on it.
Mo Jensen supported more arts and science opportunities for young adults and praised the sanctuary city vote as a statement of accountability.
Yolanda thanked Council, noted Douglas County commissioners declared the county non-sanctuary, and asked for a formal town declaration with no loopholes.
No public comment was offered during the two advertised public hearings.

Discussion Items

Sanctuary City Vote: Councilmember Cavey moved, seconded by Councilmember Dietz, to state that Town Council agrees and is united that Castle Rock is not a sanctuary city. Councilmember Hollingshead questioned whether a symbolic vote was needed, but the motion passed unanimously 7-0.
Legislative Update: Assistant Town Manager Kristin Read said the legislative session ends May 8. Staff recommended opposing House Bill 1168 on municipal meeting control, opposing an anticipated special district water tap fee bill, and supporting a proposal to pause penalties under the state digital accessibility law. Councilmember Cavey raised concerns about HB 1007, which conflicts with the town code limiting residences to five unrelated persons; Town Attorney Mike Hyman said the Town has a strong Home Rule argument if the code is challenged.
Development Services Update: Director Tara Vargish reported 402 new single-family permits and 283 new multifamily units in 2023, a combined 685 new units. Single-family permits fell about 40% in 2023 after a similar decline in 2022; the 2024 budget assumes 400 permits. She highlighted projects including the 200-unit Meadow Mark affordable housing development, the Brickyard mixed-use proposal, and Costco’s requirement to wait for the Crystal Valley Interchange before opening.
Landscape and Irrigation Criteria Manual (ORD 2024-006): Mark Marlowe said the 2024 manual supports water conservation, encourages Coloradoscape, and aims to reduce non-functional turf by about 30% over the next 10-20 years. Current water use is about 112 gallons per capita per day, with a goal of 100. The Castle Rock Water Commission recommended approval; no public comment.
Water Rights Purchase (RES 2024-036): Marlowe outlined the purchase of 20.7 acre-feet of senior 1866 Meadow Ditch water rights along Indian Creek for $40,000 per acre-foot. The purchase price is $828,000, plus up to $10,000 in seller fees, for a full outlay of $838,000. The water will be reusable to extinction and delivered to Castle Rock reservoirs; the Water Commission recommended approval; no public comment.

Key Outcomes

Voted 7-0 that Castle Rock is not a sanctuary city.
Voted 6-0 to affirm staff’s recommended positions on state legislation and direct staff to communicate them to the Town’s legislative delegation, CML, and others. Minutes list Hollingshead as not present.
Accepted the agenda 6-0; minutes record Hollingshead abstaining.
Approved the consent calendar 6-0.
Approved ORD 2024-006 on first reading 6-0.
Approved RES 2024-036 water rights purchase and sale agreement 6-0.
Adjourned at 7:55 p.m. following a 6-0 vote.

Meeting Transcript

As we begin this meeting. We gather here today intent on doing good work. We seek to represent you fairly and well in these and those who have given us this task. Please help us engage in meaningful discussion. Give us clarity and strength to use only our best skills and judgment. Please best this community, the residents, businesses, and visitors, and help us do good work in your name. Amen. Roll call, please. Councilmember Hollingshead. Here. Councilmember KV. Here. Councilmember Bracken. Councilmember Brooks. Present. Councilmember Deeds. Here. Mayor Pro Tam LaFleur. Here. Mayor Gray. Here. All are present. Thank you. Please rise to the Pledge of Leadance. Pledge Allegiance. First, I want to thank everyone for coming. I appreciate the a full house. Let's go ahead and welcome the town of Castle Rock, welcomes the veterans, veterans, foreign wars, BFW post 1, 2230. A new veterans of foreign wars post is being established in Castle Rock. The VFW's mission is to foster camaraderie among the United States veterans of overseas conflicts. Those they serve our veterans, the milk military and communities, their advocates on behalf of all veterans. The group's vision is to ensure veterans are respected with their service, always receive their earned entitlements, and recognize for their sacrifices they have with their loved ones and themselves have made on behalf of this great country. I'd have you guys present. And uh is everybody in the picture. Steve wanna get in one or sure. You can find my email on the follow-ups. And as of this morning, uh the official post name is uh the uh Max Donnie. Max D Fun two three zero is a council on this uh who is building action. Thank you. Thank you very much. Yeah. Thank you, Mayor. Absolutely. Next, I have proclamation for Mayor's Town supporting April as water conservation month, whereas water is a precious natural resource and essential to a vital community, and whereas the imperative residents are educated and understand the importance of conserving water, using water efficient products, maintaining practices at work and at home, to use water wisely and to fill in to as daily activities, and whereas Castle Rock residents have reduced their water consumption by more than 20% over the last ten years, and whereas Castle Rock Water has a goal of another 18% in conservation by 2055, and whereas the town of Castleroc has always encouraged and supported water conservation through various educational programs and special events, and whereas every business, industry, and school and resident can make a difference by the help they are saving water and thus promoting a healthy economy and community. And whereas the mayor of town of Castle Rock is challenging each resident of the businesses to protect their precious resource by pledging to conserve water at mywaterpledge.com and entering to win a front yard caral escape at CR Conserve.com and by taking water wise uh workshops. Now, therefore, the town council and the town of Castle Rock does hereby proclaim that April 24th, sorry, April 2024, the water conservation month of the town of Castle Rock pass approved and adopted the 19th of March 2024 by the town council of the town of Cass Rock, Colorado. Thank you very much, Mark. Water. You know, I don't have a ton. Um, but uh one of the things I mentioned a few times here and there, um, is just uh how sometimes people are going through a lot of stuff, um, and how things are are hard all over.

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