Castle Rock Town Council Meeting Summary – August 20, 2024

The Castle Rock Town Council met on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in Town Hall Council Chambers (100 North Wilcox Street) and adjourning at 10:33 p.m. All seven members were present: Mayor Jason Gray, Mayor Pro Tem Desiree LaFleur, and Councilmembers Ryan Hollingshead, Laura Cavey, Kevin Bracken, Max Brooks, and Tim Dietz. The agenda included consent items, two quasi-judicial hearings, a public safety sales tax ballot question, introductions of the 2025 budget and water rates, and several contract approvals.

Council Comments, Staff Reports, and Agenda

• Mayor Pro Tem LaFleur asked staff to review home-occupation rules (Town Code 17.52.230) to consider allowing massage therapy and similar personal services; Mayor Gray asked staff to compare other municipalities before and after COVID. Town Manager David Corliss said staff would report back.
• Council comments also noted school traffic safety, construction-related delays, the BMW Championship traffic, election-season canvassing rules, and community events.
• Town Manager Corliss highlighted calendar reminders, volunteer utilization, midyear service-contract reports, the fourth-quarter financial review, and upcoming neighborhood/open-house meetings. Development Services updates were deferred to September.
• Town Attorney Mike Hyman requested a closed executive session after the September 3 council meeting for legal advice; council concurred unanimously.
• Council accepted the agenda as presented, 7-0.

Consent Calendar

The consent calendar was approved 7-0, including:

• RES 2024-083: Purchase of a Caterpillar motor grader from Wagner Equipment Company.
• RES 2024-084: Purchase of two Ravo R5 street sweepers from Neverest Equipment Company LLC.
• RES 2024-085: Purchase of Lifepak cardiac monitors for Castle Rock Fire and Rescue.
• RES 2024-086: Second amendment with Velocity Plant Services, LLC for Tanks 17A/17B Monoclor Residual Control System.
• RES 2024-087: Construction contract with Morton Electric, Inc. for the 2024 Downtown Pedestrian Lighting Project (about 27 street lights, largely CDOT-funded).
• ORD 2024-009: Second amendment to the 2024 budget with supplemental appropriations (second reading; first reading passed 7-0 on July 16, 2024).
• MIN 2024-015: Approval of July 16, 2024 draft minutes.

Public Comments & Testimony – Unscheduled Public Appearances

• Morgan Gijerde, a Castle Rock Youth Leadership participant, presented a Safe Drive campaign targeting impaired and distracted driving.
• Laybrother Steven Girard Sidlowsky urged the Town to consider personhood charter language and provided pro-life materials.
• Dana Bonham thanked the Council for responsiveness even when they disagree.

Quasi-Judicial Hearings

ORD 2024-012 – Metzler Ranch PD Amendment (864 Barranca Drive)

• Staff and applicant Sandstone Care presented a request to add adolescent inpatient mental health care (ages 13–17) as a permitted use at the former assisted living/memory care site, while prohibiting outpatient care, court-ordered treatment, severe mental-health conditions, substance abuse treatment, and clients with violent/sexual criminal histories. Treatment would be voluntary, typically 45–60 days; the property has a 48-bed maximum, with the applicant initially planning 36 beds. The amendment also proposed removing the 60+ age restriction from assisted living/memory care uses.
• Planning Commission recommended approval 6-0 on August 8, 2024.
• Public comment: Mark Blakeley, Kelly Butzer, Rebecca Chacon, Megan Zavadil, and Dr. Jason West supported the proposal; Cindy Jensen, Miles Negley, and Marissa Negley opposed it, citing security, location, transparency, and the nearby preschool and neighborhood.
• Council discussion included school need, property values, voluntary-admission protocols, staffing ratios, and neighborhood concerns.
• Vote: Approved 4-3 (Yes: Gray, Hollingshead, Bracken, Brooks; No: LaFleur, Cavey, Dietz).

RES 2024-088 – Terra Monte Annexation Eligibility

• Staff presented the eligibility hearing for a 32.29-acre property at the northwest corner of Plum Creek Parkway and Ridge Road. The resolution only determined eligibility under state law (100% of landowners petitioned; the property is contiguous, integrable, and in the same school district); annexation and zoning would come at a later public hearing.
• Councilmember Cavey confirmed that the future annexation/zoning step would be the point for deciding the property's use.
• Vote: Approved 6-1 (No: Dietz).

Advertised Public Hearings & Discussion/Action Items

ORD 2024-010 – Public Safety Sales Tax Ballot Question

• Town Manager David Corliss, Police Chief Jack Cauley, and Fire Chief Norris Croom presented a proposed 0.2% sales tax increase (from 4% to 4.2%) to fund police and fire services, adding 40 positions over five years (front-loaded with 10 fire and 11 police positions in 2025), including a fourth ambulance medic unit and staffing for Fire Station 156. The measure will be submitted to voters Nov. 5, 2024. Revenue would be restricted solely to police and fire expenditures. Staff cited a community survey with 57% favorable reception, a police staffing ratio of about 1.1 officers per 1,000 residents, and 36 instances in December 2023 when no third medic unit was available.
• Speakers included Richard Morton and Bob Dziubla (Public Safety Commission), Jen Perry (Public Art Commission), Clark Hammelman (resident), Matt Osborne (president, Castle Rock Professional Firefighters), and Megan Zavadil (resident), all supporting the ballot measure.
• Council members generally supported the measure; Councilmember Brooks supported it as a short-term measure but said the Town must also address its long-term property-tax/mill-levy structure.
• Vote: Approved 7-0 for emergency adoption on second and final reading.

RES 2024-089 – IGA with Douglas County for November 5, 2024 Election

• Authorized the intergovernmental agreement with Douglas County to conduct the Nov. 5, 2024 municipal election.
• Vote: Approved 7-0.

DIR 2024-014 – Introduction of the 2025 Proposed Budget

• Town Manager Corliss presented the proposed 2025 budget and five-year plan. It assumes the 0.2% public safety sales tax passes; if it does not, budget changes would be required. Highlights included reliance on sales tax, a 5.5% property-tax revenue cap, $26 million in annual general-fund support for police and fire, a flat pavement-maintenance dollar amount, and an approximately $1 million (7%) increase in the pavement-maintenance budget for 2025. Staff said the ballot measure would not free up general funds for roads; future TABOR-surplus revenue designated for police/fire/roads may be available from natural growth, but special-purpose revenues are already obligated.
• The budget will return for first reading Sept. 3 and second reading Sept. 17, 2024.

DIR 2024-015 – Introduction of 2025 Castle Rock Water Rates and Fees

• Assistant Water Director David VanDellen presented proposed water rates and fees, with an overall residential bill increase of about 4.2%–4.7%. Proposed system development fee increases: 20% water fund, 7% water resources, 0% stormwater, and 3% wastewater placeholder. The five-year water-resources capital plan is just under $150 million, with about $55 million in planned debt issuance. Staff also proposed $560,000 for operations staff retention and noted about $2 million in anticipated PFAS lawsuit revenue.
• Rates and fees will go to first reading Sept. 3, 2024 and second reading Sept. 17, 2024.

RES 2024-090 – Fifth Street Improvements Design Amendment

• Public Works Director Dan Sailer requested a $415,000 amendment to the Stanley Consultants services agreement to split the Fifth Street Improvements project into two construction phases (first phase in 2025, second in 2028) to retain $3.5 million in DRCOG grant funding. Total construction estimate is about $27 million. Public Works Commission unanimously recommended approval. No public comment.
• Vote: Approved 7-0.

RES 2024-091 – Axon Enterprise Amendment for Police Department

• Police Chief Cauley requested approval of a second amendment to the Axon master services and purchasing agreement for Draft One AI software that drafts reports from body-worn camera footage. Total cost over seven years is $618,000 ($52,000 the first year, $94,000 annually after). The DA's office has reviewed the technology. No public comment.
• Vote: Approved 6-0, with Councilmember Cavey recused because her employer, Verizon, is an Axon partner.

ORD 2024-013 – Zip Line and Aerial Trekking Course Lease Extension

• Parks and Recreation Director Jeff Brauer presented a second amendment extending the lease at Philip S. Miller Park for 10 years through 2034. The Town receives 5% of gross sales for park improvements; about 150,000 guests visited from 2019–2023, and the operation generates roughly $65,000 per year in Town revenue. No public comment.
• Vote: Approved 7-0 on first and final reading, with emergency adoption.

Key Outcomes

• Accepted agenda and approved consent calendar, each 7-0.
• Approved ORD 2024-012 (Metzler Ranch/Sandstone Care) 4-3.
• Approved RES 2024-088 (Terra Monte eligibility) 6-1.
• Approved ORD 2024-010 (public safety sales tax ballot measure) 7-0; approved RES 2024-089 (election IGA) 7-0.
• Introduced, but did not adopt, the 2025 proposed budget and 2025 water rates/fees; additional readings are scheduled for Sept. 3 and Sept. 17, 2024.
• Approved RES 2024-090 (Fifth Street design), RES 2024-091 (Axon), and ORD 2024-013 (zip line lease) by votes of 7-0, 6-0 (Cavey recused), and 7-0, respectively.
• The meeting adjourned at 10:33 p.m.