Castle Rock Town Council Meeting - November 5, 2024
Castle Rock Town Council Meeting - November 5, 2024
The Castle Rock Town Council met on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at 6:00 PM in the Town Hall Council Chambers. The meeting covered routine consent items, presentations on the 2023 annual financial reports, updates on residential unit data and development projects, and a brief public comment period with no speakers. Key actions included unanimous approval of the consent calendar and the adoption of several ordinances and resolutions.
Consent Calendar
- Ordinance 2024-022: Annexed 681.07 acres of town-owned land (Lost Canyon Ranch) into the town (Second Reading, passed 7-0).
- Ordinance 2024-023: Approved initial zoning for the same 681.07 acres (Second Reading, passed 7-0).
- Ordinance 2024-024: Approved the third amendment to the 2024 fiscal year budget, making supplemental appropriations (Second Reading, passed 7-0).
- Resolution 2024-112: Approved a second amendment to the services agreement with Dewberry Engineers Inc. for the Young American Infrastructure Improvements, Bell Mountain Raw Pipeline, and Bell Mountain Flow Meter Vault Upgrade Projects (passed 7-0).
- Proclamation 2024-012: Proclamation supporting Small Business Saturday (approved 7-0).
- Minutes 2024-020: Approved the October 15, 2024 draft minutes (passed 7-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public signed up to speak during the Unscheduled Public Appearances period. No written comments were submitted by the 1:00 PM deadline.
Discussion Items
Executive Session Report (October 15, 2024)
- Mayor Gray reported on the closed session held on October 15, 2024, which concerned legal advice on the Douglas County Pine Canyon Development Rezoning and Water Appeal. No objections to the session were raised.
Town Manager's Report – Calendar Reminders & Upcoming Events
- Town Manager David provided updates on upcoming events: Veterans Day ceremony downtown on Saturday, November 9 at 11:00 AM; an open house at Cantorell School for Lost Canyon Ranch open space master planning; the Partnership of Douglas County Governments reception on November 21; and holiday events including Starlighting and trolley/carriage rides.
Presentation of the 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) and Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR)
- Finance Director Trish Muller presented the reports. The audit, performed by Forvis Mazars, received an unqualified (clean) opinion for both the financial statements and the federal single audit. One management finding was noted: a few year-end journal entries were not posted as they were immaterial individually and in aggregate, and did not affect quarterly budget-to-actual reports. The issue was attributed to staff turnover and is addressed in a corrective action plan reported to the Audit Committee on October 31, 2024. Councilmember Bracken could not attend the Audit Committee meeting due to a scheduling conflict.
Update: Residential Unit Data (through September 30, 2024) with Potential Buildout Estimates
- Tara Vargish, Director of Development Services, provided the update (no specific figures were discussed in the transcript or minutes).
Update: Quasi-Judicial Projects & Development Services Project Updates
- One new quasi-judicial application: An addition to a home at 110 North Lewis Street (in Mayor Pro Tem LaFleur's district), requiring review by the Historic Preservation Board. The proposed addition is just over 500 square feet.
- Pre-application requests (not formal submittals) were presented:
- Councilmember Hollingshead's district: Finley Auto Group considering three automotive dealerships at the end of Timber Mill Parkway.
- Councilmember Bracken's district: Three one-story commercial buildings at Limelight and Meadows Parkway; Dogtopia (dog daycare, boarding, spa) at Atcheson and Topeka.
- Mayor Pro Tem LaFleur's district: "Castleton Heights" – a four-story multifamily building with 101 units; Black Hills Gas – a third phase of an 8-inch high-pressure gas line from Front Street through Park Street to Prairie Hawk Drive; a residential property at Gilbert and Fifth Street seeking rezoning for a restaurant and salon.
- Councilmember Dietz's district: A wireless pre-application at Fire Station 152 for a camouflage cell tower (clock tower or fire lookout design).
- Annexation pre-applications: Core Electric annexing land at Ridge and Plum Creek for a new substation; Three Oaks Ranch (near Plum Creek and I-25) proposing a mix of commercial, multifamily, and single-family uses.
- Councilmember Brooks commented that he wants cell towers to improve coverage in Crystal Valley, noting that industry should fund them, not taxpayers.
Key Outcomes
- All consent calendar items were approved unanimously (7-0).
- The Agenda was accepted and the meeting adjourned unanimously at approximately 6:27 PM.
- No other votes or formal directives were made beyond the consent calendar and agenda approval.
Meeting Transcript
I think more than more than likely everyone's trying to go to the abs game or something, probably. Uh good evening. We'll open with the invocation. Heavenly Father, we ask for your guidance, your wisdom, and your support as we get begin this meeting. We gather here today to the intent of doing good work. We seek to represent you f fairly and well for those who have given us a task. Help us engage in meaningful discussion and give us clarity and strength to use our best skills and judgment. Please bless this community, residents, businesses, and visitors. Help us continue doing good work in your name. Amen. Roll call, please. Councilmember Hollington. Here. Councilmember KV. Yes. Councilmember Bracken. Present. Councilmember Brooks. Present. Councilmember Deeds. Here. Mayor Pro Tem La Floor. Here. Mayor Gray. Here. All are present. Thank you. Please join me for presentance. And for which it stands. One nation under liberty and justice. I don't have many comments. Uh first and foremost. Um there's no one really here, but uh if you have it vote, you're have permission to leave and go and vote quickly. Matt Gold, you gonna get up? Um but just uh, you know, I think that the most important thing, at least to me, is having a a safe and fair vote for everybody. And hopefully that happens for everybody. Um we can move forward as as a country. So that's probably my biggest hope and wish. Um and with that, Ryan Hollinshead. Well, thanks, Mayor. Um, you know, I I got a chance this week to talk to some high school students about running for local office, which was a really cool experience because it really um broke down for kids the fact that regular people run for for public office and and to serve the public. And um they really thought it was really intimidating, really scary. Uh and it was fun to share with them now doing this twice that it that it's not. And a lot of that goes to our town staff that really helped to make that an easy thing to do. Our orientation the very first time we ran for office was really clear. But it's just uh it's it's such a neat um process to go through. And you know, when you get a campaign and go out and knock on doors and talk to people, you actually talk about things that will matter in their immediate lives and their immediate community in their neighborhood. Um so it's just been a really really great experience, and hopefully um we can all kind of inspire our neighbors and friends to be the next ones to run as well. So just appreciate the process and thanks everybody for helping. Thank you.
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