OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Castle Rock Town Council Meeting – August 19, 2025

Town Council — Tuesday, August 19, 2025
BodyCastle Rock, Colorado
SessionTown Council
DateTuesday, August 19, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:03:34

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Wisdom and support as we begin this meeting.

0:02

We gather here today intent on doing good work.

0:05

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

0:10

Help us engage in meaningful discussion and give us clarity and strength to your best skills and judgment.

0:15

Please bless this community, residents and businesses, and volunteers, and help us continue doing good work in your name.

0:23

Amen.

0:25

Roll call, please.

0:29

Councilmember Hollingshead.

0:30

Here.

0:31

Councilmember Bracken.

0:32

Present.

0:32

Councilmember Davis.

0:33

Here.

0:34

Councilmember Brex.

0:35

Present.

0:35

Councilmember Deeds.

0:36

Here.

0:38

Mayor Patem KV.

0:39

Here.

0:40

Mayor Gray.

0:40

Here.

0:41

All are present.

0:41

Thank you.

0:42

Please rise to please lead this.

0:55

Under God.

0:57

Liberty.

0:58

That's what does us for all.

1:05

You know, I'll I'll I'll go ahead and start with counseling comments.

1:10

Yesterday we had uh the first day of your town academy, which has eight weeks of an academy that was put on by Christian Reed and has carried now for about nine years.

1:23

Um and it's a great academy that once a week we visit a different department.

1:29

And um it just kind of got me thinking about maybe what I'm gonna try to do very next um eight weeks or eight meetings is um just give a little shout out to each apartment department um because we have a lot of great apartments in some departments, and sometimes we don't recognize them what we should.

1:46

Um so tonight I was gonna recognize our police department.

1:50

Um just recently um it was rated the safest suburb in Colorado.

1:55

Um it was uh it was also um the only town in Colorado to be recognized in the United States.

2:01

Um we have we have had that uh top 50 United States for over five years running now.

2:08

Uh our 2014 uh 2024 crime was down 14 percent, property crime down 15, 34 percent vehicle thefts, 41 percent on break-ins.

2:21

You know, a lot of the things we talk about is is how innovative our our uh police department is.

2:26

We're first into the flock, we're first first in drones, first in therapy dogs in schools with SROs.

2:34

You know, the amount of things that our police department does and face our departments, but I'm like I want to say I focus on police tonight is you know, I I could fill up a filibuster of three or four hours and and and and make really everyone in this in this room really upset.

2:51

Um but um they just do an amazing job and and uh you know and and this this uh meeting I want to recognize police and then thank them very much.

2:59

And then next next uh we'll go down the list and put for our all our amazing departments.

3:05

So I just want to just want to just put out there that we have a lot of great departments, and sometimes we forget to recognize that.

3:12

With that, Brian Hollinshead.

3:14

Thanks, Mayor.

3:15

I'll uh tack on to that.

3:16

Uh a few weeks ago I got the opportunity to work with um some of the students from the youth police academy, and uh there's uh teenagers that do that all summer and get to experience all kinds of different things within the police department.

3:26

Um and then some students come back the second year and they're the leadership group, so they help guide the other students through all the activities, and they also um start pitching some ideas about how to help the community and maybe some things that could be helpful with teenagers.

3:38

So got a chance to meet with those kids that are doing a great job.

3:40

Um one of the SROs, uh Scott Gillespie works with those kids in the summer and does tremendous work.

3:45

So just one more notch on the belt for that group.

3:48

Thank you.

3:48

Councilmember Bracken.

3:51

Yeah, thank you, Mayor.

3:52

And I think uh I will preface my comments with um the the mayor has continuously talked about uh you know compassion and and being able to uh kind of reach out to people in the time of need and and you shared her struggles.

4:11

Well I I have very I've shared very little of my struggles throughout um throughout my six years here uh on town council.

4:22

So today I got some news that um a 19-year-old has passed.

4:28

Uh Silas Thompson has passed.

4:31

His mom reached out to me about uh about two years ago.

4:37

I called him twice.

4:39

He never called me back.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Traffic Management█████████████████████21%
Procedural█████████████████17%
Land Use███████████████15%
Affordable Housing███████████11%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████9%
Public Safety████████8%
Budget Equity Analysis█████5%
Public Transportation█████5%
Public Engagement███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Castle Rock Town Council Meeting – August 19, 2025

The Castle Rock Town Council met on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at 6:00 PM in the Town Hall Council Chambers. The meeting covered routine approvals, several public hearings, and discussions on major infrastructure and policy items. Key votes included approval of construction contracts for the Fifth Street Improvements Phase 1 project and a decision to participate in the Denver Regional Housing Needs Assessment. The meeting adjourned at 8:05 PM.

Consent Calendar

  • Unanimously approved (7-0) all items on the consent calendar, including:
    • Second reading ordinances for rezoning at 810 North Wilcox Street (7-Eleven), supplemental budget appropriations, and water/sewer revenue bonds.
    • Resolutions for construction contracts (2025 Street Repairs and Safety Projects, software/service agreements, Santa Fe Quarry Trail, Plum Creek Parkway Reclamation, water infrastructure projects, and intergovernmental agreements).
    • Appointment of Mark Henderson to water authority boards.
    • Proclamation for the Castle Rock Historical Society's 150th anniversary of the Depot (presentation scheduled for September 2, 2025).
    • Approval of July 15, 2025, meeting minutes.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were made during any of the designated periods.

Discussion Items

  • Town Manager's Report: David Corliss highlighted budget calendar milestones, service contract midyear reports, and development activity. Council agreed to place service contracts on the consent calendar for the October 21 meeting, with staff providing explanations for any budget increases.
  • Development Services Updates: Tara Vargish reported on pre-applications, a proposed annexation for a 192-unit income-restricted multifamily community (60-80% AMI) by Wolf Company, and ongoing efforts to strengthen annexation requirements regarding traffic impact and open space.
  • Fifth Street Improvements Phase 1: John LaSala and Andrew Focht presented the project scope, including widening to four lanes, a new traffic signal at Valley Drive, sidewalks, bike lanes, and storm drainage. The traffic signal at Valley Drive sparked debate; Councilmembers Brooks, Davis, and Cavey expressed safety concerns about the steep grade and winter conditions. The alternative of a roundabout was rejected due to grade and space constraints. A traffic warrant study from 2021 indicated the signal was needed. The project is partially funded by a $3.5 million federal grant, which would be lost if the signal were removed.
  • Crowfoot Valley Road & Macanta Drive Traffic Signal: An intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Douglas County was presented to operate and maintain a new traffic signal at Macanta Drive (owned by the county) due to its proximity (900 feet) to the town's Sapphire Point signal. The IGA ensures coordinated signal timing. Town Manager Corliss noted that the situation resulted from the developer's refusal to annex into Castle Rock, leading to suboptimal planning. Mayor Pro Tem Cavey suggested exploring reinstating the land use IGA with the county to prevent similar future issues.
  • Regional Housing Needs Assessment: Tara Vargish presented a state-mandated housing needs assessment. The Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) has completed a regional plan identifying a need for 223,000 new units over the next 10 years (2023-2032), with 3,400 allocated to Castle Rock (average 340/year, which the town already meets). Participation in DRCOG's assessment would satisfy the state requirement without a separate local study and does not obligate changes to land use regulations. A housing action plan is due by 2028. Lone Tree, Parker, and Castle Pines have already voted to participate.

Key Outcomes

  • Appointment APPT 2025-006: Approved unanimously (7-0).
  • Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously (7-0).
  • ORD 2025-030 (East Plum Creek Trail Annexation): Approved unanimously (7-0) on first reading.
  • ORD 2025-031 (East Plum Creek Trail Initial Zoning): Approved unanimously (7-0) on first reading.
  • RES 2025-096 (Construction Contract with Native Sun Construction for Fifth Street Phase 1): Passed 6-1 (Councilmember Davis dissented due to concerns over the traffic signal). The $12.4 million contract includes a 10% contingency.
  • RES 2025-097 (Construction Management Agreement with Emprise Concepts): Approved unanimously (7-0) at $1.25 million.
  • RES 2025-098 (IGA with Douglas County for Macanta Signal): Approved unanimously (7-0). Council staff will investigate potential future conflicts similar to the Macanta situation.
  • DIR 2025-025 (Regional Housing Needs Assessment): Motion to direct staff to submit participation in DRCOG's assessment by September 12, 2025, passed 6-1 (Mayor Pro Tem Cavey dissented). Council agreed this satisfies the state mandate without additional local expense.

Meeting Transcript

Wisdom and support as we begin this meeting. We gather here today intent on doing good work. We seek to represent fairly and well those who have given this to us this task. Help us engage in meaningful discussion and give us clarity and strength to your best skills and judgment. Please bless this community, residents and businesses, and volunteers, and help us continue doing good work in your name. Amen. Roll call, please. Councilmember Hollingshead. Here. Councilmember Bracken. Present. Councilmember Davis. Here. Councilmember Brex. Present. Councilmember Deeds. Here. Mayor Patem KV. Here. Mayor Gray. Here. All are present. Thank you. Please rise to please lead this. Under God. Liberty. That's what does us for all. You know, I'll I'll I'll go ahead and start with counseling comments. Yesterday we had uh the first day of your town academy, which has eight weeks of an academy that was put on by Christian Reed and has carried now for about nine years. Um and it's a great academy that once a week we visit a different department. And um it just kind of got me thinking about maybe what I'm gonna try to do very next um eight weeks or eight meetings is um just give a little shout out to each apartment department um because we have a lot of great apartments in some departments, and sometimes we don't recognize them what we should. Um so tonight I was gonna recognize our police department. Um just recently um it was rated the safest suburb in Colorado. Um it was uh it was also um the only town in Colorado to be recognized in the United States. Um we have we have had that uh top 50 United States for over five years running now. Uh our 2014 uh 2024 crime was down 14 percent, property crime down 15, 34 percent vehicle thefts, 41 percent on break-ins. You know, a lot of the things we talk about is is how innovative our our uh police department is. We're first into the flock, we're first first in drones, first in therapy dogs in schools with SROs. You know, the amount of things that our police department does and face our departments, but I'm like I want to say I focus on police tonight is you know, I I could fill up a filibuster of three or four hours and and and and make really everyone in this in this room really upset. Um but um they just do an amazing job and and uh you know and and this this uh meeting I want to recognize police and then thank them very much. And then next next uh we'll go down the list and put for our all our amazing departments. So I just want to just want to just put out there that we have a lot of great departments, and sometimes we forget to recognize that. With that, Brian Hollinshead. Thanks, Mayor. I'll uh tack on to that. Uh a few weeks ago I got the opportunity to work with um some of the students from the youth police academy, and uh there's uh teenagers that do that all summer and get to experience all kinds of different things within the police department. Um and then some students come back the second year and they're the leadership group, so they help guide the other students through all the activities, and they also um start pitching some ideas about how to help the community and maybe some things that could be helpful with teenagers. So got a chance to meet with those kids that are doing a great job. Um one of the SROs, uh Scott Gillespie works with those kids in the summer and does tremendous work. So just one more notch on the belt for that group.

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