OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Castle Rock Town Council Meeting September 2, 2025: School Site Transfer, Medical Office, Bonds

Town Council — Tuesday, September 2, 2025
BodyCastle Rock, Colorado
SessionTown Council
DateTuesday, September 2, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:25:53

Transcript — Verbatim
0:12

Heavenly Father, we ask for your guidance, wisdom, and support as begin this meeting.

0:17

We gather here today intent on doing good work.

0:20

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

0:24

Help us engage in meaningful discussion, give us clarity and strength to use our best skills and judgment.

0:30

Bless this community, it's residents, businesses, and visitors.

0:33

Help us to continue doing good work in your name.

0:37

Amen.

0:38

Roll call, please.

0:42

Councilmember Hollingshead.

0:43

Here.

0:44

Councilmember Bracken.

0:45

Present.

0:45

Councilmember Davis.

0:46

Here.

0:46

Councilmember Bret.

0:47

Present.

0:48

Councilmember Deeds.

0:49

Here.

0:49

Mayor Pratem KV.

0:51

Yes.

0:51

Mayor Gray.

0:52

Here.

0:52

All are present.

0:53

Thank you.

0:53

Please rise, please.

1:01

America.

1:02

And to the Republic for which it's on your God.

1:19

You know, I'll start with a council comments.

1:21

You know, uh last meeting I mentioned, I'm trying to go through the uh different departments and kind of sent some of the things they've done over the last recent years or months.

1:31

Uh one of the things I wanted to mention tonight was uh with uh public works.

1:36

Uh just recently uh public works uh from the American Public Works Association, uh Dan and his team just got an asset management award, pretty big deal for a nationwide award.

1:47

Um just managing our assets better, but bless you.

1:50

Um around the country.

1:52

And and uh what's interesting on that is um other towns have taken notice.

1:56

Uh Coddo Springs and Vail have both asked Dan to speak and give his an insight on asset management for those two towns as well.

2:05

You know, that's many people on Dan's team uh doing ongoing uh certifications and and training and and keeping up up to date on all their uh certifications and training for 2025 and beyond.

2:18

Uh also recently uh Dr.

2:19

Cog um made and made a mention of of how their roundabouts actually there's some of the some of the better ones in the state.

2:28

Um and then uh one one of the things I want to talk about was a little bit about roundabouts.

2:31

It's kind of funny that gosh, seven years ago when I first became mayor.

2:35

Um, you know, I I wasn't keen on roundabouts.

2:39

I I you know just I wasn't.

2:42

And um, and I I think I was just you know I thought they were a hassle.

2:46

I thought they were weird and that kind of stuff.

2:47

And got getting walked through from the town and getting walked through several times in different meetings and over the last several years.

2:54

Um, you know, one of the things that that have has ranged true is like what we care about a lot of times of public safety or or fire or police or town council here or staff, we care about safety, we care about people's lives and roundabouts are you know about 75 percent of the accidents and roundabouts are less um dangerous than than a regular uh traffic light uh uh accident.

3:18

And they're just uh they're a lot safer.

3:20

You're gonna get an accidents, but you're gonna you're not gonna hurt anybody the way you're gonna get hurt on a traffic light where you're getting T-boned.

3:26

Uh and I thought even more of a of a stat was from the the federal uh DOT was it's eighty-eight percent less likely for a death.

3:35

Um that's eighty-eight percent uh uh compared to a traffic light.

3:39

That's a big deal.

3:40

Uh especially uh I think that when we're talking about people's lives at stake, um sometimes I feel like the uh roundabout can be a hassle, but I also understand how how safe they can be and how how they're gonna manage it.

3:52

And over the last seven years, I like to think I've gotten pretty skilled at doing roundabouts.

3:56

So again, I want to thank public works and and everything they do for our town, and uh we'll have another some neck next time.

4:03

Um and besides that, I I'm uh for my mom, I'm wearing the Broncos tie, which Broncos are are gonna are the NFL is getting started this week, and uh my mother was a huge fan, and and uh and hopefully she's still watching right now.

4:16

With that, Councilmember Hollinshead.

4:19

All right, I'll second Go Broncos.

4:21

And I want to invite everybody to uh Castle Rock Art Fest this weekend.

4:24

It's all day Saturday and Sunday around Festival Park.

4:27

Uh it's provided by the Chamber of Commerce.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Land Use███████████████████████████27%
Procedural██████████████14%
Education████████████12%
Traffic Management███████████11%
Technology and Innovation█████5%
Parks and Recreation███3%
Historic Preservation███3%
Engineering And Infrastructure███3%
Legal and Judicial███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Castle Rock Town Council Meeting September 2, 2025: School Site Transfer, Medical Office, Bonds

The Town Council of Castle Rock met on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at 6:00 PM in Town Hall Council Chambers. The meeting included appointments, proclamations, a presentation from the Douglas County School District superintendent, public comments, and significant discussion on the proposed transfer of a town-owned former school site. The Council also held a quasi-judicial hearing for a new AdventHealth medical office building, reviewed metropolitan district bond issuances, and approved several resolutions. The meeting adjourned at 9:26 PM.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved unanimously (7-0): All consent items were passed in a single motion without discussion. Items included:
    • Ordinance annexing 0.21 acres of town-owned land (East Plum Creek Trail Annexation, second reading).
    • Ordinance approving initial zoning for the same 0.21 acres (second reading).
    • Resolution approving an intergovernmental agreement for the Plum Creek Stream Gage among Castle Pines Metropolitan District, Castle Pines North Metropolitan District, Highlands Ranch Water and Sanitation District, Dominion Water and Sanitation District, and the Town of Castle Rock.
    • Resolution approving the first amendment to the 2025 Spot Water Lease Agreement with Central Colorado Water Conservancy District.
    • Resolution approving a variance for nighttime water system maintenance work related to the Crowfoot Valley Road Widening Project.
    • Proclamation for Constitution Week (September 17-23, 2025) for presentation on September 16, 2025.
    • Minutes of the August 19, 2025 Town Council meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Randy Reed (Castle Rock Historical Society and Museum) invited everyone to the 150th Anniversary celebration of the Denver and Rio Grande Depot on September 6, 2025, and shared historical background.
  • Dana Bonham (Castle Rock resident) reported that about 200 people gathered for the 11th Annual Castle Rock Day of Prayer, praying for council members, law enforcement, schools, and the community.
  • During the discussion on the proposed transfer of the former school site near Loop Road and Crystal Valley Parkway, several residents expressed concerns:
    • Suzanne MacAfee outlined complaints about the process, including the school district’s consent calendar handling and the developer’s $500,000 payment to the school district.
    • Margaret Cainer said she paid a premium for her lot and was told the site would remain open space; she demanded compensation.
    • Maggie Villiwach highlighted dangerous traffic congestion on East Loop Road and Crystal Valley Parkway, and the need for a school to address overcrowding at South Elementary.
    • Oscar Duran questioned the $500,000 payment and urged preservation of green areas and wildlife.
    • Michael League opposed Options 2 and 3 due to safety concerns at the Rhyolite Park parking lot access and suggested a roundabout.
    • Jeff Richmond noted that the school district itself cited traffic safety concerns for not using the site.
    • David Cosel stated his property was marketed as backing to open space, requested preservation of the berm, and pointed out legal issues with the district’s “will not” versus “never utilize” language.
    • Mark Stromfeld requested that if development proceeds, a buffer be kept to protect privacy.

Discussion Items

  • Youth Commission Appointments (APPT 2025-007): Approved unanimously (7-0). Nine high school students were appointed to serve terms from September 2025 to May 2026 or 2027.
  • Proclamations:
    • Proclamation honoring the Castle Rock Historical Society and Museum’s 150th Anniversary of the Denver and Rio Grande Depot (previously approved).
    • Proclamation declaring September 2025 as National Service Dog Month.
  • Presentation: Erin Kane, Superintendent, Douglas County School District: Kane reported that Douglas County School District is the top-scoring in the Denver metro area, with a 92.2% graduation rate. She explained the district’s decision not to build a new school in Crystal Valley, citing capacity and proximity issues, and noted that growth does not automatically fund new schools. Councilmember Dietz expressed disappointment that the land surrender appeared on the school board’s consent calendar without public comment and questioned the $500,000 payment from the developer. Councilmember Bracken thanked Kane for her transparency and willingness to engage with the Town.
  • Town Manager’s Report:
    • Calendar reminders for upcoming open houses and events.
    • Update on wireless communication facilities.
    • Development services project updates: Perry Street Social project on hold; City Hotel demolition ongoing and no foundation discovered; The View apartment complex nearing completion (south half occupancy expected in September/October). Council discussed potential time limits for stalled projects.
    • Update on quasi-judicial projects.
  • Proposed Transfer of Town-Owned Former School Site (Loop Road and Crystal Valley Parkway): Tara Vargish presented three options for conveying the 20-acre site back to the original developer (Gregg Brown of Crystal Valley Ranch) after the school district declined to use it. Options varied in buffer width and road connections. Many residents opposed the development due to traffic, loss of open space, and procedural concerns. After extensive discussion, the Council voted 4-3 to continue the item to October 21, 2025, to allow further negotiations and traffic study clarity. The Council also unanimously agreed to discuss a broader policy on school site designations and land dedication for schools.
  • Brickyard Metropolitan District No. 1 – Bond Issuance: Discussion item only. The district plans to issue up to $70.9 million in bonds at an estimated 6% interest to fund public improvements. The Town Attorney and Finance Director confirmed compliance with the service plan. No further action was taken.

Quasi-Judicial Hearings

  • AdventHealth Medical Office Building (RES 2025-102): Approved unanimously (7-0). The project includes a two-story medical office building with 24/7 emergency room, urgent care, and physician offices at the corner of Crystal Valley Parkway and Plum Creek Boulevard. Applicant stated it will create 30-40 new jobs and that ambulance transport to the hospital is expected to be 1-3 per month. Councilmember Dietz requested larger trees, which the applicant agreed to.

Key Outcomes

  • Youth Commission Appointments: Approved 7-0.
  • Proclamations: Presented and accepted.
  • Consent Calendar: Approved 7-0.
  • Transfer of Former School Site: Continued to October 21, 2025 (4-3 vote: Cavey, Davis, Brooks, Dietz yes; Gray, Bracken, Hollingshead no). Additionally, the Council voted 7-0 to add a future discussion on school site designation policies.
  • AdventHealth Medical Office Building: Approved 7-0.
  • Pine Canyon Metropolitan Districts Service Plan (RES 2025-103): Approved 7-0.
  • GFOA Sole Source Contract (RES 2025-104): Approved 7-0. The $455,500 contract will guide the Town’s selection of a new financial software system over 18-24 months.
  • Plum Creek Water Reclamation Authority Bond Repayment IGA (RES 2025-105): Approved 7-0. The agreement commits the Town to pay 25% of the $8.5 million loan for rehabilitating the reuse reservoir and pump station if the loan is taken.
  • Adjournment: 9:26 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Heavenly Father, we ask for your guidance, wisdom, and support as begin this meeting. We gather here today intent on doing good work. We seek to represent fairly and well those who have given us this task. Help us engage in meaningful discussion, give us clarity and strength to use our best skills and judgment. Bless this community, it's residents, businesses, and visitors. Help us to continue doing good work in your name. Amen. Roll call, please. Councilmember Hollingshead. Here. Councilmember Bracken. Present. Councilmember Davis. Here. Councilmember Bret. Present. Councilmember Deeds. Here. Mayor Pratem KV. Yes. Mayor Gray. Here. All are present. Thank you. Please rise, please. America. And to the Republic for which it's on your God. You know, I'll start with a council comments. You know, uh last meeting I mentioned, I'm trying to go through the uh different departments and kind of sent some of the things they've done over the last recent years or months. Uh one of the things I wanted to mention tonight was uh with uh public works. Uh just recently uh public works uh from the American Public Works Association, uh Dan and his team just got an asset management award, pretty big deal for a nationwide award. Um just managing our assets better, but bless you. Um around the country. And and uh what's interesting on that is um other towns have taken notice. Uh Coddo Springs and Vail have both asked Dan to speak and give his an insight on asset management for those two towns as well. You know, that's many people on Dan's team uh doing ongoing uh certifications and and training and and keeping up up to date on all their uh certifications and training for 2025 and beyond. Uh also recently uh Dr. Cog um made and made a mention of of how their roundabouts actually there's some of the some of the better ones in the state. Um and then uh one one of the things I want to talk about was a little bit about roundabouts. It's kind of funny that gosh, seven years ago when I first became mayor. Um, you know, I I wasn't keen on roundabouts. I I you know just I wasn't. And um, and I I think I was just you know I thought they were a hassle. I thought they were weird and that kind of stuff. And got getting walked through from the town and getting walked through several times in different meetings and over the last several years. Um, you know, one of the things that that have has ranged true is like what we care about a lot of times of public safety or or fire or police or town council here or staff, we care about safety, we care about people's lives and roundabouts are you know about 75 percent of the accidents and roundabouts are less um dangerous than than a regular uh traffic light uh uh accident. And they're just uh they're a lot safer. You're gonna get an accidents, but you're gonna you're not gonna hurt anybody the way you're gonna get hurt on a traffic light where you're getting T-boned. Uh and I thought even more of a of a stat was from the the federal uh DOT was it's eighty-eight percent less likely for a death. Um that's eighty-eight percent uh uh compared to a traffic light.

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