Castle Rock Town Council Meeting – December 16, 2025

The Castle Rock Town Council met on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in Town Hall Council Chambers, 100 North Wilcox Street, Castle Rock, Colorado. All seven members were present: Mayor Jason Gray, Mayor Pro Tem Laura Cavey, and Councilmembers Ryan Hollingshead, Kevin Bracken, Mark Davis, Max Brooks, and Tim Dietz. The council approved the 2026 meeting schedule, the consent calendar, a 409-acre residential site development plan, three community grants, and a contract amendment for the Sedalia lift station and force main project. The meeting adjourned at 7:47 p.m.

Council Comments and Unscheduled Public Appearances

• Council members offered holiday greetings and community notes, including Tri Arts classes, downtown carriage rides, the Castle Rock Youth Commission, and thanks to the police department. No unscheduled public comments were made.

Town Manager's Report

• David Corliss, Town Manager, provided calendar reminders, including the Fire Rescue Department awards banquet on February 7, 2026, and upcoming neighborhood meetings.
• The Town Manager proposed a 2026 Council meeting schedule change: a special meeting on May 12 for Boards and Commissions interviews; moving the March 17 meeting to March 24; and canceling the August 4 meeting for National Night Out. Councilmember Brooks said he likely could not attend May 12. The revised schedule was approved unanimously.
• Monthly department reports, Development Services project updates, and quasi-judicial project updates were presented without separate decisions.
• Mark Marlowe, Director of Castle Rock Water, gave a stormwater follow-up update. He noted continued work from the June 2024 storm, including 10 specific problem areas, fixes in Crystal Valley Ranch, and a new full-time stormwater infrastructure inspector. Under updated design criteria, Dawson Trails is projected to include 56% more storm inlets, 36% greater pipe length and size, and 27% more pond volume. Councilmember Dietz asked about underground water pockets; Marlowe confirmed they occur, especially when slopes are cut. Councilmember Davis asked about enforcement; Marlowe said stop work orders can be issued and may be more effective than fines.

Consent Calendar

• The agenda was accepted unanimously before the consent calendar.
• The following consent items were approved in a single 7-0 vote:
  • ORD 2025-039: Fire station financing, site lease, and lease purchase agreements (second reading; first reading approved 7-0 on December 2, 2025).
  • RES 2025-155: First amendment to the services agreement with Consor North America, Inc. for the Plum Creek Pipeline Central to PCWPF project.
  • RES 2025-156: First amendment to the water rights brokerage agreement with Stillwater Resources & Investments, Inc.
  • RES 2025-157: Sole source waiver and on-call equipment/services agreement with Treatment Technology Holding, LLC.
  • RES 2025-158: Agricultural lease agreement with Rupple Farms, LLC.
  • RES 2025-159: Designation of the public place for posting notices under Colorado Open Meetings Law.
  • MIN 2025-025: Minutes of the December 2, 2025 Town Council meeting.

Quasi-Judicial Hearing: RES 2025-160 – Canyons Far South Site Development Plan

• The council held a properly noticed due-process hearing on a site development plan for 409 acres southeast of Crowfoot Valley Road and Founders Parkway. Director of Development Services Tara Vargish presented the staff report and said the Planning Commission recommended approval 6-0.
• The project would include 515 residential units, including single-family detached and paired homes, after a minor zoning amendment increased density from 474 units. About 238 acres, or 58% of the site, would become town-owned open space and parks, with approximately 10 miles of trails and four parks.
• The applicant's team stated they hoped to begin horizontal development as soon as spring, subject to market conditions, and that the town park dedication is triggered by the 85th building permit.
• Traffic questions from Mayor Pro Tem Cavey: the Founders Parkway intersection does not exist today and is projected to operate at level of service B overall, with some movements in the D range; the study included existing traffic, the Town's Transportation Plan, and future growth. A separate town/CDOT operational and safety study of Founders Parkway is underway.
• Councilmember Davis asked about on-street parking and RV parking; the applicant confirmed parking on both sides and no RV parking area.
• Councilmember Brooks asked about the relationship with Macanta; the applicant described pulling back lots and increasing open space after concerns about land previously considered open space, and said neighborhood meetings indicated the issue was resolved.
• Mayor Pro Tem Cavey noted the commercial zone was limited to retail, office, and restaurant uses, with no fuel stations. Staff confirmed drive-through restaurants would require a use by special review and would return to Council for a public hearing.
• No public comment was offered. The resolution was approved 7-0.

Advertised Public Hearings and Discussion Items

2025 4th Quarter Council Community Grant Program (DIR 2025-036)

• Finance Director Trish Muller presented three eligible applications, each requesting $1,000: Rotary Satellite Club of Castle Pines, Douglas County High School After Prom, and Castle View High School Technology Student Association. In 2025, $15,500 had been awarded through the third quarter; after Council added $3,500, $4,000 was available for the fourth quarter.
• Representatives for each organization spoke about their programs: After Prom expects about 250 attendees; the Rotary program uses Boston Children's Hospital's Building Bridges of Understanding training for providers; TSA is student-funded and costs to attend the state competition have increased.
• Mayor Pro Tem Cavey suggested awarding $1,300 each; Councilmember Brooks preferred staying at $1,000 each to match the budget, and Mayor Gray agreed. The council approved $3,000 total, $1,000 per organization, by a 7-0 vote.

RES 2025-161 – Second Contract Price Amendment for Sedalia Lift Station and Force Main

• Mark Marlowe, Director of Castle Rock Water, requested approval of a second contract price amendment with S.J. Louis Construction, Inc. for Phase 2 construction services for the Sedalia Lift Station and Force Main to Plum Creek Water Reclamation Authority.
• The project serves the Highway 85 corridor and is tied to $14 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding that must be spent by the end of 2026. The final guaranteed maximum price is $16.766 million, contributing to a total project cost of $19.78 million. Council had previously approved $4.8 million; an additional $984,296 is needed. Douglas County will cover trail easement costs, and Castle Rock Water expects to recover costs through system development fees, plus a 25% adder.
• Councilmember Dietz said moving forward made sense because rebidding would cost more time and money. No public comment was offered. The resolution was approved 7-0.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the 2026 Council Meeting Schedule as revised by the Town Manager (7-0).
• Accepted the agenda and approved the consent calendar (7-0).
• Approved RES 2025-160, the Canyons Far South site development plan (7-0).
• Awarded $1,000 each to three Q4 2025 Council Community Grant applicants (7-0).
• Approved RES 2025-161, the second contract price amendment for the Sedalia Lift Station and Force Main project (7-0).
• Adjourned at 7:47 p.m. (7-0).