Castle Rock Town Council Meeting - 2026-07-07

The Castle Rock Town Council met on 2026-07-07 at Town Hall Council Chambers, with the agenda listing a 6:00 PM start. Mayor Jason Gray presided. Mayor Pro Tem Laura Cavey and Councilmembers Kevin Bracken, Mark Davis, Max Brooks, and Tim Dietz were present; Councilmember Ryan Hollingshead was absent. The meeting included a Smart Irrigation Month proclamation, a Youth Commission appointment, two quasi-judicial hearings, a drone-delivery regulatory discussion, a supplemental budget first reading, a traffic signal contract, a stormwater master plan agreement, and an executive session not to return.

Ceremonial Items and Reports

• The Council presented the Smart Irrigation Month proclamation for July 2026, noting that Castle Rock residents have reduced water consumption by 25% since 2006 and have committed to an additional 13% reduction by 2055. The proclamation had been approved 7-0 on June 16, 2026.
• The Council unanimously appointed Rian Dorr to the Youth Commission for a partial term ending May 31, 2028, following the Youth Commission's unanimous recommendation.
• Town Manager staff reported upcoming dates: Lost Canyon Ranch open space dedication, the July 22 cattle drive sculpture dedication, the July 30 Link on Demand service celebration launching a one-year pilot, and the August 4 National Night Out, with no council meeting on August 4.
• Development Services reported new quasi-judicial applications, including the 607 Sixth Street demolition request, a Dawson Trails planned development amendment, an 83,000-square-foot Gold Crown Field House proposal, and the St. Francis annexation/zoning request. Staff also reviewed numerous pre-applications and continued town-initiated annexations of town-owned parcels and enclaves.
• The Town Attorney previewed a future nuisance ordinance intended to give the municipal court tools to abate nuisances such as trash, debris, junk cars, and other health and safety concerns.

Consent Calendar

• The Council approved the Consent Calendar 6-0, including Resolution 2026-074 (second amendment to the Olsson, Inc. services agreement for the East Plum Creek Reach 5 Phase II Stabilization Supplemental Design, Bidding and Construction Services Project), Resolution 2026-075 (2026 Community Development Block Grant Annual Action Plan), and the June 16, 2026 Town Council meeting minutes.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Susan McAfee, a Castle Rock resident and Citizens Police Academy participant, thanked the Castle Rock Police Department for its community-oriented culture and dedication.
• Callie Nichols, a resident and property owner at 880 Yucca Hills Road, expressed strong concerns about the Dawson Fields Boulevard North four-lane road and a planned adjacent battery energy storage system (BESS). She said her property is zoned agricultural/residential, the road divides her acreage, the BESS could generate 70 to 90 decibels of cooling-fan noise, and the project raises safety and property-value concerns. She asked for a sound-absorbing wall, and staff was directed to follow up.
• During the Dawson Trails quasi-judicial hearing, no public speakers signed up. After the 607 Sixth Street vote, resident Luke Peach thanked the Council for past quiet-zone work and said he was proud to live in Castle Rock.

Quasi-Judicial Hearings

• Resolution 2026-076 – Demolition at 607 Sixth Street: Staff reported that the home was built in 1939 and is in the historic Craig and Gold District, requiring Historic Preservation Board and Council review. The Historic Preservation Board recommended approval; the partial demolition would reuse portions of the basement and first-floor framing. The Council approved the resolution 6-0.
• Resolution 2026-077 – Dawson Trails Filing No. 2, Planning Area E2: Staff and the applicant presented an 8.4-acre site plan for 100 townhomes with alley access, two-car garages, a one-acre central park, a dog park, and trail connections. Staff found the plan met density requirements, was below maximum building height, and exceeded parking requirements. Planning Commission recommended approval. Councilmember Davis asked about future ADA-compliant single-story options, and Councilmember Dietz noted the larger planning area could allow up to 400 single-family units. The Council approved the site development plan 6-0.

Discussion Items and Action Items

• Drone Retail Delivery Regulations (DIR 2026-018): Staff said a large retailer had inquired about an 18-drone delivery facility, but drone delivery is not currently defined in the Town Code. Federal law governs airspace, so local authority is primarily over siting, setbacks, and screening. Staff cited examples in Richardson, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Parker, Colorado, where communities faced neighborhood concerns or imposed moratoriums. Councilmembers supported studying the issue before permitting; Mayor Pro Tem Cavey cautioned about noise and FAA complexity; Councilmember Bracken said drone delivery will likely become common; Councilmember Brooks raised privacy, public safety, and retail vitality concerns. The Council voted 6-0 to direct staff to return within six months with an ordinance establishing a temporary moratorium on drone-port land-use applications until regulations are adopted.
• Ordinance 2026-021 – Second Supplemental Budget Amendment, First Reading: Finance staff presented revenues of $56,328,954 and expenses of $4,580,996 for the amendment, noting the large revenue figure primarily reflects up to $55 million in planned water revenue bond proceeds. Items included $500,000 for bioxide and monitoring services, $307,415 for the stormwater master plan update, $375,000 for increased ColoradoScape turf-removal rebates, $100,000 for two water-department Ford F-150s, $300,000 for automated park irrigation controls, $1,250,000 for Cantrell School restoration, and school resource officer contract revenue from Douglas County School District, Academy Charter, and World Compass. Councilmember Brooks questioned the unplanned nature of several items and urged more departmental budget accountability; staff said the Cantrell School project scope expanded after design and noted the amendment involves no tax or fee increases. The Council approved the ordinance on first reading 6-0.
• Resolution 2026-078 – Traffic Signal Contract at Founders Parkway and Crimson Sky Drive: Staff recommended a construction contract with Sturgeon Electric Company, Inc., the lowest of five bidders. Four traffic-signal warrants were met, primarily related to side-street delay and accident history. The total project cost is $881,762, including the $640,400 construction contract and contingency, with development contributions reducing the Town's share. Completion is projected for November 2026, and the Public Works Commission recommended approval. Mayor Pro Tem Cavey expressed frustration that CDOT continues to shift infrastructure costs to local taxpayers. The Council approved the contract 6-0.
• Resolution 2026-079 – 2026 Stormwater Master Plan Update: Staff recommended a professional services agreement with Muller Engineering Company. The last master plan update was in 2017. The Town invested $84 million in stormwater infrastructure from 2003 to 2017 and another $32 million from 2017 to 2025. The update will reprioritize capital improvements, review regulatory and development criteria, and address maintenance of more than 450 detention ponds, about 320 of which are privately owned. Muller was not the lowest bid but met the detailed scope and came in significantly lower than three other bidders. The Castle Rock Water Commission recommended approval, and the Council approved the agreement 6-0.

Key Outcomes

• Councilmember Davis' initial motion to immediately dissolve the Design Review Board was withdrawn after discussion. The Council instead voted 3-2 to bring the DRB dissolution and transition issue back for a future staffed discussion.
• Councilmember Brooks' motion to place an executive session on the next meeting calendar to discuss a potential ordinance change with legal advice passed unanimously.
• The Council accepted the agenda as presented 6-0 and approved all consent items 6-0.
• The Youth Commission appointment, demolition resolution, Dawson Trails site plan, drone moratorium direction, budget amendment first reading, traffic signal contract, and stormwater master plan agreement were all approved 6-0.
• The Council voted 6-0 to recess to executive session under C.R.S. § 24-6-402(4)(e) to discuss negotiations regarding possible private use of Town-owned property at the Dawson Trails development. The meeting did not reconvene after the executive session.