WEEK OF OCTOBER 3, 2024
VOLUME 11 | ISSUE 37
FREE
Douglas County delays Pine Canyon decision
Officials want to put controversial development on unincorporated land under Castle Rock’s control
Castle Rock asks for sales tax increase to fund public safety Police and fire departments would receive more staffing BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Rock. It’s in what’s essentially a hole in the town boundaries, south of Founders Parkway with Interstate 25 running through the middle. That’s a quirk that has fueled a push from town officials who want to draw the land into the town’s map and bring it under Castle Rock’s control.
As Castle Rock continues to grow, the town is turning to voters to ask for a .2% sales tax increase to fund public safety services at a level that will help police and fire departments meet demand. The sales tax increase would raise an estimated $3.75 million per year, to fund 22 new police employees and 18 additional fire department staff, as well as a fourth ambulance, the town said. The increase would cost shoppers 20 cents on every $100. Castle Rock’s municipal services, including public safety, road maintenance and parks and recreation,
SEE PINE CANYON, P10
SEE SALES TAX, P2
A view of “Tributary 2” near a confluence with East Plum Creek, from a photo log of Pine Canyon Ranch in Douglas County. SCREENSHOT OF DOUGLAS COUNTY MEETING DOCUMENT
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
If anyone doubted the weight of the issue of water in Douglas County, the fight over the proposed Pine Canyon development might be enough to put that to rest. A crowd packed the commissioners’ public hearing room — the meeting
stopped at one point just so county workers could put more chairs in the audience area — largely in opposition to a plan that would put up to 800 single-family homes, up to 1,000 multi-family housing units, commercial space, and a hotel and “resort spa” near the middle of Castle Rock, according to a county staff report. Except the property isn’t in Castle
VOICES: 14 | LIFE: 16 | CALENDAR: 19
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