Committee shares vision for the future of Castle Pines
Sam Bishop, director of community development in Castle Pines, presents a resolution to adopt a vision statement to the City Council in August. The resolution – which was approved by the Council – will help guide future development and growth in Castle Pines.
Article and photo by Lisa Crockett
“When you dream of Colorado, wake up in Castle Pines, the city with a unique business commons. A vibrant people-friendly gathering place with a blend of public spaces, special events, and retail serving the daily needs of the local and regional community.”
A committee of stakeholders in the Castle Pines business district, comprised of business owners and other business community members, has come up with a vision statement that will help direct changes, growth, and development in the city in coming years. For starters, the commercial district in Castle Pines will now be referred to as the “business commons.”
“The committee felt that although ‘business district’ was a technically-correct way of referring to our downtown area, the term ‘business commons’ was a warmer and more inviting title,” said Sam Bishop, director of community development for the City.
A resolution, which included the vision statement was presented to and approved by the City Council in August. It is the culmination of several months of work by the so-called “visioning committee.” The committee met over several months to discuss and explore ideas and challenges to growth and plans for the business commons.
“The visioning committee was formed in large part as a recommendation of the 2012 Community Assessment prepared by Downtown Colorado Inc. (DCI),” said Bishop. “The assessment is an action plan of recommended strategies to address revitalization. The assessment recommended that the city adopt a shared vision for the business district that could serve as the basis for future planning efforts, policies and decisions.”
Getting the resolution in place was just the first step in implementing recommendations from DCI.
“The City’s role is to support the vision, work with the business community to prioritize policies, programs and plans to implement the vision, create an environment for private sector investment, and support and collaborate on special events and activities,” said Bishop. “The business commons vision statement provides the knowledge to know where we are, where we want to be, and now we work on how to get there.”
