The Castle Pines Connection

On October 19, proponents for a Core Knowledge Charter School in Castle Pines North presented their charter application to the Douglas County Board of Education. Parents from the CPN community attended the meeting to show support for American Academy at Castle Pines. “Our goal is to uphold the tradition of educational excellence set by Douglas…

Several residents have inquired about recent construction equipment parked on the northwest corner of Monarch and Castle Pines Parkway. Since the land is zoned for commercial development, can we expect new businesses soon? Not for now. According to Metro District Manager, Judy Dahl, construction equipment was stored on this land temporarily. “The paving contractors that…

Airport Noise Reduced as Centennial Completes Runway Construction Centennial Airport recently completed major runway repairs which temporarily impacted aircraft flight patterns this summer. Officials at Centennial expect noise levels to be reduced in CPN now that runway construction has been completed. During the construction project, aircraft noise increased in the CPN area due to necessary…

With winter fast approaching, many residents in CPN are searching for indoor recreation facilities. Historically, CPN residents have used the Recreation Centers in Castle Rock or Parker. This winter, there’s also a new choice, the Lone Tree Recreation Center near Sky Ridge Hospital. The Lone Tree facility features a fitness studio with a variety of…

Local Races What do the County Commissioners do? Are we Voting on Expanding County Commission from 3 to 5? Official Colorado Election Guide (“Blue Book”) Denver Post Election Guide Rocky Mountain News Election Guide Rocky Mountain News – set up a personalized ballot for just the candidates and issues on a CPN residents’ ballot Douglas…

Douglas County’s original plan for the asphalt overlay project this summer included the resurfacing of fifteen streets in CPN; however, the County added five streets in The Retreat (shown in photo) to the project. For information about future street repairs in your neighborhood, please contact Carl Lucero at Douglas County Public Works at 303-660-7490.

On Sunday, September 12, parent volunteers at Timber Trail Elementary hosted “A Taste of Timber Trail.” The event featured a variety of carnival games, jump castles, various food vendors and a silent auction. More than 30 community businesses participated in the event. “We had more than 60 volunteers help with this event, including 25 high…

After this summer’s frequent heavy rains, newcomers to Colorado may have a hard time believing that we live in a semi-arid climate. How unusual was our wet summer, and what does Mother Nature have in store for us this winter? It’s interesting to note that although Denver International Airport recorded more rain than usual this…

CPN’s new Religious Institutions database has been updated to include a new Inter-denominational Christian church. SouthLink Church is located in Parker. Also updated with a new address is Jewish Congregation Beth Shalom. This synagogue moved to a new location: 6116 S. Pennsylvania Street in Centennial. To view the entire list, click here. If you know…

Don’t miss the new CPNHOA Community Events Bulletin Board for school and youth activities. The board is updated constantly with new information and events. Contact webmaster@cpnhoa.org to add a non-profit community event to this calendar. Click here to see the calendar.

An article appeared in the last issue of The Connection regarding bobcat sightings in the CPN vicinity. The article stirred up some questions about wildlife in general – – what should we really watch for, what is dangerous, and just exactly what lives in our backyards? Spotting wildlife near CPN homes is commonplace. In fact,…

The newly elected Hidden Pointe Board members and the CPN Master Association have agreed to temporarily suspend all legal activities until the Hidden Pointe Board members are ready to address the matter with the CPN Master Association. Rick Schafer, Hidden Pointe’s HOA President, said the Board is currently working to poll the community and educate…

American Academy at Castle Pines officially submitted its charter application to the Douglas County School District on August 20. If approved, the school will be the sixth charter school in Douglas County and will open its doors in the fall of 2005. The Douglas County School District has 75 days to respond, and American Academy…

In preparation for the holiday season, the December/January issue of The Connection is scheduled to be in homes by November 29.Therefore, deadline for all copy and advertising will be Wednesday, November 3. For more information, please contact Sharon Kollmar at 303-688-5656.

Registration Deadline: October 4 is the deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 2 General Election. Simply download the voter registration form at douglas.co.us/elections, fill it out and mail it to the Elections office at P.O. Box 1360 in Castle Rock, 80104, or deliver it to 301 N. Wilcox Street in Castle Rock. All…

On Saturday, August 21, more than 1,000 residents attended the annual Summer Family Barbeque, presented by the Castle Pines North Master Association. Coyote Ridge Park was quickly transformed into an exciting event featuring jump castles, giant slides, trampolines and more. Children and adults of all ages enjoyed live music, activities, carriage rides, barbeque, and ice…

The businesses of Castle Pines will present the third annual OctoberFest on Saturday, October 30, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event, held at the Castle Pines Village Shopping Center, will feature a variety of activities for the entire family including: games, live entertainment, art activities, clowns, haunted house, costume parade, pumpkin and face…

The re-model of the old convenience store at 506 Castle Pines Parkway is underway. The Castle Rock Bank plans to open their second branch in the Castle Pines North community in early 2005. The full-service bank will provide four drive-through lanes, a 24-hour ATM and will also feature a drive-through Starbucks Coffee. “The permit remodel…

Looking for a sports league – competitive or recreational, indoor or outdoor, for boys or girls? The CPN website now contains a database of more than 15 types of kids’ sports programs, including who organizes them, where to find more information, what seasons the sports are played, and more. Click here for all the details…

Outdoor Rebate Offers Anyone can submit an application for a discount on his or her water bill for the months of May to September. The District will review the water bills for 2003 and 2004 to verify that the customer did reduce their water usage by 20 percent. The credit will be applied the water…

Charlie Fagan joined the Metro District as Parks and Open Space Manager on July 26th. Fagan will primarily be responsible for the supervision and maintenance of all parks, trails, open space and landscaped areas within the Castle Pines North community. With more than 21 years of experience, Fagan has a proven track record of success.…

If you or someone you know recently moved to Castle Pines North then join us for coffee on Thursday, October 14th. The CPN Master Association will begin hosting quarterly welcome coffees for all newcomers, and will provide new residents with a packet of helpful information about the community. “When you are new to CPN, it…

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, South Metro Fire Rescue and Nordstom at Park Meadows are teaming up for a safety extravaganza this Saturday. The second “C-Safe” Day, which stands for Community Safety Awareness & Fire Education Day will be held in the parking lot outside Nordstrom from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. October 2nd. The…

Solid Life Christian Center (SLCC) invites all residents to attend a back to school prayer rally at the Castle Pines North Community Center on Sunday, August 15, at 5:00 PM. This music-filled service is designed to focus its prayers on children and teachers at the onset of the school year. The highlight of this special…

The CPN Connection welcomes news from residents whose family and friends are serving in the U.S. Military. Captain James R. Sosnicky is serving in the Middle East as an Army Civil Affairs Officer, working on economic development issues. He is the son of Andy and Joan Sosnicky of the Claremont Estates subdivision, and is a…

The Town of Castle Rock is currently considering a developer’s plans for an entertainment complex that will include bowling and miniature golf. If it proceeds, the development will be built on the corner of Castleton Drive and Castleton Way, off of Wolfensberger Road. The Castle Rock Town Council voted unanimously in favor of the first…

Tuesday’s primary gave Steve Boand of Castle Rock a mere 57-vote lead over Highland Ranch’s Jeff Wasden in the Republican race for County Commissioner, but things could change. Douglas County still needs to count “provisional ballots,” which are ballots cast by voters who for some reason weren’t on the master registry, or who didn’t have…

By Thursday, August 19, CPN residents will notice changes at the intersection of Monarch and Castle Pines Parkway that are designed to give additional capacity for left turns from Monarch on to the Parkway. For cars traveling southbound on Monarch, the existing left turn lane will be extended back about 300′. The right lane will…

Come to the second annual Taste of Douglas County from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., August 19, at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. Tickets are on sale now at Pegasus Restaurant and Outback Steakhouse. In addition to samples from nearly 30 local eateries, you will be able to quench your thirst at the Coors and Sauza…

A group of area parents, including two from Castle Pines North, will soon file an application with Douglas County for approval for a new Core Knowledge charter school. If approved, the new school will be known as American Academy at Castle Pines. The committee’s goal is to locate the school in the Castle Pines North…

The Castle Pines North (CPN) community has been under construction since 1984. Since 1996, construction of homes in the community has continued at a rapid pace. Approximately 85 percent of CPN’s homes are already occupied, and many of the remaining homes will be sold within the next year. When will homebuilding be complete? At build-out,…

On August 26, the Denver Post published and article about a new bus service from Colorado Springs to Denver. Following is a summary of the article. The City of Colorado Springs is launching its first-ever bus service to Denver, with stops in Monument, Castle Rock, the Denver Tech Center and downtown Denver. Cost of a…

The Daniels Gate developer has indicated that the percentage of home ownership necessary for the Romar HOA Board to be turned over to the homeowners is close to being achieved. Therefore, the Romar board has set a date for a “Turn-over & Election” meeting. This meeting will be held at 7 pm on August 10th…

Thanks to The Retreat community for the following alert which applies to all of CPN. Bobcats have been seen in the neighborhood recently, so PLEASE watch your small dogs, cats and children and DO NOT leave them outside unattended. We have had coyotes in the neighborhood forever, but now the bobcats are here also. Remember,…

Douglas County elections officials verified on Friday night that Steve Boand of Castle Rock had defeated Jeff Wasden of Highlands Ranch in the hotly contested race for District II‚s Republican County Commissioner slot. Just 54 votes separated the two, which exceeds the amount required for an automatic recount. Of 18,326 votes cast, Boand received 6,699…

The Pet Stuff Place in the Safeway Center at I-25 and Castle Pines Parkway has established a Pet Loss Peer Support Group. Proprietors Sharon and Dick Adams invite anyone who needs a time and place to talk about a pet that has died or is nearing the end of life, to join them at the…

The Hidden Pointe HOA held a meeting on July 22. Homeowners voted to amend the bylaws to change the number of board members from three to seven. The following Hidden Pointe residents were elected to serve on the board of directors: Kathy Des Rosiers, Doug Dupy, Jeff Huff, Jeff Kavanaugh, John Kohl, Jeff Porter and…

August Primary to Determine Republican Candidate for Commissioner’s Race Of the three declared District II County Commissioner candidates vying for the Republican slot on the ballot, only one will survive the primary on August 10. Although the Republican caucus delegates had nominated Jeff Wasden of Highlands Ranch during the May Caucus, Steve Boand and Bill…

A new state law affecting young drivers went into effect on July 1. The law requires a teenager to hold an instruction permit for six months before being eligible to get a driver’s license. The age at which a person is eligible for a learner’s permit was raised from 15 years and six months to…

As our community continues to grow, so does the number of students in our local schools. Several residents have recently expressed concerns regarding capacity issues, and class sizes at some grade levels, at both Buffalo Ridge and Timber Trail. As of press time, Timber Trail Elementary has approximately 515 students enrolled for the 2004 school…

With a wildfire west of CPN last fall, and an unusual rash of severe weather this summer, the CPN Master Association’s Safety Committee has been busy pursuing a variety of questions about the County’s emergency warning systems. During last fall’s wildfire evacuation, some of CPN’s neighborhoods did not receive an emergency notification call from the…

For severe, localized emergencies, such as evacuations required by fire or flood, Douglas County uses an emergency notification system where homes and businesses in the affected area are contacted via telephone, based upon listings in telephone company number and address databases. This service is provided by Intrado, a Longmont-based company that is the nation’s leading…

A FREE dog workshop entitled, “IS WALKING YOUR DOG A DRAG? “ will be offered on Saturday, August 14, at the Castle Pines North Community Center from 10 a.m. until noon. Bring your dog and your whole family and teach your dog how to walk nicely on a leash and how to have good manners…

In yesterday’s primary, an exceedingly tight race has given Steven Boand of Castle Rock a mere 60-vote lead over Jeff Wasden of Highlands Ranch to be the Republican candidate for District II’s County Commissioner race. Bill Henry of Sedalia garnered 27 percent of the vote. Douglas County reported that 25 percent of 10,7217 registered voters…

Following a rare tornado warning for CPN in June, residents have inquired about what emergency notification systems are in place for inclement weather situations. The County does not use the automatic calling system for weather situations. In addition, the County does not have a siren or civil defense warning system in place, nor are there…

Two volunteers are needed to serve on the Board of Directors of the Green Valley Water & Sanitation District. The positions are vacant due to the resignations of board members who had served with the original developer of Hidden Pointe. If interested, please contact Jeff Huff, Board President of GVW&S District, at 303-683-0783.

New HOA Board Elected The Castle Pines North Master Association, Metro District, and Parks Authority have put further action in the Hidden Pointe lawsuit on hold pending the formation of a new HOA board in the Hidden Pointe subdivision. As of press time, the Hidden Pointe HOA had just held a special meeting to fill…

Want to pay double fines for speeding? If so, be sure to speed in a school or construction zone because fines are automatically doubled in those areas. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office currently has four independent traffic teams, each consisting of one sergeant and three deputies, dealing with traffic related enforcement. Many times the teams…

Freda Poundstone, a lobbyist and activist who resides in CPN’s Hidden Pointe, has successfully petitioned onto the state’s Nov. 2 general election ballot. The initiative, Amendment 34 to the Colorado State Constitution, is popularly known as the “construction defects” bill. It would prohibit laws that limit or impair a property owner’s right to recover damages…

A new religious institution reference list has been added to the CPN website. The list includes the names, addresses, and in some cases web addresses of local churches and synagogues. To view this list, visit http://www.cpnhoa.org/pages/community/churches/church.htm. If you know of a local church or synagogue that should be added to the list, send an e-mail…

The Douglas County Library System has extended its bookmobile lease through the end of 2005. This means that CPN’s bookmobile service will continue at least through the end of next year. “We have done very well, and are getting a lot of community support,” says Peg Hooper, Satellite Services Manager for Douglas County Libraries. The…

You’ve all noticed times when the TV News reported scant precipitation but we seemed to be getting soaked here in CPN — or vice versa. That’s because the meteorologists’ rain gauge is located at Denver International Airport. And we all know how varied the precipitation levels can be throughout our region. The good news is…

At the April 21st Annual Meeting, control of the North Lynx HOA (Homeowners Association) was turned over from the developer, DR Horton, to the residents. North Lynx residents Jack Estep (Vice President / Secretary, two year term), Ken Naes (Treasurer, three year term) and Nick Hubing (President, one year term) were elected to the Board.…

Christ Lutheran Church, 8997 S. Broadway, has expanded and will begin worship at its second site at Rocky Heights Middle School at 11033 Monarch Blvd. Member and visitors will begin worshipping at the new site on Sunday, Sept. 12. “Since our founding in 1985, we have grown to more than 1900 members,” says David Jensen,…

Looking for more fun things to do with your kids? A staffer has recently discovered CruisinKidsPages.com, a parent-friendly website with great resources for families living in the Denver-Metro area and including Castle Rock. The site offers a daily calendar for kids ages birth-10. The event calendar includes storytimes, shows, performances, nature classes, concerts and much…

Now that Douglas County election officials have verified that Steve Boand has won the hotly contested race for the Republican nomination for District II County Commissioner, the stage is set for several November election races that will be important to CPN: Douglas County Commissioner, District II: Boand, of Castle Rock, will face Democrat Doug Gilbert,…

If you are age 16 or younger, The Connection newsletter wants to hear from you! The Connection is now accepting articles and story ideas from kids living in Castle Pines North. All articles will be credited to the author. Writings may also appear on the CPN website at www.cpnhoa.org. If you would like to write…

Recent heavy precipitation and weather outlooks from local weather forecasting offices indicate an improvement in the severe fire danger for Douglas County in the near future. As a result, the Board of Douglas County Commissioners determined that the severe fire danger has temporarily decreased and ordered a suspension of fire restrictions, which had been in…

While there are no designated off-leash dog parks/areas in Castle Pines North, there are many located very close. And, most CPN residents don’t even know about the newest one! Glendale Farms Open Space, a Douglas County Park, located at the Surry Ridge exit off I-25 (exit 190) contains a new off-leash dog park. “So far…

A group of local parents and community leaders have come together in a grass-roots effort to create a K-8 charter school in the Castle Pines area. American Academy at Castle Pines will utilize Core Knowledge® curriculum with an emphasis on math, science and technology, in addition to promoting civic values. The school is targeted to…

Noise from planes taking off and landing at Centennial Airport may have recently become more apparent to CPN residents. This is because the airport is doing work on one of its runways, which is forcing all planes to use an alternate, shorter runway. Hence, the situation has required planes to use a slightly different flight…

The Hidden Pointe HOA held a meeting on July 22. Homeowners voted to amend the bylaws to change the number of board members from three to seven. The following Hidden Pointe residents were elected to serve on the board of directors: Kathy Des Rosiers, Doug Dupy, Jeff Huff, Jeff Kavanaugh, John Kohl, Jeff Porter and…

The 112th Douglas County Fair and Rodeo will be Saturday, July 31 through August 8 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, 500 Fairgrounds Drive, in Castle Rock. Click here for the 2004 Douglas County Fair event schedule: http://www.douglas.co.us/2004%20Fair/Events.htm. Click here for a map to the Fairgrounds: http://www.douglas.co.us/2004%20Fair/Map.htm. The Fair and Rodeo will include concerts, races, shows,…

The cpnhoa.org website and email service is scheduled to change servers on or about June 10. There may be interruptions in service that could make the website unavailable for brief periods of time, and email sent to cpnhoa.org addresses may “bounce” on occasion during the time that the changeover is in process. Residents may contact…

Douglas County Public Works staff met recently with members of the Castle Pine North Traffic Safety committee to help solve some of the neighborhood’s traffic woes. As a result of the dialogue, the County has agreed to: Fix the timing and sequencing problems of the traffic signals; Fix problems with the school zones, in particular…