The Castle Pines Connection

Dear Castle Pines North Neighbor: By now we are all settled back into our homes after the Evacuation from the Cherokee Ranch fire on October 29th. We all realize how blessed we are have our homes (and our lives) spared from such tragedy. “Thank you” seems too simple to express our gratitude to the firefighters,…

Reports of both local and national telephone and e-mail scams are increasing, threatening the financial solvency of those who might be taken in by the sophistication of these recent frauds. In local cases, customers have been called by people claiming to be from the Security and Fraud Department of VISA or MasterCard. They ask if…

Dr. Andrew Dunbar and the staff at Castle Pines Orthodontics is hosting a Holiday Food Drive. Everyone is welcome to participate. Bring in non-perishable food items from now until December 22nd. For every item you bring in, receive one entry for our holiday raffle. Prizes include a gift certificate to Best Buy, a Hand-Held Karaoke…

Comcast to Provide New Fiber Optic System in Castle Pines North In the next few weeks, Comcast will complete its conversion to a new fiber optic system, allowing CPN residents the ability to subscribe to high-speed cable Internet service, HDTV (high definition television), and expanded television channel choices/packages. If you currently subscribe to Comcast’s basic…

The Friends of Horses Rescue and Adoption’s (FOHRAA) first annual Horse Show last November 15 was a success! According to Sandy McFarland, a CPN resident who volunteers along with her children for this organization, “The horse show was great and the kids had a blast!” There were a few CPN residents in attendance who learned…

Xcel Energy has received support – but not yet final approval — for rebuilding one of the power lines along CPN’s eastern border, but CPN has won victories on some important legal points. The case is not fully settled, and contributions are still sought to pursue legal relief on critical issues that we have raised,…

On Saturday, November 22, the Rocky Mountain News targeted Castle Pines North as a community that is in danger of running out of water because water levels in wells are dropping. However, the article did not tell the entire story. In fact, the article left out key information, printed quotes and statistics out of context,…

CPN residents are asked to attend the Douglas County Planning Commission meeting on Monday, November 17, to oppose Xcel Energy’s application to replace an existing power line with taller metal poles that would carry higher voltage – 345kV, the most powerful transmission lines used in the state of Colorado. Instead of planning additional power transmission…

CPN residents are looking for ways to express thanks to those who assisted us during the Cherokee Ranch fire. Fire stations have already had many visits from thankful residents, and have received more than enough gifts of food. There have been suggestions as to how others can show appreciation. Some ideas are: Do what others…

If you love horses, you’ll want to mark your calendar for November 15! Friends of Horses, a horse rescue and adoption organization, is hosting its first “FOHRAA Horse Show,” which will take place from 10 a.m. to approximately 3 p.m. Friends of Horses is based in Metropolitan Denver, and strives to place foals and horses…

If you do volunteer work with animals (such as animal rescue, adoption, training service animals, animal therapy at nursing home(s)/hospital(s), etc…), The Connection newsletter wants to hear from you! Writers for the newsletter are in the process of compiling a feature article on CPN residents who do volunteer work with animals. If you are a…

In the off-year election held November 4, state voters generally chose “NO.” No to expanding gambling in the state, no to shifting the tax burden from commercial to residential property, and no to the state water conservation board borrowing up to $2 billion. Locally, voters were in favor of schools and roads. Results of voting…

Residents Needed to Work for Traffic Signal Change, Other Safety Issues The two-vehicle crash on Thursday morning, October 23, was caused by a driver failing to yield to oncoming traffic, said Lt. Tim Moore of Douglas County Sheriff’s Dept. A vehicle that was heading south on Monarch attempted to turn left onto the Parkway, and…

Cougars Lacrosse emphasizes teaching the players proper fundamentals along with emphasizing good sportsmanship and team play. The Cougars offer teams for boys 2nd through 8th grade and girls 4th through 8th grade. The season starts mid to late February and runs through the month of May with an optional end of season tournament the first…

While we appreciate the efforts of those who helped during the fire, the CPN Master Association and Metro District will be joining forces with other neighborhoods in our area to work with public service agencies to review lessons learned from the Cherokee Ranch fire, so that all will be better prepared in case of another…

The negotiations to purchase the Myrick property as open space are progressing THANKS, in large part to the community support shown by your pledges! In August, the Lone Tree City Council deferred the FINAL VOTE on Bill Myrick’s annexation proposal until Tuesday, October 7th. Now WE NEED YOUR HELP to write, phone, or e-mail the…

DCS Montessori is kicking off its fall fundraising event. The school is selling Entertainment Books, a nice, thick coupon book providing discounts on dining, family entertainment, skiing, home and garden, not to mention coupons for local businesses such as Coffee Cravings, Little Italy and Safeway. The Safeway coupons alone pay for the book! Entertainment Books…

Kick off the holiday season with your neighbors on Saturday evening, December 6, at 7:00 p.m. The 2003 Holiday Cocktail Party will be held at the CPN Community Center on Yorkshire Drive. Bring an appetizer to share, and HOA#2 will provide the wine. Flyers for the event will go out in November.

Ever wanted to know more about various topics in “Art”? This series offers a group of slide lectures and plain and elegant talks and discussions about topics that run the gamut of art of the past-and-present. They are sure to interest and stimulate, and are presented by people with experience and insight in their fields,…

The Hidden Pointe Homeowners Association has summoned the Castle Pines North Master Association to District Court to address the 1999 contract between the Hidden Pointe HOA and the Master Association. This contractual agreement that is now in question: · Includes a commitment that Hidden Pointe homeowners will pay the same dues to the CPN Master…

XCEL Energy’s plan to replace the power lines that run through Castle Pines North with taller, more powerful, noisier ones is in progress. However, XCEL still needs to get a permit from the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) before moving forward. The CPN Master Association will participate in the PUC hearings, and has secured a lawyer…

The next organized Chemical Roundup in Castle Rock is scheduled for September 27, 2003. It will be held at the Castle Rock Maintenance Yard, 675 Justice Way. For more information on the Chemical Roundup, call Justin at 720-322-1541. For additional information about the PCWA, call 303-688-1991 EXT 114.

The Metro District is pleased that residents took water conservation efforts to heart! This year’s consumption during the irrigation season was 27,438,000 gallons less than last year’s, or an average of 18,600 gallons per family. (10-1) The Castle Pines North Metropolitan District would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their cooperation in…

Many pre-driving teens in Castle Pines North have be seen traveling around on go-peds, which are those motorized scooters that seem to be the craze with many kids. The sheriff’s office has received many questions about whether these scooters can be legally operated on public streets. The short answer is no. Go-peds are considered “toy…

The following is a response to the article about alternative phone service in the last issue of The Connection. Hi folks: The service mentioned is from a company called Vonage (http://www.vonage.com). Unfortunately, the CPN newsletter piece was published, perhaps, somewhat prematurely. Here’s the story: Vonage offers phone service using a technology called Voice over IP…

This year’s Master Association Summer Picnic and BBQ for all CPN residents will be held on Saturday, August 23, at Coyote Ridge Park, from 4:00 to 7:00. All residents are welcome to attend. Buy your meal tickets now at BankWest, or, if you prefer not to eat barbecue, pack your own picnic and come along…

CPN launched the inaugural season of its all-neighborhood swim team this summer. Under the mangement of Team Colorado, dozens of neighborhood kids improved their strokes Monday through Thursday afternoons (except during thunderstorms!) at the HOA#1 and HOA #2 pools. The first meet was held at the North Ridge Recreation Center in Highlands Ranch in June.…

Wastewater from Castle Pines North doesn’t stay in our Metro District. From our water treatment plant, it subsequently flows into the Plum Creek Wastewater Authority’s system. The PCWA recently provided these tips for helping to keep the system running smoothly: Household Dangers for Sewage Systems Fats, Oils & Greases: A by-product of cooking, grease comes…

School District for CPN: Castle Pines North community is in the Douglas County School District , and more specifically, is served by schools in the Rock Canyon feeder district. School enrollment period: Douglas County School Open enrollment is generally in January. Kindergarteners and students requesting open enrollment must apply during this time. Check with Douglas…

One of the last remaining areas of undeveloped land between Lone Tree and Castle Pines North is being considered for annexation and rezoning by the City of Lone Tree to build 88 luxury homes atop the bluffs. This subdivision, previously denied by Douglas County, could be rolled into the massive Ridgegate development, where the new…

Based on figures from 2000 through 2002, Douglas County still leads the nation in “rooftop counts,” with 13,761 new units. That represents an increase of 21.7 percent according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. Cheryl McDade, Castle Pines North’s Finance Manager, says that our area’s growth is a reflection of the county’s. “June (2003) was a…

Two locals students are holding a food drive to benefit the Task Force of Douglas County. Melinda LaVelle of Knights Bridge and Rebecca Von Duerring of Noble Ridge, both Douglas County High School Juniors, will be placing empty King Soopers bags at 450 homes in Knights Bridge, Royal Hill, and Noble Ridge on September 6.…

Susan Novreske, Claremont resident and CPNHOA’s webmaster for the last four years says goodbye to the post on July 31. “Thanks to all the community who participated in growing this web site – it could not have happened without your support. It has been a wonderful opportunity to meet so many CPN neighbors committed to…

Xcel’s plans to install larger power lines through Castle Pines are continuing. At this time, Xcel has filed its application with the PUC; the CPN Master Association has requested a hearing; and Xcel has not yet filed for a land-use permit with Douglas County. E-mail alerts and the newsletter will keep you updated. Read the…

Mark your calendars now for the August 18 public meeting on the new “South Park”. This meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. at the CPN Community Center, 7404 Yorkshire Drive. This is thethird public meeting, and Axel Bishop of Design Concepts, will be continuing the process of refining the amenities of the new park. The…

The second public meeting was held on July 14th with Axel Bishop of Design Concepts, who showed preliminary sketches of the park with two design styles. Both the needs of athletic playfields and stylized park architecture were addressed in these preliminary concept plans. The park will serve as a focal point to our community. The…

Coloradans who already signed up for the statewide do-not-call list will be automatically added to the federal register. If this sounds good to you and you want to do this, read more about it in the Telecom section of this web site. (7-1)

After almost a year working with Douglas County and the LaGae family, it looks like the sidewalk connection along the south side of Castle Pines Parkway from Yorkshire Drive to the commercial area will finally be finished. According to Judy Dahl, manager of the Castle Pines North Metro District, they are waiting on the final…

The Battle is On! You see it every month on your bill: Qwest’s $12 per month “distance charge” per wired phone line, an established yet outdated tariff for Qwest telephone service. This charge was put in place years ago and was intended to compensate Qwest for the greater expense of providing service to “rural” customers.…

Qwest will drop the “Distance Charge” from resident’s phone bills, effective August 1. The fees might be gone by the time of your August billing, or it may appear as an adjustment on your September bill. This will save most CPN residents $144 per year for each phone line that you have. Residents of Castle…

How do parks, trails and open space fit into the overall plan for our neighborhoods? How can we link with other communities? If you had a magic wand, what would you do with Daniels Park? A group of citizens is getting together to discuss the possibilities and options for Castle Pines North. Interested parties are…

There have been at least 3 bear sightings in Forest Park in the last month. Bears at this time of year are foraging to fatten up for hibernation. The bear sightings have been at all times of day. All of the bears seen in Forest Park have been non-aggressive; lets hope it stays that way.…

While it is likely to be another month or two before the final Public Utilities Commission decision on whether Xcel will receive the PUC permit to rebuild one of the powerlines along the eastern border of CPN, Xcel is working on the engineering plans for the project and has offered to consider CPN-area homeowners’ requests…

Town of Castle Rock residents will not be voting on November 5 on the Town’s proposal to build a second recreation center. At about the same time that CPN started to look at building a Recreation Center in Castle Pines North, the Town of Castle Rock independently started a separate project to investigate whether Castle…

An 855-acre parcel critical to wildlife as a corridor was donated by DuPont and preserved as open space. It creates a link all the way from Pike National Forest, through Roxborough State Park and other protected lands across US 85.

Douglas County is hosting two public meetings regarding the future “Wildcat Regional Park” that the County will build along the southern border of Highlands Ranch, southwest of the new middle school/high school site, between Monarch and Daniels Park Road. This will be a large (202 acres) “active park” that will have league-play ball fields and…

Douglas County is hosting two public meetings regarding the future “Wildcat Regional Park” that the County will build along the southern border of Highlands Ranch, southwest of the new middle school/high school site, between Monarch and Daniels Park Road. This will be a large (202 acres) “active park” that will have league-play ball fields and…

A proposed second Town recreation center is moving forward as the Parks & Recreation Department continues to weigh input from residents and consider site location options. To date, Parks & Recreation has hosted three public meetings, six user-group meetings and forrned a steering committee as part of an effort to propose a second recreation center…