Petition for development into Castle Pines
The blue portion of the map, called Crowsnest, is approximately 795-acres in unincorporated Douglas County adjacent to and including portions of Crowfoot Valley Road east of The Canyons neighborhood.
The City of Castle Pines received an updated petition from VT Crowfoot Valley Landco, LLC., to annex a group of properties, known as Crowsnest, an approximately 795-acre property adjacent to and including portions of Crowfoot Valley Road east of The Canyons neighborhood. The development company, based in Englewood, originally submitted the petition in the fall, withdrew it due to a mapping error and, resubmitted it last month.
Annexation is the process by which a municipality may incorporate additional land within its jurisdictional boundaries. All annexation proposals in Colorado must follow a state-mandated process (the requirements of the Municipal Annexation Act of 1965), which includes public hearings for each step and requires the City Council to make three specific decisions:
Substantial Compliance: Does the annexation petition comply with State law?
Eligibility: Is the property eligible to be annexed in accordance with State law?
Annexation: Should the property be annexed?
The first public hearing was held on January 13. City Council considered if the petition was in compliance with state law and determined that it was. Many citizens contested the petition, citing over-development and disturbance to wildlife habitats. Camden Bender, communications director for the City, emphasized that this first step does not mean the City Council supports or opposes the annexation.
The second step, the eligibility hearing, is set for February 24.
The third step is a hearing scheduled for March 10, where the City Council will consider whether to approve the proposed annexation, annexation agreement, and planned development zoning for the property on first reading. This step is held only if the Council finds the petition for annexation to be substantially compliant during the prior two meetings.
The fourth step in the annexation process will be a hearing on March 24, where City Council will make a final decision, evaluating whether the annexation is beneficial to the City. If the property is annexed, the property must be zoned within 90 days.
For more information, contact the City’s Community Development Director Donna Ferguson at Donna.Ferguson@CastlePinesCO.gov. For more information on the annexation process, visit castlepinesco.gov and click on “Crowsnest Annexation Petition.”
Information and graphic provided by the City of Castle Pines
