Growth Castle Rock
can support.
We cannot pretend growth that has already been legally approved does not exist. We also should not treat every request for more development as an automatic yes.
“Stop growth” sounds simple.
Growth is not.
A serious growth policy has to recognize private property rights, development already approved, the Town's authority and the limits imposed by Colorado law.
Castle Rock reports approximately 31,000 homes and apartments already built, with approvals for more than 55,000 entitled residential units.
That means a significant amount of future growth can occur even without approving another annexation.
It also means we need to distinguish between what a property owner is already legally allowed to do and what someone is asking the Town to approve today.
Three things voters should know.
Council has real authority over growth, but that authority is not unlimited.
Private property rights matter.
Start with what the property owner is legally allowed to do today. Lawful zoning, existing approvals, vested rights and development agreements cannot simply be ignored because growth has become unpopular.
Asking for more is different.
Annexation, rezoning, additional density and other requests for new development rights can require discretionary Town approval. Those requests should be evaluated on their merits, including their impact on roads, water, public safety, infrastructure and the community.
State law sets boundaries too.
Colorado has restricted some local anti-growth policies, including blanket annual residential growth caps and certain broad reductions in residential density. Any Castle Rock growth policy has to work within those laws rather than make promises the Town may not legally be able to keep.
Eight questions before I vote.
When a project comes before Council asking for additional development rights, these are the questions I want answered.
Residents: What do the people I represent want?
What are nearby residents telling us? What concerns have been raised through public meetings, emails, surveys and direct conversations? Residents should be heard before Council makes a major development decision.
Property rights: What does the owner already have?
Before debating what Council should approve, establish what the owner is already legally entitled to do. Existing rights, approvals and agreements should be respected.
The plan: Does the proposal follow Castle Rock's adopted plans?
Does the proposal align with the Comprehensive Master Plan, applicable development plans, transportation plans, water plans and other Council-adopted policies? If a project departs from those plans, residents deserve a clear explanation of why.
Roads: Can we move the people?
How much traffic will the project add? Which roads and intersections need improvement? Who pays for those improvements, and when will they actually be built?
Water: Can we support it long term?
What is the project's water demand? Where will that water come from? What water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure will be required?
Public safety: Can police, fire and EMS keep up?
Growth creates additional calls for service. Before approving more development, we should understand the impact on staffing, response times, equipment, stations and emergency services.
Cost: Who pays for the growth?
What infrastructure does the project require? What does the developer pay? What long-term costs fall to the Town? Existing residents should not be left paying for costs that should have been addressed when the development was approved.
Castle Rock: Does granting more make sense here?
Does the request fit the surrounding area? What does Castle Rock gain by granting the additional development rights? Does the project strengthen or diminish the community we are trying to preserve?
“Responsible growth” should mean something.
Castle Rock already has a Comprehensive Master Plan intended to guide long-term growth and development decisions.
The Town's 2030 Comprehensive Master Plan identifies Responsible Growth as one of Castle Rock's four major planning cornerstones.
The problem is that phrases like “responsible growth” can become meaningless unless Council turns them into real questions and measurable decisions.
Roads, water, public services, fiscal responsibility and community character should not just appear in a planning document. They should be part of the record when Council is deciding whether to grant additional development rights.
Follow adopted long-range plans.
Development decisions should be measured against the Comprehensive Master Plan, Transportation Master Plan, water plans and other Council-adopted policies.
Put the impacts in public.
Residents should be able to see the expected traffic, infrastructure, water, public-safety and financial impacts before Council makes a major growth decision.
Track what has already been approved.
Castle Rock should maintain an understandable public picture of homes already built, remaining entitled units, major development obligations and infrastructure needed to support future buildout.
What is the property owner asking for?
Already legally allowed?
Respect the owner's lawful property rights and the approvals already in place.
Asking Castle Rock for more?
Run the request through the framework: roads, water, public safety, cost and community impact.
Castle Rock can't support it?
Do not grant additional development rights simply because someone asked for them.
Read the plans and rules yourself.
Growth policy should be based on the Town's actual plans, existing approvals and the law — not campaign slogans.
These are the Town and State materials behind the framework.
2030 Vision and Comprehensive Master Plan
Review the Town's long-term framework for responsible growth, community character, services and economic development.
Read the planHow annexation works
Review the Town's explanation of annexation, infrastructure review, public hearings and Town Council's role.
Read about annexationGrowth in Castle Rock
Review the Town's information and resources on current and future growth.
Review the dataState limits on local growth caps
Review Colorado law limiting certain local residential growth caps and other anti-growth restrictions.
Read the state lawRespect property rights. Make new growth prove itself.
We cannot undo every development approval made in the past, and we should not pretend private property rights do not exist. But when someone asks Castle Rock to grant additional development rights, Council has a responsibility to ask whether our roads, water, public safety, finances and community can support it.
