by Terri Wiebold

More than fifty Castle Pines North (CPN) residents turned up at the community center on August 3 to hear a presentation given by Chris Fellows of HF Holdings LLC, regarding future development of the northern portion of the Lagae Ranch. The 240-acre parcel of land, located south of King Soopers and adjacent HOA 1 neighborhoods, was purchased by HF Holdings in July. Fellows arranged the meeting to explain the project history and to introduce early concepts for the project, as well as to solicit input on the visions, wants, and needs of the community.

Fellows, along with his partner, CPN resident Darwin Horan, were contacted by the CPN Metro District in early 2005 to participate in a committee (CPN Community Completion Task Force) to evaluate potential land usage for the remaining properties undeveloped in the CPN community. The committee was comprised of representatives from HF Holdings, the Metro District, the CPN Master Association, the Parks Authority, Douglas County, and individual neighborhood HOAs. During committee meetings, they discussed fundamental issues such as:

What major issues was the District and the community facing?

What parcels were available for the community completion?

What were the features and amenities desired to complete the community?

The Task force identified the following as major issues the community would be facing with development of any of the available parcels of land:

Long-term water resources and the acquisition of renewable surface water for CPN

Financial capacity of the District

Improved recreational opportunities, such as park and ball field opportunities

Additional school sites

Enhanced civic amenities, such as a church site, daycares, and a library

The committee determined the Lagae property was the only remaining undeveloped parcel capable of helping with significant funding for renewable water resources, and the only parcel large enough to address some of the park, recreation, school, and civic needs.

Fellows discovered that only the northern 240-acres of the Lagae Ranch was available for purchase, and that density and financial capacity analysis would need to be completed on the property to ensure any plan would be consistent with needs of the CPN community. In addition, he identified that any plan would need to maximize revenues for the district for future water supplies, and to accommodate the recreational and civic amenities desired by the community.

HF Holdings purchased the 240-acre parcel from A & A Investments, LLC on July 21, 2006.

Fellows and Horan are committed to gathering community input prior to any preliminary plans being designed. A second public meeting is scheduled for August 17 at 8:30 a.m. during the Parks Authority’s monthly board meeting at the Community Center, located at 7404 Yorkshire Drive. All residents are welcome to attend.

Ideas and suggestions for the development and of the northern portion of the Lagae property can also be submitted to editor@cpnhoa.org.