Citizens for the Preservation of Castle Pines North

by Lane Roberts

It started with a proposal for a new road near neighbors to the south of Castle Pines North (CPN). Now, Castle Pines Village (Village) is on the fast track to become the “City of Castle Pines.”

A proposed road connecting from The Meadows subdivision in Castle Rock to I-25 would bring an unwelcome elevated four-lane road to the immediate southern border of the Village at Highway 85. Other concerns related to growth and future developments around the Village also prompted incorporation interest.

“As an HOA, we don’t have much legal power as to what is occurring around us,” said Bill Nasser, president of the Village Homeowner Association. “We think it is important to protect the quality of life in and around the Village. Wildlife, noise pollution – all of those aspects are very important issues to our residents.”

The Committee for the Protection of Castle Pines

Village was formed in June to determine if incorporation would be feasible for their community. Since that time, the committee has recommended that the Village move forward to incorporate into a municipality.

“We are on a fast track,” said Nasser. “The committee has been meeting with attorneys and financial planners so that we understand what we are getting into.”

What Would be Included in the Proposed City of Castle Pines?

According to the November issue of The Castle Pines Village Reporter, the goals of the committee were to protect the boundaries of the City of Castle Pines, preserve the existing gated community, control Happy Canyon Road, Daniel’s Park Road, and Lagae Road, and increase revenue by including adjacent and local commercial properties. This could include all the businesses in CPN.

Neighbors at Castle Pines Village Consider Incorporation

“It is likely that there would be some need for commercial revenue for the Village,” Nasser said. “We would like to do it in as friendly a manner as possible.”

How Could this Impact CPN?

The impact of the proposed incorporation of the Village could be significant for CPN. If successful, the Village would impose sales taxes on local CPN businesses, including both grocery stores. Groceries in unincorporated Douglas County are currently not taxed.

“We are very concerned about the fact that Village could annex our business district into their new city,” said CPN Master Association Board President Maureen Shul. “Castle Pines North residents would pay taxes at our local businesses that would benefit residents in the Village. I don’t believe any CPN resident would be pleased with that scenario.”

What’s Next for The Village?

Public meetings are being held for residents of the Village. The Village plans to file a petition with Douglas County District Court, along with a map of its proposed boundaries in mid-December. Voters would then vote on the proposed incorporation in March, 2007. This would be followed up by a vote for a mill levy and sales tax rate in November, 2007.

“The final decision is going to be – do the pros outweigh the cons,” Nasser said. “So far, they do. We’ll just see how it goes.”

The Village currently has 1,200 homes, with a yearly HOA budget of $3 million. If voters in the Village choose to incorporate, they would join other Douglas County municipalities including Castle Rock, Parker, Larkspur and Lone Tree.

What Can CPN Residents Do?

While the Village moves toward incorporation, CPN does not plan to simply watch from the sidelines. Shul reports the CPN Master Association has formed a committee and is consulting with legal counsel to ensure that the rights of the community are protected.

“We cannot simply afford to just sit back and wait while the Village moves forward with their plans,” Shul said. “We have to explore all of our options as quickly as possible to protect Castle Pines North. Protecting our community remains our number one priority.”

Shul said there are “many options” for Castle Pines North to consider and, “we will explore each one carefully.”

Residents in CPN interested in joining the Master Association’s Castle Pines North Preservation Committee should e-mail cpnpc@cpnhoa.org, or call 303-482-3078. Send comments or suggestions regarding the Village via e-mail to editor@cpnhoa.org