North Meadows Extension Project Open House Draws Hundreds
by Terri Wiebold
The much-anticipated April 2 community meeting regarding the Town of Castle Rock’s North Meadows Extension project brought in between 500-600 people, according to estimates from Town of Castle Rock Community Relations Manager, Angela Copeland.
“The process of sorting the comments is under way, but has not been finished,” stated Copeland. “A first-blush estimate looks like at least one third of those attended left comments about either the alignment to Interstate 25 or the possibility of closing Happy Canyon Road to thru-traffic.”
According to Town of Castle Rock Public Works Director Bob Goebel, the important thing for people to remember is that these two issues – providing an additional road out of The Meadows to US Highway 85, with the added possibility of extending to Interstate 25, and the discussions about potential privatization of Happy Canyon Road – are two separate issues.
“There was a misconception that this was a ‘done deal’ and that funding was available to complete the [North Meadows Extension] project only if Castle Pines Village contributed and Happy Canyon was closed,” Goebel stated. “I tried my best to clarify that the Happy Canyon issue was separate from the North Meadows project and that the County had not yet received an official request from anyone to close it. That it [the Village] is merely a potential source of partnership and funding.”
Copeland stated that comments from the open house related to Happy Canyon are being forwarded to Douglas County, because the road belongs to the County and they are the appropriate jurisdiction to review those comments.
“From what I saw last night [at the meeting] a handful of people said they supported closing the road, yet the majority of comments said the road should remain open,” she stated.
The Town of Castle Rock will continue accepting comments on both issues until April 17. A copy of the North Meadows Extension Project presentation is available on the Town’s website at www.crgov.com/page.asp?navid=658.
To view the presentation on Happy Canyon Road or to provide comments regarding its potential closure, visit www.crgov.com/page.asp?navid=1270.
The next steps for the Town of Castle Rock include a review of the public comments provided and the identification of a preferred alternative, followed closely by the completion of the environmental assessment and a public review period. Construction on the North Meadows Extension project could begin as early as the summer of 2010.
