Rezoning request for Daniels Park Road approved
County commissioners, community planners and the public have discussed the future of this parcel of land (pictured in orange), located west of Castle Pines, just off Daniels Park Road, and have approved it for rezoning.
By Elise Brassell; map courtesy of Douglas County
The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners (Board) is keeping busy evaluating proposals to continue growth within our county. In late September alone, the Board considered project plans for Sterling Ranch, Dransfeldt Road, The Pinery, Devil’s Head Metropolitan District, Rock Canyon, The Village at Castle Pines and a 53-acre parcel of land that some may recognize as the Pretty Woman Ranch area or Castle Cliff Farm.
The Board received a request to rezone the 55-acre parcel of land from Agricultural-One to Rural Residential, a change that allows for 11 home sites, open space and equestrian facilities. The proposed rezoning includes the preservation of an existing residence, equestrian facilities and historic structures, including the Pretty Woman Ranch which is a historic Douglas County landmark. The Ranch was named for one of its owners, Elizabeth Richardson, who was known as a woman of great beauty. In the 1860s, the Ranch served as a stagecoach stop along the Plum Creek/Divide Wagon Road.
The land in question is located at 7007 Daniels Park Road and is about two miles north of the Daniels Park Road and North US Highway 85 intersection, west of the City of Castle Pines.
It takes a majority vote of the Board, two commissioners out of three, to approve the rezoning. As part of the approval process, commissioners consider several factors, including Planning Commission recommendations, whether the rezoning is in compliance with the Douglas County Comprehensive Master Plan and is compatible with surrounding land uses, impacts to roadways and water supply, and comments from the public.
Input is also received from several referral agencies, such as water, health and power-related organizations, that are asked to respond to the impact of the proposed rezoning. Of the referral agencies in the 80108 ZIP code, the City of Castle Pines and the Castle Pines Homes Association had the opportunity to comment, along with agencies from the surrounding areas (a complete list of referral agencies can be found at the link at the end of this article).
“Once the Board has considered these factors, as well as feedback from public hearings, it can elect to approve, approve with conditions, continue, table for further study, remand to the Planning Commission, or deny the rezoning request,” said Judy Hammer, principal planner in the department of community development, Douglas County.
On September 25, The Board held a public hearing and considered next steps for the proposed rezoning and decided to approve the request. To stay up to date on next steps for this rezoning project, visit apps.douglas.co.us/planning/projects and search for Project ZR2018-010.
