Commissioners pause Woodmoor Mountain drainage contract after resident objections

Douglas County commissioners on Sept. 23 agreed to continue action on a $106,463 construction contract for drainage and road repairs in the Woodmoor Mountain General Improvement District after community members asked for more time and information. The Board voted to continue the contract to Oct. 7 and asked staff and the GID to provide additional outreach to residents.

Why it matters: Residents said the prioritized work — culvert additions, inlet modifications and a slope repair — does not address what they described as the primary problem: improperly pitched roads that divert water off the pavement and cause repeated washouts below the road. The county paused approval so a newly elected GID board and the community can review plans before construction begins.

County staff summarized the contract. "Zach worked with the road committee out at Woodmoor Mountain on some drainage improvements that need to be done," Janet Herman, planning/engineering staff, said, noting the district funds the work. She told the board the road committee prioritized projects they could afford and that plans could be provided to residents on request.

Residents at the meeting urged a delay. "The main drainage issue re the roads have not been pitched the way they should be," said Diana Meyer, a Woodmoor Mountain resident of 20 years, who said her neighborhood received three days' notice of a GID special meeting where a different dollar amount had been approved. Mike Meyer, another longtime resident, said he was told by county staff to "get your water under control" before repairing other features, and asked the board to delay action until a new GID board met.

Board discussion focused on representation and process. One commissioner said the GID structure makes neighborhood access to county decision-making hard and moved to continue the contract so the incoming GID board could meet and residents could be heard; another seconded the motion. The board recorded the continuance and the motion carried unanimously.

What’s next: The contract will be continued to Oct. 7 or until the Woodmoor Mountain board has met and the county can provide the community with the replat/plan documents. Staff said the county can provide the engineering plans to residents on request.

Clarifying details: The contract is for Douglas County project SB2025-020; the amount discussed in different notices was $96,835 (reported by residents) versus $106,463 in the bid packet. Janet Herman said the funds for the project are "coming from the GID." The road committee selected the work items after prioritizing what the GID could afford; staff said $100,000 "doesn't go that far" and more work is needed beyond what is proposed.

Meeting context: Item was taken during the Woodmoor Mountain General Improvement District meeting that convened as part of the county's Sept. 23 land use session. The board explicitly separated public comment and then paused action to allow the neighborhood's incoming board to review the work and associated documents.

Ending note: The county's action preserves time for public review and for the new GID board to meet; the community asked that plans be posted and that the county ensure grading priorities (road pitch) are addressed before work begins.