Adams County approves final plat for 5200 Sheridan, allowing three lots; county cites drainage fixes and pending special-use review of imported fill

The Adams County Board of County Commissioners voted 3–0 Oct. 21 to approve a minor subdivision final plat (PRC-2024-16) for 5200 Sheridan Boulevard that creates three lots on roughly seven acres, grants a waiver from subdivision-design standards to allow access via an existing private roadway, and requires recorded drainage improvements under a subdivision improvements agreement.

The board’s approval includes a written condition set and four notes appended to the plat; staff emphasized that drainage infrastructure for the site (to be located in Tract A) must be installed and certified per the subdivision improvements agreement and that future development of each lot will trigger traffic and curb/sidewalk work coordinated with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).

Why this matters: The property sits at the southwest corner of Adams County along Sheridan Boulevard and is zoned C-4 (commercial). The split into three lots is intended to make the site more marketable for future commercial or mixed-use development consistent with the Square Lake Subarea Plan (2022). County staff said the drainage work and other improvements must be completed before development is permitted on the new parcels.

Key facts and conditions - Site and zoning: Approximately 7 acres total in the Commercial 4 zone; proposed lots range from about 1.6 to 2.7 acres. Minimum required lot width in C-4 is 100 feet; smallest proposed width is 208 feet. - Utilities: The applicant identified Denver Water for potable water service and Metro Water Recovery for sanitary sewer service. - Access waiver: The board approved a waiver to allow access from an existing private road (labeled West 50 Third Place in staff materials) rather than creating a new public access point onto Sheridan Boulevard, which CDOT maintains. - Required improvements: The subdivision improvements agreement requires the applicant to finance and complete drainage/stormwater improvements in Tract A and provide collateral and as-built certification; curb, gutter and sidewalk work along Sheridan will be required later per CDOT thresholds. - Public process: Planning Commission recommended approval 4–3 after a hearing on Sept. 25. The county sent notice to 675 owners/occupants within 800 feet and received two written oppositions related primarily to earlier references to a withdrawn gas-station plan and to concerns about imported inert fill and dust.

Imported fill and outstanding permitting County staff and the applicant told the board that the property’s long history included quarrying and later use as a parking area and seasonal sales site. The applicant has brought inert fill onto the site in recent months to regrade the former quarry hole; staff said some temporary-use permits were exceeded and that a separate special-use permit and grading approvals are pending before the Board of Adjustment and environmental review teams to verify the source and quality of material and to address dust and erosion controls.

Jen Rudder, planning and development manager, told commissioners that the applicant has worked to remedy code violations: an unpermitted landscaping business on site and unmarked parking areas were addressed and closed; striping was completed the prior Friday. Rudder also read the recommended note that "the applicant must continue to diligently pursue its pending special use permit application to completion related to the inert fill brought into the site. Failure to do so will result in further enforcement action."

Applicant remarks Applicant James Goyette, who identified himself as the steward of the property for 20 years, told the board the site was once quarried and a hole in the ground and that bringing fill onto the property was necessary to make the land usable. He said the lot served historically as regional parking and that he intends to continue providing neighborhood parking for the adjacent Berkeley Village mobile-home park until the site is sold for development.

Board action Commissioner Henson moved to approve the minor subdivision final plat, the waiver from subdivision-design standards, and the subdivision improvements agreement (PRC-2024-16) with 14 findings of fact, one condition, and four notes; the motion was seconded and passed 3–0.

Next steps The applicant must complete the drainage improvements required under the subdivision improvements agreement and provide as-built certification. Any future development on the new lots will require applicable permits, traffic studies and CDOT coordination for Sheridan Boulevard improvements. Outstanding code and special-use matters related to imported fill will proceed through the county’s enforcement and Board of Adjustment review processes.

Speakers quoted in this article are named and identified by role exactly as they appear in the meeting record.