Council denies request to vacate Eagle Ranch playground note after residents describe decades of neighborhood use

The Eagle City Council on April 14 denied a petition to vacate the recorded “playground” notation on the final plat for Eagle Ranch Subdivision Number 2, siding with neighbors who said the parcel had served as a common play area for decades.

Neighbors provided a detailed history in public testimony and submitted archival marketing materials showing the lot’s original designation as a recreational area; multiple speakers said children had used the land for more than 40 years for soccer, t‑ball, community gardens and other recreation. Neighbors described recent deterioration after the sale of Eagle Water Company, placement of “no trespassing” signs and what they called dumping and an overall lack of maintenance.

Applicant representatives — Tony and Robert DeChazeo through a civil engineering representative — said the parcel has been privately owned since the early 1990s and that the owners now want to build a retirement home on the property. They said the lot had not been conveyed to an HOA or the city and that the owners lack the well water service they previously used for maintenance after the water company sale. The applicant said the proposed home would be modest and consistent with neighborhood design.

Planning staff and council members reviewed the long and somewhat complex record: a default court judgment in 1992 produced a legal ownership claim by the DeChazeos, but the recorded plat still carries the “playground” note. Staff explained that a final plat amendment and a recorded lot split would be required before issuance of any building permit; staff recommended that no building permits be issued until a final plat is recorded creating separate legal lots for the existing well structure and any new residence.

After extended public testimony, council members expressed concern about changing a recorded neighborhood amenity that had been used and understood by residents for decades. One councilmember urged the landowner to resolve maintenance and trespass signs and to work with the newly‑formed Eagle Ranch Neighborhood Association — the neighbors reported they had formed a nonprofit and offered to assume maintenance responsibilities if the owner agreed to transfer the parcel. The council voted to deny the vacation request and preserved the playground note on the recorded plat.

Why it matters

The decision maintains a recorded piece of neighborhood open space and prevents an immediate conversion of the parcel to residential development. The action also highlights challenges when private ownership, historic plat notes and neighborhood expectations conflict decades after subdivision approvals.

Speakers (selected)

- Ron DeRost, neighborhood resident — summarized recorded history and organized neighbor filings. Quote: “This lot has been used as a playground by the residents of Eagle Ranch for 40 plus years.” - Tony DeChazeo, property owner/applicant — said he and his wife wish to build a modest retirement home on the lot and noted maintenance limitations after sale of the water company. - Andrew Glassville, Planning staff — summarized staff recommendations and the requirement that a final plat be recorded before building permits could be issued.

Council direction and next steps

Council denied the vacation request. Staff was directed to report back on enforcement and ownership options and to advise both parties on next steps for maintenance and possible conveyance should the owner be willing. Council suggested the owner and the neighborhood association pursue negotiation about stewardship and potential transfer.