Council hears request from Regis Jesuit to begin disconnection process; staff to draft agreement if council directs

City staff briefed council on a July request from Regis Jesuit High School to disconnect an 18-acre campus parcel at 16501 East Arapahoe Road from the City of Centennial and, following disconnection, to pursue annexation into the City of Aurora. Planner Jessica Combra said the brief is an informational step and that council's direction is required to initiate a formal disconnection petition and to appoint staff to draft a legally binding disconnection agreement.

Combra said the parcel was purchased by Regis Jesuit in 2017 to host athletic facilities and that the site is currently zoned agricultural in Centennial. She explained that Aurora already contains the majority of the Regis campus and provides existing utilities and public-safety services for the school. "Regis Jesuit is seeking to consolidate the majority of its campus under a single municipal jurisdiction, namely the City of Aurora," Combra said.

Staff outlined the principal implications if council directs staff to proceed: Centennial would relinquish legislative land-use control over the parcel and the parcel would no longer be regulated by Centennial's land-development code if annexed by Aurora; any future development on the parcel would be regulated by Aurora after annexation. Staff also noted that Regis Jesuit is tax-exempt and that there would be no immediate loss of property taxes to Centennial.

To protect neighboring Centennial residents, staff recommended that, if council directs a petition, the city negotiate a recorded disconnection agreement with Regis Jesuit. Such an agreement could require setbacks and buffering, limit future uses to school-related facilities, set lighting and hours-of-use restrictions, keep access points under Centennial's control where applicable, and require Aurora annexation within a specified timeframe as a condition of disconnection. Staff reported that outreach to neighbors included an in-person open house May 20 and a virtual community meeting; attendees raised concerns about lighting, hours-of-use and future access points.

Council members generally supported moving forward with drafting a petition and a disconnection agreement, asked staff to perform further neighborhood outreach and asked staff to return with a draft agreement and a proposed schedule. Council also asked staff to give neighbors ample advance notice of formal hearing materials so residents can review proposed agreement text before a public hearing. Staff estimated it could return with draft materials during 2025 and said it would seek to complete negotiations by year-end if feasible.