Board approves Wellington Business Center final plat and development agreement; town to contribute $40,000 for stormwater work

The Town of Wellington Board of Trustees approved a final plat and associated development agreement for the Wellington Business Center, a multi-phase commercial project on the south end of town, during the June meeting.

Cody Berg, planning director, described the proposal as a two-lot commercial development of nearly 10 acres with an anticipated building footprint of about 36,000 square feet in Phase 1 and more than 95,000 square feet total across all phases. "This will be a significant addition to the south end of town," Berg said during the public hearing.

Why it matters: trustees said the project advances the town's economic-development goals, brings private investment, and includes public-infrastructure elements the town and developer will coordinate, including water and sewer extensions and a plan to discharge stormwater to a town-owned detention area known in materials as Tract F.

Board action and legal documents

The board considered findings of fact required by the land-use code and reviewed the planning commission's unanimous recommendation to approve the final plat. The staff recommendation was to approve the final plat and the development agreement with a few minor, non-substantive text changes to the plat drawings. The board then adopted Ordinance No. 11-2025 approving the final plat for Wellington Business Center, Amendment No. 1, and approved the associated development agreement; the motion passed.

Key terms and technical elements

- Phasing and access: Phase 1 will include public water and sewer extensions and will use an existing commercial driveway on the I-25 frontage road for vehicle access; CDOT has issued an access permit for that driveway. The development agreement requires the applicant to update the access permit and complete internal access improvements in Phase 2.

- Stormwater and Tract F: The developer agreed to discharge site stormwater to Tract F, a town-owned stormwater detention area. As part of the agreement, the town evaluated funding and recommended contributing $40,000 from the 2025 budget to the Tract F improvements; the developer accepted that contribution. The project will remove a temporary detention pond used during earlier development and construct an infiltration trench at the Tract F outfall.

- Financial assurances and warranty: The developer is required to provide fiscal surety for public improvements. Staff described the preferred mechanism as a cash escrow for this relatively small infrastructure package; 90% of the escrow will be released after town acceptance of the construction and 10% held for a two-year warranty period.

- Impact fees and tenant finishes: The agreement memorializes a core-and-shell approach. The developer will pay a base level of impact fees on a square-foot basis when building permits are issued for the core shell; individual tenants will pay additional raw-water and traffic impact fees at tenant-finish permitting when specific demand or trip-generation variables are known.

Trustee comments and board context

Trustees praised the project's design and potential economic benefits. Trustee Moore said Phase 1 could provide space for about 14 businesses and called the impact-fee approach "really smart and fair." Trustees asked staff to complete the minor text and easement clarifications before filing the final signed plat.

Ending: Planning staff noted the planning commission's packet includes the full findings of fact and that staff will finalize the minor text changes and exhibit updates before signature and recording. The board approved the ordinance and development agreement and closed the related agenda item.