Planning commission recommends Town Council approve rezoning for Wellspring IDD housing at Park Street and Wolfensberger Road

Planning commissioners on April 24 unanimously recommended that Town Council approve a plan‑development (PDP) rezoning to allow Wellspring Community to expand residential and program services at 826 Park Street and 200 Wolfensberger Road.

Town staff presented the PDP and said the rezoning would permit a place of worship, multifamily housing and IDD program/office space as permitted uses and would establish a tailored parking ratio for IDD residential units. Staff concluded the proposal meets the municipal code criteria and Castle Rock's guiding documents and recommended Planning Commission forward a recommendation of approval to Town Council. The Town Council hearing is scheduled for May 6.

Nicole De Vries, executive director of Wellspring Community, told the commission Wellspring is a Castle Rock nonprofit that runs a day program and employment cooperatives for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. De Vries said the proposed project, called Unity on Wolfensberger, would add 24 residential condominium units and 17,000 square feet of program and office space to double Wellspring's current program capacity over time. She said Wellspring's day program currently serves about 101 individuals per week (roughly 60 per day), including an online program for 26 people, and that the organization provides transportation for 54 participants each day.

De Vries said 14 of the units at the adjacent Unity on Park development are occupied by adults with IDD and described the new 24 units as an integrated community: 14 of the Wolfensberger units would be set aside for adults with IDD; the remaining 10 units would be a mix of staff housing (four units), parent purchases and market sales. She said federal Medicaid rules require integrated settings and Wellspring intends a mixed community of residents with and without disabilities.

One Castle Rock resident, Julia McConaughey, spoke in support of the project during public comment, praising integration and Wellspring's community programs. After public comment the commission voted to recommend approval of the PDP to Town Council. The motion passed on a recorded vote of 7-0.

What happened next: the commission's recommendation sends the PDP to the May 6 Town Council meeting, where council members will make the final decision. If Town Council approves, future site development plans will provide lot‑level details, building layouts, parking and landscaping. Staff and applicants told commissioners that detailed site plans and any subsequent building permits will be subject to town review and conditions.

Why it matters: the rezoning would change allowed uses on two properties to permit IDD housing and program space and create a parking standard tailored to the proposed IDD residential use. Proponents told the commission the project expands local residential options and day‑program capacity for adults with IDD; opponents did not appear in this record.

Community and next steps: staff recommended approval and has scheduled the item for Town Council consideration on May 6. If Town Council approves the PDP, the applicant will return with site development plans for specific neighborhoods and buildings, where commissioners and the public will see the final layout, landscaping and parking plans.