Douglas County commissioners direct emergency access and trail plan for Drayton Boulevard, repeal collector-road buildout

Douglas County commissioners voted unanimously to direct staff to pursue a modified approach to the unbuilt section of Drayton Boulevard that favors a gated emergency access and a multi‑use trail over building the roadway as a major collector. The board also asked staff to proceed with amendments to the outstanding development agreements and additional public outreach.

The decision came after hours of staff presentations and public comment from residents who said they opposed full road construction and were instead focused on life‑safety, drainage and weed control. Jeremy Hutchings, the county engineer, described the options and recommended an approach he labeled "version 6," which would: keep an emergency access from Acorn to Sweetwater gated and locked for normal use; remove a proposed connection to Rubio Way; place a straightened trail down the center of the right‑of‑way to maximize distance from adjacent yards; and avoid classifying Drayton as a major collector, which would otherwise trigger more extensive improvements and sound…