Castle Rock liaison reports Pine Canyon annexation, multi‑building Rockyard and $72M rec center in early approvals

Council Member Davis, the town council liaison to the Town of Castle Rock Historic Preservation Board, briefed the board on several large development and infrastructure items that the town council discussed or approved in recent meetings.

Davis said the town council approved steps to annex a portion of the Pine Canyon parcel into Castle Rock and described development plans for the site. He reported the parcel is owned roughly half by the Walker family and half by the Scott family, that a developer proposes about 1,800 homes and a hotel‑spa on land portions, and that a town manager estimate of purchasing the entire parcel would be about $25,000,000. Davis said the council approved the annexation because, he said, the developer prefers town services (water, sewer and street maintenance) rather than separate county services if the development remained in Douglas County.

The liaison also described a project called Rockyard, a multi‑building complex including a hotel. Davis said the first building adjacent to the freeway will be six stories, with other buildings up to four stories; he noted the topography will make the taller building appear higher from some vantage points. He said the developer will complete much of the infrastructure work, including roadway widening and drainage, as part of the project approvals.

Council Member Davis reported that the council approved financing for a new recreation center the developer will build as part of a larger complex. He described the facility as an indoor complex with an indoor track, four pools, courts for pickleball and basketball, and space for classes. He said estimated construction costs are about $72,000,000 and that the town expects to retire the financing over about 30–35 years; initial site grading has begun and construction is not expected to finish for at least two years.

Davis and others described associated roadwork: the developer will widen Prairie Hawk and extend access toward Plum Creek, add sidewalks and drainage, and contribute to other local roadway improvements that the council said should ultimately be widened to four lanes in places. Davis said engineers and discussions with neighboring property owners are underway to secure right‑of‑way for those improvements.

The liaison briefed the board on a separate conversion project near Park Street: a hotel that previously existed on that site is being reconfigured to provide 24 living units intended for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), with ground‑floor community spaces such as classrooms and exercise rooms; the council waived some fees for that project, and the adjacent churchparking will be expanded and shared with the project, Davis said.

Davis also reported administrative items: Judge Thrower (as cited in the meeting) was named the local liquor license authority, meaning liquor licensing…