Douglas County approves Fields Filing 1 final plat for clustered estate residential lots

The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners on April 22 approved the Fields Filing 1 final plat (project file SB2024-041), which subdivides a portion of the Fields preliminary plan for clustered estate residential lots.

The approval, presented by Heather Scott of Planning Services, covers a final plat to divide roughly 282 acres into 18 lots and 14 tracts, with lot sizes ranging from about 0.7 to 2.125 acres and 37.99 acres of right-of-way dedicated for future road improvements on Hilltop Road. “The item before you is the fields filing 1 final plat, project number SB2024041,” Scott told commissioners in presenting staff’s recommendation and proposed conditions.

The nut graf: The board found the final plat met the county’s subdivision standards and approved it with five conditions, including cash-in-lieu payments for parkland and school land dedications and requirements for technical corrections and monitoring for historic and paleontological finds.

City and developer presentations and scope Brad Dixon, entitlements director for Toll Brothers in Colorado, told the board the final plat adheres closely to the preliminary plan approved Nov. 7, 2023, and preserves drainage ways and larger estate lots on the western and southern edges as visual buffers. He said Parker Water and Sanitation District will provide water and sewer service, and that a sanitary lift station and force main are included in the utilities plan. Dixon thanked staff for their review: “First, I wanna thank staff, for their thoughtful review of the application.”

What the board approved and conditions Staff recommended five conditions and the board’s approval was conditioned on them. Key clarifications recorded in the public record include: - A cash-in-lieu payment of $429,238.48 to Douglas County for parkland dedication prior to plat recordation. - School land dedication fees of $215,185.09 to the Douglas County School District to be paid at the time of the first residential building permit (staff noted a technical error in the staff report on timing). - Technical corrections to the plat exhibit prior to recordation and an obligation for the applicant to notify the county if historic or paleontological resources are discovered during construction.

The board voted with a unanimous aye to approve the final plat with the five conditions as presented.

Why it matters The Fields project reduces the potential density allowed under the ER (estate residential) zone from what staff said could have been much higher down to the smaller footprint of clustered estate lots in order to protect drainage ways and provide larger buffer lots along portions of the site. The finished development will affect traffic access points on Hilltop Road and Singing Hills Road and will require off-site and on-site utility extensions.

What’s next Staff noted the SIA (Subdivision Improvements Agreement) and construction plans have been approved by Public Works Engineering and that technical corrections remain prior to recordation. Toll Brothers and utility districts will proceed with required permits and infrastructure work before building permits are issued.