El Paso County reviews annexation impact report for Karman Line development covering about 1,900 acres

El Paso County commissioners reviewed an annexation impact report submitted by the City of Colorado Springs for the Karman Line annexations numbers 1 through 6, a set of serial annexations covering roughly 1,912.62 acres near the northwest corner of Bradley Road and Curtis Road.

Justin Kilgore, planning manager in Planning and Community Development, told the board that “pursuant to state statute, the Board of County Commissioners does not approve or deny an annexation impact report,” and that the county’s role is to analyze and comment on the city’s submission. Kilgore said the city originally filed seven plats but removed one, leaving six that attach via about 3.34 miles of Bradley Road to meet contiguity requirements.

Daniel Torres of the Department of Public Works said city development plans will trigger traffic studies and that the county will review those studies as an outside agency. “As development plans come in, they will be required to do traffic studies,” Torres said, adding that the Colorado Department of Transportation would become involved if impacts to State Highway 94 require an access permit.

Commissioners and staff discussed a reservoir and utility sites near the annexation corridor. A participant referenced what they called the Callahan reservoir; Planning Director Megan Harrington said the Gary Bostrom reservoir is a planned utility site in the general vicinity but that she could not confirm its current status during the meeting. Harrington also explained that because the property is so large, future phases will include more detailed master drainage reports and traffic analyses: “Because this is 1900 acres and it's so large, there's a very general land use plan that runs through the city planning office... with those phases, we'll get additional information,” she said.

Commissioner Applegate raised public‑safety staffing concerns and whether the city would provide police and fire coverage. The county attorney said that upon annexation CSPD (Colorado Springs Police Department) would be required to serve the area, though the attorney declined to speak to CSPD’s operational capacity. Harrington and county staff offered to provide maps and more detailed information about city‑owned properties and utility facilities after the meeting.

No formal vote was taken by the Board of County Commissioners on the annexation impact report; staff presented the report for acknowledgement and comment, and the board recorded that direction and comments were received. Kilgore and Harrington indicated the county has reviewed technical documentation as part of the city’s process and that more detailed development plans and studies will be reviewed in subsequent phases.

The discussion covered contiguity (flagpole annexation via Bradley Road), traffic study and CDOT permitting expectations, proximity of existing or planned reservoir/utility sites, and which law‑enforcement agency would provide service after annexation. Commissioners requested follow‑up maps and clarifications on utility and public‑safety infrastructure.