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Council approves Canyons Far South site development plan with 238 acres of open space
Summary
After presentations from town staff and the applicant, Castle Rock Town Council unanimously approved the 409‑acre Canyons Far South site development plan, which proposes about 515 residential units, a 13.8‑acre town park and expanded trail and road connections including a Founders Parkway access and future roundabout.
Castle Rock Town Council on an unanimous roll call approved the site development plan for the Canyons Far South neighborhood, a 409‑acre development annexed in 2023 that the town and applicant say will deliver roughly 515 residential units and extensive open space to the community.
The applicant’s planner, Tara Vargas, told the council the proposal brings 238 acres of park and conserved open space to the town, including a 13.8‑acre town park and about 47.7 acres already dedicated along Founders Parkway. Vargas set out the plan’s infrastructure commitments: a new Founders Parkway access with turn lanes and future signal funds escrowed by the developer, a Macanta–Castle Oaks collector connection, and a roundabout and temporary Castle Oaks connection to support emergency access and circulation.
Why it matters: the project reconfigures planning‑area boundaries to pull lots out of an earlier open‑space finger and concentrates housing in other areas, while staff and the applicant say the large open‑space set‑aside preserves wildlife habitat and regional trail connectivity to Douglas County and the Macanta regional park.
Applicant Alan Cunningham of PCS Group, representing landowner Hines, outlined features the team says will benefit residents: about 10 miles of trails (concrete and soft surface), multiple neighborhood parks and HOA amenities, water‑efficiency standards tied to Castle Rock’s water rules, and solar‑ready home wiring. Traffic consultant Chris McGranahan said most peak‑hour trips are expected to use Founders Parkway (roughly 80% by the study’s distribution), with the developer responsible for widening, turn lanes and escrowed signal funding when warrants are met.
Council members pressed staff and the applicant on several topics before voting: the proposed commercial parcel and whether drive‑through restaurants would be permitted, sidewalk connections along Founders, proximity to the adjacent Macanta neighborhood, lot widths and on‑street parking, and likely build‑out timing in a slowed housing market. Vargas confirmed restaurant uses would allow restaurants but require a special‑use review for a drive‑through and neighborhood review if a drive‑through were proposed.
A motion to approve the resolution was made and seconded; the roll call vote was unanimous and the council adopted the site development plan. The council record shows the planning commission had recommended approval 6–0 the prior week.
What’s next: the applicant will phase horizontal construction and trail/road improvements per the SDP and coordinate required right‑of‑way improvements with CDOT and town staff; staff noted the project will return to the town as plats and for any required future commercial site development reviews.
