Town council liaison outlines road work, Via rideshare pilot and new fire-safety code; board preserves historic exemption

Chair Lane called the Town of Castle Rock Historic Preservation Board to order on March 4 and the board approved minutes from its Feb. 4 meeting before hearing a report from Town Council Liaison Mark Davis.

Davis described several near-term transportation and maintenance projects: a new solar‑powered stop sign at Lake Gulch and Crystal Valley Parkway, a plan to set Crystal Valley Parkway to a consistent 35 mph zone, and extensive street work (restriping and slurry seals) scheduled to begin in April and continue through September. He said CDOT plans bridge inspections and maintenance between July and September and that the town pressed CDOT to watch particularly degraded spans.

Davis also summarized a countywide Via rideshare pilot the council approved to advance to the next information‑gathering stage. He said the program would provide free rides within Douglas County but acknowledged concerns about cost and data collection. “They said it was free; taxpayers are paying for that,” Davis said, noting board members had asked how the program would be funded and whether ridership data — age, destination and trip purpose — would be available. Davis said the council approved moving the program forward so staff can return with more details.

The council liaison reported upcoming changes to building codes that will affect new construction and exterior remodels. “Decks are now going to have to be made out of noncombustible materials,” Davis said. “You can't have a redwood deck anymore.” He added that exterior siding on new homes will need to be fire‑compliant, such as cement or fiber‑cement board, under updated codes the town expects to implement this summer. Staff said the town included an exemption for landmarks and contributing historic structures consistent with the state rules; staff mentioned July 1 as a likely effective date for some provisions.

Brad Boland, a town staff member, told the board the exemption was inserted to preserve flexibility for historic buildings while still advancing wildfire‑resilient construction standards. “We actually put an exemption in for historic preservation,” Boland said, noting the state permitted communities to allow exemptions for designated historic resources.

Davis also updated the board on parks and open‑space work: Lost Canyon Ranch — about 600 acres — is expected to begin limited public access around June or July as roads and small pads are completed; staff said a mid‑century home on the property will be blocked off while planners determine how it will be used.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of minutes (02/04/2026): Moved by Susan; seconded by Robin. Roll-call vote recorded as unanimous in favor (7–0). (SEG 042–079) - Motion to adjourn: Moved and seconded; roll-call vote recorded as unanimous in favor (7–0). (SEG 1392–1422)

What it means

Board members said they welcomed the town’s attention to street maintenance and bridge inspections but pressed staff on budget and data questions about the Via pilot. The building‑code changes signal a stronger emphasis on wildfire resilience; staff’s exemption for designated historic properties means landmarked or contributing structures in Castle Rock’s historic districts are intended to be handled differently from standard new construction.

Next steps

Staff will return with more detail on the Via pilot’s funding and ridership data, clarify how the code changes will apply to specific properties, and bring maps and draft code language back to the board for review. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for May 6, 2026.