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Mayor Gray outlines Link transit pilot, parking study, SDF changes and exits Front Range Rail
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Summary
At the Planning Commission meeting April 23, Mayor Jason Gray updated the commission on a proposed one-year pilot of the Link service (Via) in Castle Rock (town share about $400,000), a downtown parking study recommending better signage, changes to water-related system development fees to favor smaller homes, a grant-backed tributary trail targeted for summer 2027, and the towns decision to opt out of the Front Range Rail initiative.
Mayor Jason Gray provided liaison updates to the Planning Commission on April 23 that covered a range of transportation, infrastructure and housing items.
On transit, Gray described a proposed one-year pilot of Link (operated by Via) that the town is considering. He said the towns share of the pilot would be about $400,000 and that the broader pilot pool is "low ones" of millions of dollars. Gray said the pilot would initially operate only within Castle Rock to test demand, with an average wait time in nearby deployments (Lone Tree) of about 12 minutes. "So we decided to do a year pilot program to see how, if it is worth the money and if it's something that we're going to re-up in a year," he said.
Gray also summarized a downtown parking study that found the issue is largely one of convenience and signage rather than overall supply; the report identified choke points at Third and Perry and Fourth and Perry. On parks and trails, he said the town secured a substantial grant for a tributary trail that will include an underpass beneath the railroad and is being timed to open with the new sports center, currently estimated for summer 2027.
On housing and fees, Gray described changes to system development fees (SDFs) for water: the town is moving from a flat water SDF to a sliding scale based on square footage and expected usage to lower fees for smaller homes. Council and staff plan to monitor uptake and may sunset or adjust any reduced-fee approach if it does not produce smaller-unit construction. Local builders and an HBA board member participating in the meeting said lower fees could encourage smaller units, but they cautioned that land costs limit the extent of price reductions.
Gray also briefed commissioners on utility work and a possible short eminent-domain action tied to a pipeline alignment next to existing wastewater line; he said the town previously resolved similar work without invoking eminent domain and expects to pursue negotiated compensation where needed.
Finally, Gray said Castle Rock has pulled out of the regional Front Range Rail effort, citing concerns that the town would bear station costs, uncertainty about alignment and the projects long timeline. "I am really, really not trusting that it'll ever happen from Pueblo to Denver," he said, calling aspects of the effort mismanaged. He added that a future council and citizens could opt in later if conditions change.
Gray's update also noted other council matters (legislative tracking, water-system work) and prompted follow-up staff work such as the master-plan RFP that staff expects to issue in coming weeks.