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Castle Pines approves budget carryovers and joins regional Prop 123 housing IGA
Summary
The City Council unanimously approved Resolution 24‑47 to carry forward 2023 project funds into 2024 and approved Resolution 24‑48 to enter an intergovernmental agreement to participate in regional management of Proposition 123 affordable‑housing funds; supporters said the measures implement prior commitments and preserve grant access, while at least one council member opposed the IGA on policy grounds.
The Castle Pines City Council approved two measures during its Aug. 13 meeting: a supplemental appropriation to carry over unspent 2023 funds for four infrastructure projects (Resolution 24‑47), and an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) to participate with neighboring jurisdictions and the Douglas County Housing Partnership in managing Proposition 123 funding and surplus development credits (Resolution 24‑48).
Budget carryovers: Finance Director Mike Varina told the council that Res. 24‑47 brings forward remaining balances from four prior projects into 2024, including the Gateway monument work, a roundabout, traffic signal improvements, and the Forest Park–Timber Trail Elementary sidewalk connection. "These are projects that were started and funded in '23 and we're carrying over the money from '23 to '24," Varina said.
Councilmember Ewing moved approval of Res. 24‑47; the motion passed on a recorded vote during the meeting.
Proposition 123 IGA: Community Development Director Donna Ferguson presented the proposed IGA (Res. 24‑48) that would commit Castle Pines to the region's affordable‑housing target and allow the Douglas County Housing Partnership to administer funds and track compliance. Ferguson said the city previously committed to provide 19 affordable units over three years as part of a regional approach and that the IGA is intended to help jurisdictions meet those goals and remain eligible for state funding.
Council debate over the housing IGA reflected differing views. Supporters argued the agreement allows Castle Pines to access state funding for housing that could benefit local workers such as teachers and police officers and builds on an earlier commitment. One council member characterized the IGA as "the next step in our previous commitment" and called the funding opportunity "a way to bring funding into the city of Castle Pines to help with housing." A dissenting council member said the measure expands layers of government and expressed concern that such programs could reduce local control; that member voted no on the resolution.
Motion and votes: The council moved and seconded both actions and approved each by roll call. Resolution 24‑47 (budget carryovers) was approved and the public hearing closed; Resolution 24‑48 (the IGA for Prop 123 funds) also passed following debate.
What the IGA does and does not do: Ferguson and others emphasized that participating in the partnership is a condition for jurisdictions to access Proposition 123 developer credits and state funding and that failing to meet commitments generally affects eligibility for those funds (for example, temporarily losing access to funding) rather than forcing changes to local zoning directly. "They can't come in and force us to do anything," a council member said during debate; staff clarified that funds flow to developers who meet program criteria and that local land use processes would still govern any proposed projects.
Next steps: With approval, staff will execute the carryover appropriation and the IGA, and will continue to engage with partner jurisdictions and the Douglas County Housing Partnership on implementation details and allocation of surplus credits.
The votes and motions described are recorded in the meeting transcript and the council's official minutes.
