Castle Pines parks board recommends adding Coyote Ridge and Soaring Hawk to master plan

The Castle Pines City Parks and Recreation Advisory Board unanimously recommended at a special meeting Aug. 22, 2024, that the city incorporate Coyote Ridge Park and Soaring Hawk Park into the parks and recreation master plan.

City Manager Michael Penney told the board the item follows a June 11 study session with City Council that provided positive feedback and that staff had prepared an appendix to add the two parks to the comprehensive parks plan. “Essentially, I move to support the inclusion of Coyote Ridge Park and Soaring Hawk Park into the parks and rec comprehensive plan,” Penney said, asking the board for a motion to transmit the recommendation to council.

The board's chair moved the recommendation and Deputy Clerk Natalie Darrow seconded. When members were polled individually, Board members Thomas, Olsen, Taylor, Guerra and Ball each voiced support; the deputy clerk recorded a unanimous approval. The motion authorizes staff to forward the amended master plan and the board’s recommendation to the City Council for formal adoption.

Penney outlined next steps if council adopts the plan: staff would identify early-action components, seek appropriations from the City Council to spend funds already set aside, issue a request for proposals for final design and engineering, and aim to include roughly $3,500,000 in the 2025 budget for construction (the $3.5 million figure was given as an estimate). Penney said the city will need council authorization before it can expend the money that is "sitting in the bank." He also noted the front page date on the document will be updated to 2024.

Board members raised trail connectivity as a related matter. The chair asked whether the board should address disconnected trails at a future meeting; Penney said staff plans a 2025 budget placeholder and proposed inviting consultant Downing Thorpe James (DTJ) to return and make site-specific recommendations for missing trail links. Penney also said he will bring the early-action recommendation back to the board with cost estimates before asking council for appropriation.

Board member Thomas asked about the Wildcat Regional Park proposal and potential impacts on wildlife and local trails. Penney said his understanding is the county is likely to keep the site passive rather than develop it at high density, and that one possible outcome would be opening Highlands Ranch trails (about 27 miles) to the public, which could help Castle Pines' trail connectivity. He cautioned political timing at the county level may delay or alter that outcome.

The recommendation now moves to the City Council, which is scheduled to consider adoption at its next meeting. If the council adopts the plan and authorizes appropriation, staff said it would proceed with procurement and design work toward construction in 2025.