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Resident tells council developer overstated Crow's Nest fiscal benefits
Summary
At the Castle Pines City Council meeting, Gretchen Coyle urged councilors to question developer fiscal claims for the proposed Crow's Nest annexation, saying an independent city analysis identified major overstatements including a $16 million overcount and a nearly $6 million annual underestimation of operating costs.
Gretchen Coyle, of 7389 Timberstone Street, told the council she cannot attend the Feb. 24 eligibility hearing and urged elected officials to scrutinize the financial claims underpinning the proposed Crow's Nest annexation.
“You have seen my letter opposing the Crow's Nest annexation where I address 2 key questions,” Coyle said. She told the council the city’s independent fiscal analysis found what she described as “major overstatements” in the developer’s projections. Coyle listed three specific examples: “the developer inflated the 20 year property tax total by $16,000,000,” “double counted sales tax revenues,” and “understated the annual operating costs of the new area by nearly $6,000,000 per year.”
Coyle said neighbors react to the annexation map by asking why Castle Pines would consider land that “doesn't touch Castle Pines” and noted the area appears adjacent to Parker. She urged councilors to rely on the lower projections prepared by the city‑hired independent firm when weighing whether Crow's Nest is a good fit for Castle Pines.
The speaker framed her concerns as both fiscal and community‑character arguments: she asked councilors to compare the “actual financial benefit” to what she called the “overall deficit of Crow's Nest,” including impacts on open space, wildlife and the city's small‑town character. The record does not include a response from a council member or staff on Coyle’s specific numbers during the public‑comment period.
