by Lisa Crockett

Chris Fellows, a developer with HF Holdings, LLC, met with Castle Pines North (CPN) residents at a community meeting on Tuesday, October 23, to discuss development plans for the Lagae Ranch parcel. 

The 240-acre parcel, which is south of the King Soopers and Safeway shopping areas and adjacent to HOA1, is planned for development which would include roughly 230 single-family-detached homes as well as several multi-family units.  Also included in the plan are several “civic” uses including ball fields, several churches and a site for American Academy Charter School.  There are no plans for commercial development on the land.

The development would provide a large infusion of cash to the CPN Metro District to be used in the pursuit of a renewable water source.

“Your Metro District estimates that the total price tag for obtaining renewable water will be $50 to $80 million dollars, so the $20 to $30 million this project would bring in would account for a substantial portion of that,” said Fellows.

Fellows said that renewable water would come in the form of tributary water, which replenishes every year.  Currently, CPN runs on non-renewable ground water, which most experts agree will run out sometime in the future.

“No one can say exactly when the water will run out, but it’s a darn good idea to find a renewable source,” said Fellows.  “The longer the Metro District has to wait to buy water, the worse the options become and the more expensive they become.”

Though plans have been painstakingly reviewed and approved by several community groups – including HOA 1, which is adjacent to the project – the project cannot move forward.  Currently, the land is zoned for agricultural use, which would not allow the density of development proposed for the plot.

At the present time, Douglas County government controls the land-use process for the parcel.  The county process for possible development of the land includes an amendment to its Master Plan, which won’t be released until sometime early in 2008.  Following that amendment, the land would need to go through several more approvals processes for zoning and platting.

“With the County, we’re looking at probably a four or five year process,” said Fellows.

A new City of Castle Pines North could approve the re-zoning much faster.

“We’re ready to go with this project as soon as we have our zoning,” said Fellows.  “Revenue to the Metro District would start to come in and the total amount would almost all be available within four years after construction begins.”

If Castle Pines North voters do not choose to incorporate and Castle Pines Village does, it is likely that the development would look much different than it does now.

“If neither community incorporates, then the county remains in control and the process is very slow.  If CPN doesn’t incorporate and the Village does, their incorporated area will include the business district of CPN and Lagae Road.  They are only interested in commercial uses for this property,” said Fellows.

According to Fellows, if the Village incorporates as a city and CPN does not, it is likely that HF Holdings would sell the land.  American Academy, two churches and the proposed ball fields and park for CPN would have to find a new home.

For questions about the Lagae Ranch development, please e-mail .