Castle Rock Town Council is moving forward with annexing almost 74 acres of land next to Diamond Ridge and Silver Heights, where a developer is planning a new neighborhood called Alexander Way.
At the Nov. 7 meeting, the council approved the first reading of the annexation and initial zoning for the Alexander Way planned development.
The developers, 455 Alexander and Tierra Investors, submitted a plan for 55 single family homes and 22 live-work units, both attached and detached, on 73.76 acres, with 31.25 acres dedicated to open space. The single-family homes will be on large lots, with the smallest lot being a half-acre.
Tara Vargish, the town’s director of development services, said the low-density, large acre lots and live-work units, which allow for some small businesses, are two types of housing that are uncommon in Castle Rock.
“We do see (the live-work units) as a unique housing choice for the town and providing a neighborhood that’s got a different option for those who are interested,” Vargish said.
In addition to the open space, which will be publicly accessible and connect to existing open space, the developers will provide excess groundwater rights to the town.
Council members have been hesitant to annex new land into Castle Rock because they don’t want to expand town borders. However, the Alexander Way plat is surrounded by existing town boundaries on three sides, so the annexation is considered infill, Town Manager David Corliss said.
Due to concerns about the impact of growth, the council asked to have annexation requests include extraordinary benefits to the town. Council members Laura Cavey and Max Brooks questioned whether this project meets that bar.
Corliss said he feels it does because of the water rights, open space and unique housing types. He added that annexing the land allows the town to have control over the zoning and development.
“When we see the large open space and the opportunity to connect with other open space, the fact that it could be developed outside of town, all of those different aspects mean we think (annexation) is something we recommend favorably,” Corliss said.
Multiple residents of the adjacent neighborhoods, including Diamond Ridge and Silver Heights, spoke at the meeting in favor of the Alexander Way project and thanked the developers for their community outreach.