114 new homes in Colorado slated for Castle Rock's Oaks neighborhood
To accommodate continued growth, Castle Rock Town Council voted to build 114 new homes off of Plum Creek Parkway in a development to be named Oaks of Castle Rock.
"It has grown just head over heels," nearby resident Dee Evilsizer said.
Evilsizer has lived in her Plum Creek home for 22 years.
"Some of the good things are that we have a lot more shopping; we have a lot more restaurants," Evilsizer said.
She says Castle Rock's growth is leading to problems that include traffic, overcrowding and constant construction.
"It just is losing it's small town feel," Evilsizer said, "I'd say within the last five years or so, it feels like, every time you turn around, there's a new development."
The newest development will be built on 166 acres south of Plum Creek Parkway and east of Lake Gulch Road. The Oaks neighborhood was first annexed for development in 1985. Now, a plan to build 114 homes and maintain 93 acres of open space will finally move forward.
"These are custom and semi-custom home lots," said Tara Vargish, the town's development services director. "I think the minimum lot size is about 16,000 square feet, but some of them are larger than that."
The area is a feeder for Douglas County School District schools — South Elementary, Mesa Middle School and Douglas County High School. This is an area the school district has already identified as being in need of a new elementary school and expansion to Mesa Middle School due to overcrowding.
"Ludicrous, I don't know where they think they're going to get the water. It just seems like there is over-the-top growth with not a lot of planning or consideration," Evilsizer said.
Neighbors such as Evilsizer have concerns about traffic, resources and blasting, which the developer does not yet know if will be necessary.
"Our traffic is already bad enough," Evilsizer said.
The developer will pay $2 million in traffic improvements, including an eventual traffic light on Plum Creek Parkway.
The next step will be the submittal of building permits. Once site construction is approved, the town estimates it will take between six and nine months to get this development built.
"Please encourage continued conversation with residents in the area to try to lessen impacts, not to look past fencing or blasting or anything else, but especially with traffic," council member Max Brooks said during the meeting that approved development.