To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
Through: David L. Corliss, Town Manager
From: Tara Vargish, PE, Director, Development Services
Title
Ordinance Amending Sections 15.64.200 And 17.42.080 of the Castle Rock Municipal Code Regarding the Status of Various Documents Used to Guide the Redevelopment of Downtown Castle Rock (Second Reading - Approved on First Reading on June 21, 2022 by a vote 6-1) [Downtown Code and Guidelines Amendments]
Body
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Executive Summary
On June 21, 2022, Town Council approved on first reading, by a vote of 6-1, an Ordinance to amend Chapters 17.42 and 15.64 clarifying what the Castle Rock Municipal Code governs and that various design guidelines should be used to aid in redevelopment downtown and in the historic downtown area. This ordinance is Attachment A to this memo.
Downtown Castle Rock is a special and unique part of the Town. It is recognized as the Town’s “Main Street” and is emblematic of its “small town” and “western” feel. Areas of Downtown have been undergoing redevelopment in recent years, attracting new businesses and new residents, increasing daytime activity and adding life to weekend events. As these new developments have opened up, and visitors and traffic have increased, some Council concerns have arisen regarding development in Downtown. Over the last year or so, Council has discussed various aspects of the Downtown, more recently the relationship between the Castle Rock Municipal Code Downtown Overlay District (Code), and the various Town guiding documents.
With Town Council direction, staff recently reviewed the basic elements of the Downtown Overlay District (DOD) Code and the guiding documents in order to identify inconsistencies and make a recommendation on how to clarify what the Code governs. Recommendations were presented at the June 7, 2022 Town Council meeting for ways to clarify that the code governs and the guiding documents should aid in redevelopment, including the ordinance and resolutions presented for consideration tonight.
Staff Recommendation
Staff has reviewed the various documents related to downtown development, and determined that while they generally complement each other in the overall goals and objectives to maintain Downtown as the heart of Castle Rock, they differ on the specific areas of building height and building style/materials. In addition, Castle Rock Design has not been updated every 3 years, and the 2030 Comprehensive Master Plan omits reference to the Downtown Master Plan.
To meet Town Council’s desire to clarify that the DOD Code govern over any conflicting recommendations within a guiding document, and to clarify inconsistencies, staff offers the following recommendations. These recommendations preserve the intent of the guiding documents as they were written in the past, but make it clear that the more recent code language is what governs.
• Amend the DOD Chapter 17.42 of the CRMC to make it clear that the DOD Code governs, and that Guiding Documents such as Castle Rock Design and the Downtown Master Plan, may be used as guidelines and aid in project review.
• Amend the HP Chapter 15.64 of the CRMC to make it clear that the HP Code governs, and that Guiding Documents such as Castle Rock Style and Castle Rock Design, may be used as guidelines and aid in project review.
Staff has provided the recommended Ordinance to amend Chapter 17.42 and Chapter 15.64 as Attachment A to this report.
Proposed Motions
Regarding CRMC Chapter 17.42 and Chapter 15.64
“I move to adopt the Ordinance as introduced by Title, on second and final reading.”
Alternative Motions
“I move to adopt the Ordinance as introduced by Title, with the following changes ________ on second and final reading.”
“I move to continue this item to ___(date)_______ to allow time for additional research regarding ________________”
Attachments
Staff Report
Attachment A: Ordinance Amending Chapter 15.64 Historic Preservation and Chapter 17.42 Downtown Overlay District
Attachment B: July 6, 2010 Town Council Staff Report
Attachment C: July 27, 2010 Town Council Staff Report
Attachment D: Code Comparison to Guiding Documents Matrix