To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
From: David L. Corliss, Town Manager
Title
Update: 2025 Major Projects List
Body
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Discussion
As the new year approaches, it is helpful to set out a forecast of 2025 major projects. As with any forecast, the below list is subject to change; staff will keep Council apprised to any needed adjustments on these items as the year unfolds.
More broadly, this list will serve as the outline for the major projects updates staff will share quarterly with Council and the community. Council should understand that, while this list reflects ongoing projects and items authorized by the Adopted 2025 Budget, Council may alter this list going forward.
This major project list - much like development and adoption of the Town’s annual budget - follows our established Town priorities. Also, it is worth noting that in the first part of 2025, Town Council will consider authorizing a 2025 community survey that would ask Castle Rock residents and business owners about Town priorities, Town services and other items Council may seek to ask about. Council and Town staff use community survey results in the development of future Town budgets and to propose changes in Town services and programs.
Town priority: Manage Town finances conservatively
To ensure they are used only in the manner approved by voters, receive any “excess” TABOR revenues into a dedicated fund
To ensure it is used only in the manner approved by voters, receive the additional 0.2% sales and use tax authorized at the November 2024 election into the Public Safety Fund, to be expended solely for hiring 40 additional police and fire and rescue personnel through 2029 and, as Town Council determines, any additional necessary expenditures for police and fire and rescue services
Continue monitoring revenues within the Development Services Enterprise Fund - which operates as a self-supporting enterprise, relying upon development fees to pay for associated Town costs - to ensure solvency amid lower levels of development
Town priority: Ensure outstanding public safety
Add 10 Fire and Rescue positions - nine firefighters and one apparatus mechanic
Add 11 Police positions - two school resources officers, one patrol sergeant and four patrol officers, a detective, an Animal Control supervisor, a traffic officer and a dispatcher
Finalize design, fund and begin construction on Fire Station 156 in northeastern Castle Rock, including a logistics facility
Fund replacement AEDs for all Town facilities and Investigations office space at CRPD, for a cost of $435,000
Town priority: Enhance our roads
Continue construction on the Town’s top infrastructure priority, a new interchange on Interstate 25 at Crystal Valley Parkway, with anticipated completion in summer 2027
Complete an aggressive annual Pavement Maintenance Program, focused in 2025 on central Castle Rock, with a budget of $16.5 million
Complete an annual Bridge Maintenance Program, focused on the Castle Rock Parkway bridge over U.S. Highway 85
Begin construction widening Crowfoot Valley Road east of Knobcone Drive, including adding a sidewalk
Begin construction of the first of two phases of the Fifth Street improvement project - first phase improvements will include additional lanes between the Four Corners intersection and Valley Drive and a sidewalk between Four Corners and Woodlands Boulevard
Acquire the right of way needed for the future widening of Wolfensberger Road
Town priority: Secure our water future
Continue projects, programs and policies to advance the goal of securing 75% renewable water by 2050; reducing per-capita water consumption to 100 gallons per day; and maintaining affordable rates and fees, including:
• Double the capacity of the Plum Creek Water Purification Facility (multiyear project into 2027)
• Continue progress in the long-term water plan on the WISE, Box Elder, Cherry Creek Water Project Authority and Chatfield Reallocation projects (multiyear projects past 2030)
• Complete the new reservoirs north of Sedalia (multiyear project into 2026)
• Continue to implement advanced metering infrastructure (multiyear project into 2027)
• Upgrade pumping and control system equipment as part of the 10-year replacement plan
Redesign and reconstruct the Plum Creek Diversion to maximize permitted capacity
Rehabilitate and replace aging water and sewer infrastructure on Front Street going into Downtown and the Young/American neighborhood
Implement the U.S. Highway 85 sewer project using Douglas County American Rescue Plan Act funds
Stabilize stream segments in Sellers Gulch
Develop and implement revised stormwater criteria to strengthen stormwater management, including a revised criteria manual
Continue to implement ColoradoScape plan, including the new landscape criteria
Town priority: Maintain strong parks and recreation
Pending Town Council approval, begin construction of a new sports development center; funding will require an amendment to the 2025 Budget
Complete the master plan for and establish public trails at Lost Canyon Ranch Open Space
Complete renovations at Centennial Park, offering new tennis and basketball courts, improved accessibility and parking and expanded seating options
Complete construction drawings for a trail to connect Philip S. Miller Park to Downtown Castle Rock along Industrial Tributary
Update the free weight equipment, along with the sand filters for the lap pool, at the Recreation Center
Add an Administrative Assistant position, using proceeds of the Town’s voter-approved lodging tax
Improve the irrigation system at Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course by replacing the main pump station and supporting border stations
Present the Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan to Town Council, and review and revise the Parks and Recreation Master Plan
Town priority: Support economic development
Fulfill existing economic incentive agreements and allow capacity for new incentive agreements
Town priority: Preserve our community character
Continue enhancements at Cantril School
Place $200,000 from any available Town revenues into the Public Art Fund annually, along with a one-time contribution of $100,000 from Town lodging tax revenues, for the purpose of funding public art programs as approved by Town Council
Establish a Youth Commission for the Town with a paid staff position