To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
From: Bill Detweiler, Director of Development Services
Pam Hall, Planner I
Title
Update: The Canyons Major Amendment in the City of Castle Pines
Body
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Executive Summary
The City of Castle Pines Planning staff provided a copy of the proposed 2nd major amendment to the Canyons North Planned Development Plan (PDP). Please reference attachments A and B that show the existing and proposed development areas. The 2nd major amendment adds 1,500 dwelling units to the existing PDP. The initial PDP approved for Canyons North in 2009 included 1,500 residential units and the 1st major amendment added 1,000 units in the northern part of the PDP, which is closest to Hess Reservoir. If approved, the proposed 2nd major PDP amendment doubles the original number of units approved for Canyons North from 2,500 dwelling units approved in 2009 to 5,000 dwelling units on 3,342 acres.
The Castle Pines City Council held the first Public Hearing on this project in October 2019 and their second Public Hearing will be held on December 10, 2019. Staff is requesting Council discussion and direction on the proposed PDP amendment.
Discussion
The City of Castle Pines provided a copy of the proposed 2nd PDP amendment and in response; staff provided a series of comments related to buffering from existing Town residents, road connections and floodplain concerns.
Town comments on buffering from Town Property:
The proposed Canyons North PDP includes PLD open space tracts between the Canyons North PDP and the Sapphire Point development. The open space is located east and north of Sapphire Pointe. There is however, a small area on the north side of Sapphire Point that is directly adjacent to the proposed Canyons North residential development. Staff is requesting additional detail on the setbacks and any additional buffering in this area.
Town comments on transportation:
The proposed PDP includes construction of a major north/south road, referred to as Canyonside Boulevard, which connects I-25 on the north at the Happy Canyon interchange and Crowfoot Valley Road on the south. Canyonside Boulevard was approved with the initial Canyons North PDP and was viewed as a good alternative to the existing road system east. Canyonside Boulevard allows access from County and Town property west of I-25 through Canyons North instead of traffic using Crowfoot Valley Road and impacting existing Town traffic patterns at the Crowfoot Valley Road and Founders Parkway intersection and the Founders Parkway / I-25 interchange.
Staff is seeking additional information on how traffic, using Canyonside Boulevard, would impact existing levels of service at the intersection of Crowfoot Valley Road and Founders Parkway, and the impact of levels of service at Crowfoot Valley Road and Sapphire Pointe Boulevard because, those two intersections are less than 1,000 feet apart.
Staff noted concerns about the proposed Cinnabar Drive connection between Canyons North and Sapphire Pointe because it impacts the Sapphire Pointe community. Staff recognizes that a connection on Cinnabar Drive between Canyons North and Sapphire Pointe may benefit residents in Sapphire Point wishing to access Canyonside Boulevard and I-25, and avoiding a circuitous path through Sapphire Pointe to access Crowfoot Valley Road and then west towards the I-25/Founders Parkway interchange. Conversely, staff does not envision a driving pattern where residents from Canyons North would use Cinnabar Drive, and drive the circuitous route south through neighborhoods in Sapphire Pointe to eventually access I-25 instead of using Canyonside Parkway to access I-25 or to access Crowfoot Valley Road.
A majority of the transportation issues presented by staff are based on the fact that the Canyons North project doubled its density from the approved 2009 PDP.
Applicant response to staff transportation comments:
The recommended transportation improvements will not cause any of the existing roadways and intersections, or any future roadways and intersections, to operate below level service D if the recommended background improvements are in place and the selected Happy Canyon interchange configuration is appropriate to accommodate projected volumes.
Town comments on floodplain:
Staff comments centered on protection of Lemon Gulch and any flooding or erosion that may occur, due to development in Canyons North.
Applicant response to staff floodplain comments:
The design engineers suggest that delineating the undesignated floodplains should occur during preliminary and final subdivision designs of the project. Additional language has been added to the PDP that Lemon Gulch and its impacts and stability will be studied during the preliminary and final plat design stages of the project.
Summary:
Staff provided the City of Castle Pines planning staff with referral comments on the proposed Canyons North 2nd PDP amendment. Staff did not present a formal Town position given we did not discuss this issue with Council. Staff is seeking Town Council discussion on the PDP amendment proposal and asking if Council wants to present the City of Castle Pines with a formal position on the application.
Attachments
Attachment A: The Canyons 2009 PD Planning Areas
Attachment B: The Canyons 2nd amended PD Planning Areas
Attachment C: The Canyons Response to Referral Comments
Attachment D: Castle Pines Staff Report
Attachment E: Notice of Public Hearings