April 28, 2026: The dirt bike rules become law
Streets, Parks & Neighborhood Upkeep
Voted to rebuild the westbound half of Castle Pines Parkway — Approved Voted to award the reconstruction of westbound Castle Pines Parkway, from Monarch Boulevard west, to HEI Civil Shared Services — a contract not to exceed $3,805,525.90, chosen from eight bids — and voted for the agreement that splits the bill with the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District. The district pays the full cost of the two waterline phases, including a 14-inch line it has been trying to replace for years, and half the roadway phase; the city's share works out to about $1,150,141.42. Work was scheduled to start June 2 at the Monarch intersection and move west. The contract pays the contractor a bonus for getting past the Timber Trail intersection before school resumes, and penalizes it for missing that date.
Approved a $219,011.09 entry monument at the Monarch roundabout — Approved Council approved a contract with Nicholas Construction to build a stone entry monument at the Monarch Boulevard and Buffalo Trail roundabout, matching the gateway and wayfinding design council adopted for the rest of the city. Staff waived competitive bidding and justified the award as sole source, on the grounds that the same firm built the Castle Pines Parkway entry monument and negotiated a competitive price. Landscaping will be bid separately. Power and irrigation conduit went in when the roundabout was built.
Brought back what the parks board decided about two parks and a field-booking problem — Ongoing Reported from the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board that design documents for Coyote Ridge Park were done and construction was then expected to start in July and run about ten months, and that the board reviewed first-phase designs for Soaring Hawk Park in the Canyons. The board also voted to tighten the field reservation rules after residents found fields booked by people who then did not use them: cancellations will now require ten days' notice, with a waiting list to follow once the city has software that can run one. The board voted to move the elk statue, which keeps getting damaged, to a more prominent spot. All of it returns to council for approval.
Water & Drainage
Put another $500,000 into the Happy Canyon Creek flood project — Approved Voted to amend the city's agreement with the Mile High Flood District on drainage and flood control work along Happy Canyon Creek at Monarch Boulevard, adding $500,000 from each side for 2026. The city's half was already in the budget. The work protects downstream property and adds environmental and public improvements to the site, and the 50-50 split is the reason the city can take it on. Council also accepted a permanent drainage easement on the east side at no cost to the city — the developer builds the facility, and the city takes over access and maintenance once it is finished.
Electric Bikes & Off-Road Vehicles
Voted the electric dirt bike rules into law — Passed Voted for final passage of Ordinance 26-04, which is now city code. Parents are liable when a minor rides an off-highway vehicle illegally on public streets, trails or property, with a $250 mandatory minimum fine; riders under 18 must wear helmets, with a $75 minimum fine; eluding a deputy, reckless driving and careless driving are each separate offenses; and street-legal low-speed electric vehicles require a licensed driver and child restraints. Council did not require insurance. Salazar spoke in support, saying the rules bring more safety for everyone using the trails. No residents signed up to speak at the hearing. The sheriff's office told council it is training deputies and preparing its ticketing system, and that Douglas County is looking at mirroring what Castle Pines wrote. The city is running 30 days of public education, including through school resource officers, before enforcement begins. “I think it’d be nice to have a little bit more regulation and safety for everyone using the trails.”
— Council Member Kori Salazar, April 28, 2026
Economic Development
Asked where the consultants' recommendations would actually live — On the record Consultants presented a first draft of the city's economic development strategic plan, built on retail leakage and spending data and six recommendations. Salazar asked the implementation question: the proposed public space framework — would it sit inside the comprehensive plan the city is already updating, or somewhere else in the city's documents? Staff answered that the concept would be explored through comprehensive plan outreach and could then lead to a sub-area or civic plan that directs where activity and money go. Several members told the consultants the draft was too generic and asked them to rework it before returning.
Watch the recap
About this record
Every entry comes from a public Castle Pines City Council meeting; video and official minutes are available through the city clerk’s office. Ordinances take two council votes — an entry marked first reading still needed a second, confirming vote before it became law. Resolutions, emergency ordinances and contract awards take a single vote. Matters still in process are described as such rather than claimed as outcomes. Dollar figures come from the staff memo or the record; none are estimated.
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