August 25, 2026: The annexation policy is adopted
“We want to have high standards, so we attract high quality people that want to protect the land, protect the wildlife. But one thing residents always ask about is wanting more businesses, more retail, more restaurants, wanting our parks maintained, our roads maintained. And for us to do that, we do need to grow. I think this policy allows us to grow in a way that protects what we have, but grows it in a thoughtful manner.”— Council Member Kori Salazar, August 25, 2026
Annexation, Growth & the Ballot
Voted to adopt the annexation policy, five months after ordering it — Adopted Council adopted the Castle Pines annexation policy unanimously, closing the process it started in March when it paused annexations and gave staff a deadline. The policy sets what an applicant must bring, and the numbers in it are specific: open space of at least 30 percent of gross site area unless the ground itself argues otherwise, demonstrated capacity across nine infrastructure categories, a 20-year fiscal impact analysis showing no long-term negative impact on the city — paid for by the applicant and run independently — nine findings council must make before approving, and an annexation agreement covering eleven specified provisions. It also requires the applicant to go to the public before filing anything with the city. It came out of a 614-response survey, two open houses, a comment period, two study sessions and a community listening session. Before voting, Salazar returned to the suggestion she had backed on August 11 — requiring a gap between an applicant's neighborhood meeting and its filing — and asked where it would live. The city manager said it belongs in the application process rather than the policy, that it is simple to add, and that it will be built in and published. A colleague moved to adopt it with three words added to Section C3 — “and open space” — and it passed 7–0.
Voted for the city to formally oppose a citizen ballot measure — Approved 6–1 Council passed a resolution putting the city on record against one of the two citizen-initiated charter amendments on the November 3 ballot — the one requiring a public vote on annexations larger than 20 acres. Salazar gave the most developed case for it: none of Castle Pines' neighbors require such a vote, so a landowner facing an election here can simply take the property to Lone Tree, Parker or Castle Rock instead. Her example was the ground across from the Canyons — if it annexes into Lone Tree, Castle Pines has no say over its open space, density or wildlife corridors, but lives next to the result. A resident spoke against the resolution beforehand, arguing the city should let the democratic process run as it did on a 2010 referendum, and that passing it tells voters council knows better than they do. The Chamber of Commerce supported it. Council Member Mulvey voted no, saying she opposes telling people how to vote and that council should not put its finger on the scale; her motion to strip the opposition clause and keep the rest died for lack of a second.
Moved the site plan rewrite to final passage — Passed Made the motion to adopt Ordinance 26-06 on second reading, and it is now city code. It removes two approval standards from site improvement plan review — consistency with the Comprehensive Plan, and furthering public health, safety and welfare — on the reasoning that both are policy judgments council already makes at zoning, and that health and safety are written into the objective setbacks, drainage and design rules a plan must still satisfy. In the other direction it turns Planning Commission consideration into a noticed public hearing with a formal public comment record, which the city attorney said resolves fifteen years of ambiguity about whether residents even had a right to speak. Salazar said the change lets the Planning Commission decide on fact rather than on a subjective policy call, and gives residents, applicants and the city the same clear standard. A resident asked council to keep the Comprehensive Plan criterion and drop only the health-and-safety language; the Chamber supported the ordinance as written. The Planning Commission had recommended it 4–1. One council member voted no.
Wildfire & Traffic
Moved to stop the state wildfire code before staff gave the presentation — Not pursued Staff came prepared with the second half of the wildfire resiliency code briefing. Before it began, the mayor asked whether there was any appetite to continue. Salazar answered first: she did not think it was a good use of council's time, builders here are already constructing to those standards, and it should not be the city requiring it. Two colleagues agreed, a third objected to the state mandate but wanted the city to document that its own practices meet or exceed the code in case the legislature adds consequences later. Council did not proceed. State law directs cities to adopt this code or an equivalent, but sets no penalty for declining. This is the question Salazar asked staff to research in May — whether any city that adopted it had seen homeowners get insurance more easily or cheaply. That answer was never presented.
Asked the sheriff who is actually speeding here — On the record The sheriff's office reported a heavy month of speed enforcement — 66 citations for 10 to 19 miles per hour over the limit and 52 for 20 to 24 over, in a 30-day stretch, with school back in session. Salazar asked whether the citations get broken out between residents and drivers passing through, because the answer changes what the city should do about it. The commander said the data exists in the citation records, that he did not have the split that night, and that his impression is it is a mix of both.
Parks & Gateways
Reported that Coyote Ridge would break ground after Labor Day — Ongoing Reported that construction on Coyote Ridge Park was set to start just after Labor Day — later than the August 1 start staff gave in July — with completion targeted for April. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board met on August 20 after taking the summer off and is working on how to phase Soaring Hawk Park in the Canyons, which still needs a funding source. The board is also working on trailhead kiosks and mile markers for the trail system. Thirty-five trails have now been named across Castle Pines, on both sides of I-25 — the work that makes the kiosks and markers worth installing.
Approved a $450,832 monument at the Happy Canyon roundabout — Approved Approved, on consent, a contract with Nicholas Construction to build the entry monument at the Lagae Road and Happy Canyon roundabout, matching the gateway design council adopted. This one went out for competitive bid on the state purchasing system: the first round drew two bids that were both non-responsive, so the city reopened it and received three responsive bids — $450,832.44, $610,755.95 and $766,044.31. The city took the lowest. Work starts within 30 days of award and runs 150 days. Landscaping is bid separately once the monument is up.
Economic Development
Seconded the economic development plan she had pushed to make practical — Approved Seconded the motion adopting the 2026 economic development strategic plan and voted for it; it passed unanimously. The plan council received in April was criticized from the dais as too generic; the version adopted carries an implementation matrix with short, medium and long-term actions. Salazar said the implementation piece is what makes it usable, and credited the colleague who pressed the consultants for it. The plan's central finding is that Castle Pines does not need to go recruiting — its landowners bring development to the city — so the city's leverage is in the rules, the design guidelines and the public investment that shape what gets built. It adds no staff.
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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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