May 12, 2026: The city's first $1 million in housing bond authority
Housing, Land Use & Growth
Asked who decides where the city's $1 million in housing bond authority goes — Approved Castle Pines qualified this year, for the first time, for a direct allocation of private activity bonds — $1,030,235 of authority to let a developer borrow at tax-exempt rates for affordable housing. Council voted to assign it to the Douglas County Housing Partnership, which pools allocations from Castle Pines, Lone Tree, Parker, Castle Rock and the county. Before voting, Salazar asked how the partnership actually picks projects: do cities apply, or does the partnership go looking for somewhere to put the money? The director explained that member jurisdictions assign their allocations, and the partnership's board weighs whether a developer has land ready, has its other financing, has local support, and is not taking more than its share. The money can be spent anywhere in the partnership's member jurisdictions, not necessarily in Castle Pines, and the partnership has no Castle Pines projects in its pipeline. The city carries no cost and no obligation to repay, and the assignment does not commit Castle Pines to approve any housing. Unassigned allocations revert to a statewide pool. “Do you know of any municipalities who’ve already enacted this code and have seen any changes — a higher likelihood to get insurance for homeowners, or a reduction in fees? What would be the financial benefit? I just want to know if we have any data from cities that have done it.”
— Council Member Kori Salazar, May 12, 2026
Voted to ratify the map of what could go on the land around the city — Approved Voted to ratify the 2026 Three Mile Plan, which state law has required of every Colorado city since 1965 and which must be current before the city can complete any annexation. It sets out possible future land uses for unincorporated county land within three miles of the boundary, divided into seven sub-areas: agricultural designations become residential and mixed use near Parker, mixed use and commercial along the Crowfoot Valley Road corridor, commercial at the Happy Canyon and I-25 interchange, and the city's first industrial designation along the rail corridor near Sedalia. It annexes nothing, rezones nothing, and obligates no city services. Salazar asked how it fits with the comprehensive plan and the annexation policy still being written; staff answered that the three-mile plan folds into the comprehensive plan, while the annexation policy will stand alone as a non-binding resolution. One member voted against, arguing that naming future uses signals the city's interest in those changes even when the document does not bind it. Staff confirmed the city did not confer with Douglas County on the future land use map.
Wildfire
Asked what the state wildfire code would actually buy homeowners — Under study Staff presented the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code, which the state adopted in July 2025 and requires cities to adopt or match. It applies through a statewide map; Castle Pines is mapped mostly moderate, with no high-intensity areas and some neighborhoods left off the map entirely. It is not retroactive — it reaches new construction, additions over 500 square feet, and roof or siding replacement over 25 percent — but it would add requirements for fire-resistant materials, defensible space, and new permits for fences and retaining walls. Salazar asked the question council will need answered before it decides: has any city that already adopted this seen homeowners get insurance more easily or pay less for it? Staff had no data yet, but confirmed Lone Tree, Parker and Castle Rock have all adopted the state model. Council gave no direction and asked staff to come back with more, including what the code would cost a typical household.
Budget & City Business
Closed out last year's budget and carried unfinished projects into this one — Approved Voted for both budget cleanups. The 2025 amendment ratifies an appropriation for the wildfire mitigation contract that council approved a year ago but that was left out of the exhibit attached to the resolution, and appropriates the increased city contribution to the Happy Canyon Creek flood project. The 2026 amendment carries forward money budgeted last year for work still underway: $6,000,000 for Coyote Ridge Park, $2,079,000 for the Happy Canyon interchange, $793,000 for the Lagae Road roundabout monument, $600,000 for Monarch between Glen Oaks and Winterberry, $163,000 for fire mitigation and $25,000 for wildfire education. It also appropriates $167,000 for the city's new enterprise software and $40,000 for an AI research tool that drafts staff reports and summarizes agenda packets from the city's own records. None of this is new spending; it is money already committed being booked to the right year and fund.
Raised the city's engineering review budget to keep up with development — Approved Approved, on consent, a $148,721 increase to the city's on-call agreement with Jacobs Engineering for land development review and general engineering. Development review is running about $3,960 a month over what the city budgeted; $47,400 of the increase covers that and is passed through to the developers who pay review fees. The remaining $101,321 is for a retaining wall survey tied to the Canyons handing its open space over to the city, which staff describe as unanticipated and unbudgeted.
Turned out for a new Castle Pines business on its opening day — Ongoing Attended the ribbon cutting for Studio Pilates, drawing about thirty residents and chamber members, and reported back that the owner says business is strong and the community has been welcoming. Small-business openings are the near-term half of the economic development work council has been debating: the strategic plan sets the framework, but the storefronts that fill in now are what residents see.
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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