Castle Rock approves changes to Memmen Young

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Castle Rock Town Council approved a number of changes to the Memmen Young development, including annexing additional land, reducing the number of homes allowed and increasing open space requirements.

During the June 20 meeting, councilmembers passed the Memmen Young changes on a 4-2 vote, with Councilmembers Laura Cavey and Tim Dietz opposing. Mayor Pro Tem Kevin Bracken was absent.

As part of the updates, ve acres west of Ridge Road and north of Plum Creek Parkway will be annexed into town boundaries and added to the Memmen Young development, which will total 180.5 acres. e Memmen Young development was zoned in 1985 for 904 residential units, both single-family and multifamily, and 59 acres of open space. With the amendments passed by the council, the development will be zoned for 562 residential units and 87 acres of open space.

Tara Vargish, the town’s director of development services, said the annexation will help improve access in the neighborhood.

Under the development agreement, the developers will pay a proportionate amount to widen Ridge Road, dedicate 280 acre-feet of groundwater to the town and develop a water e ciency plan that accords with the town’s landscaping requirements. Public lands will also be dedicated to the town and development must begin by the end of 2026. Additionally, the development will not be able to build structures in the major ridgeline area and no variances of this restriction can be granted by the planning commission. e council approved the changes on the condition that when the developer comes back to the ton with a site development plan it will conform to town standards on rock blasting, trafc and access.

Cavey opposed the changes because she said she felt like the concerns regarding blasting, trafc and road construction should be addressed before approving the changes.

Mayor Jason Gray said he understood Cavey’s position, but noted the development is following the typical process and the concerns will be addressed.

“ ese are proposed motions that have to come to us before the (site development plan) and all of those things are addressed,” Gray said. Vargish said a site development plan is in the early stages of the process.