Douglas County News Press 0911

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September 11, 2014 VOLU M E 1 1 2 | I S S UE 45 | 7 5 ¢

DouglasCountyNewsPress.net D O U G L A S C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O

A publication of

Urban renewal sites are unveiled

WAG GOODBYE TO SUMMER

Former dump among first two areas to be cleaned up by town

Tinkerbell, a 13-year old rescue, emerges from the Butterfield Park pool with a ball Sept. 6 during the annual Pooch Plunge.

By Mike DiFerdinando

Dozens of dogs spent Sept. 6 lounging poolside at the Castle Rock Pooch Plunge at the Butterfield Park swimming pool — the last official day the pool was open for summer. PetSmart provided free toys, Frisbees and balls for the happy dogs to splash and play with, and human companions petted and played with their four-legged friends at the afternoon event. No humans were seen swimming along with their partners. It was a day for the dogs.

Michael Olivias, left, plays Frisbee with his 6-year old lab mix Tazzie Sept. 6 at the Pooch Plunge at the Butterfield Park pool in Castle Rock.

PHOTOS BY MIKE DIFERDINANDO

POSTAL ADDRESS

NEWS-PRESS

(ISSN 1067-425X) (USPS 567-060) OFFICE: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Englewood, Colorado, and the towns of Castle Rock, Parker and Larkspur, the NewsPress is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media and additional mailing offices. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. Legal: Fri. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 5 p.m. G E T SO CIAL WITH U S

P L EA SE RECYC L E T H I S C OPY

Dogs and their owners celebrate the end of summer Sept. 6 at the Butterfield Park pool in Castle Rock.

mdiferdinando @coloradocommunitymedia.com Castle Rock will be taking its first crack at urban renewal by cleaning up an old dump. At its Sept. 2 meeting, the town council approved, 6-0, the first application submitted to the Urban Renewal Authority for two areas located near Plum Creek Parkway. Councilmember Renee Valentine was not present at the meeting. The first area, being called Citadel Station, is located on the north side of Plum Creek Parkway and on the west side of the plan area. The property, located in a straight industrial district, contains the abandoned municipal dumpsite and several abandoned clay mines. The second area, Castle Meadows, is located on the southeast side of the plan area adjacent to the intersection of Interstate 25 and Plum Creek Parkway. It is part of a planned development district that was approved by council in 1988 to allow for light and heavy industrial uses, office use and supporting commercial uses. The combined area is approximately 66 acres. Both properties have remained undeveloped due to location of the abandoned dump and mines. “When we’re looking at something like a dump that needs to be mitigated, there’s a lot of work that needs to be done, and I don’t think that it’s something that can be done by the private sector,” Mayor Paul Donahue said. “The URA was developed for situations like this.” Use of tax-increment financing will aid with removal of the abandoned dump and clay mines — something that has been a significant financial barrier to development — and allow for construction of public inUrban renewal continues on Page 14

The new reality of open carry in Castle Rock Firearms will now be allowed in parks and rec centers, but not in schools or municipal court By Mike DiFerdinando

mdiferdinando @coloradocommunitymedia.com Now that the votes from the Aug. 19 special election have been counted and certified, Castle Rock residents will have to navigate the new reality of open carry in town-owned buildings and parks. Open carry is now allowed in all townowned facilities and parks except for Castle Rock municipal court while court is in session. This means it is legal to openly carry a firearm in heavily trafficked areas of town such as town

REC CENTERS

PARKS

hall, town parks and recreation centers. It also means open carry will be permitted in the new Philip S. Miller Park and Miller Activity Center scheduled to open this fall. Some have expressed concern about open carry being allowed in parks and recreation centers as children often frequent those places. “Can people go into the rec center and set a gun down in the dressing room and walk away, the poolside?” asked Tamera Hessen, a mother of four from Castle Rock. “I have a lot of expe-

TOWN HALL rience with gun violence and I think my concerns are valid.” Hessen said that she is a close friend with a Columbine survivor and that she worries the loosening of gun restrictions could lead to unforeseen consequences in the future. She also expressed concern about schools and how open carry will meld with areas that are gun-restricted by federal law. Open carry continues on Page 14


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