August 2024 Update #2

iMPORTANT INFORMATION IN THIS MESSAGE

  • A summary of the public hearing with the Douglas County Planning Commissioners on Monday August 19th regarding the Pomeroy/Arrowhead Metro District submittal.

  • Save the Date for September 24 for the Board of County Commissioners Public Hearing and final vote on the Pomeroy/Arrowhead Metro District submittal.

  • Resources for information about Metro Districts

  • Metro District Approval Criteria for Douglas County

Planning Commission Public Hearing Recap: Voted to Deny the Metro District 5 to 1!

Please note, this public hearing was not about Pomeroy’s request to rezone the Homestead to commercial Spa/Resort from residential.  That public hearing has been postponed by Pomeroy. Pomeroy is currently suing Douglas County and Roxborough Park Foundation (RPF) for access to the parcel. There are no new updates on that lawsuit.  

  • This past Monday, August 19, 2024, the Douglas County Planning Commissioners held the public hearing to review the submittal from Arrowhead Colorado Metropolitan District - Project File: SV2024-002. 

  • This is Pomeroy who is requesting to create a Metro District on the Homestead property which is Parcel 12 and 14 the sits in the middle of the Arrowhead Golf Course. 

  • The Planning Commissioners voted 5 to 1 to DENY the creation of this Metro District. However, the next step in the Metro District approval process is for it to move to the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners for approval. 

  • The Board of County Commissioners consists of 3 elected officials and can choose to ignore the recommendation of the planning commissioners and override their rejection of the metro district. 

  • You can find the agenda and complete package from that evening on Douglas County’s website here.  (the package is over 100MB large and takes time to download).  The meeting minutes are not yet posted.

  • Community Support was excellent: Approximately 20 Roxborough Park Foundation homeowners physically attended this meeting along with our Board Chair, a Board Member, 1Rox Board Chair and Roxborough Metro District Board Chair all requesting to deny approval of this metro district.  Several other homeowners from RPF were in attendance virtually.

Save-the-Date – September 24

  • On Tuesday, September 24 at 2:30pm, the Douglas County Commissioners Land Use Public Hearing meeting will take place.  Currently, the Arrowhead Colorado Metro District is planned to be on the docket for the DC Board of Commissioners to vote to approve or deny. 

  • Your presence has an impact, please attend!  Having various community members speak both in person and virtually during this past week’s public hearing may have helped to convince the planning commissioners to deny this metro district submittal.  Therefore, we believe it is imperative to have as many of you, our community members, attend this Board of County Commissioners Public Hearing.  

How the Public Hearings work

Below is helpful protocol by which these meetings are executed:

  • Arrive 30 minutes early to the County Commissioners building at 100 Third Street in Castle Rock.

  • Sign-in on the sheet regarding this Project – Arrowhead Colorado Metro District.  This is used for commissioners to call your name to speak.

  • Sit quietly and participate when called upon during the meeting. 

  • If you plan to make a statement, you will be required to speak at the lectern (picture here) for no longer than 3 minutes.  A countdown clock sits on the lectern.  We suggest you prepare your remarks ahead of time to ensure you get your opinion and point of view across to the commissioners.

  • If you do not want to provide a statement when your name is called, simply stand up, state your name, and say you agree to what has already been stated or that you simply oppose the approval of this metro district.  Therefore, you do not have to give a full statement. 

  • For those people who choose to listen virtually, you too will have an opportunity to speak by giving either a statement or just as in person, simply state your name and that you agree to what has already been stated. 

  • Please follow these speaking guidelines from Douglas County. 

Pomeroy Sponsored Community Info Meeting

Pomeroy stated during the planning meeting they are holding a community meeting to share their plans on Monday, September 16 at 5pm at the local primary school here in Roxborough.  We are not sure how and when this meeting will be communicated to the community, but we will keep you apprised.

RESOURCES

What is a Metro District? (taken from Metro District Education Coalition)

Metro districts are an established unit of government with local and state regulatory oversight.  Metro districts are the financing tool that allows public infrastructure and amenities like roads, sewer, trails, and parks to be built in new communities.  They are formed by submitting a detailed service plan to the local city or town council, board of trustees, or county commissions for review and approve during a public hearing. These local authorities have oversight and controls over limits on taxation, fees, and service.

With the conveyance of a Metro District, they receive a number of important powers, one of which is the use of eminent domain.

 Planning Commissioners Review Criteria

Below are the criteria used by the Planning Commissioners when they deliberated during this meeting on August 19.  You can find this criteria within the Douglas County Service Plan Review Procedures document here. 

The Douglas County planning staff also addressed their comments to these criteria that you can find in the planning meeting documents here.

Thank you for your continued interest and support of this major issue within our community.