Rezoning Request Under Review by Douglas County Planning Services since August 19, 2026
Exhibit A - Shea Properties Letter to Steve Koster Deputy Director of Community Development on August 3, 2026:
Exhibit B - Memo to request for consideration of disposal of two County-owned tracts from Trevor Bedford, Douglas County Planner on August 19, 2026:
On August 3, 2026, Shea Properties submitted a formal land disposal request to Douglas County, asking the county to transfer the 9.33-acre school site to them so they can build the 150-unit affordable apartment complex.
The official filing, now publicly available, includes letters of support from the School District and county planning staff. But what these documents promise and what they don't address should alarm every Meridian Village resident.
On August 19, 2026 — just two weeks after Shea Properties submitted their land disposal request — Douglas County Senior Planner Trevor Bedford issued a memo to all Department and Division Directors outlining the process to transfer the school property to Shea.
This memo is not a recommendation. It's a roadmap showing how quickly the county plans to move. And it contains critical details that residents need to understand before the Board of County Commissioners votes on whether to hand over the land.
What the Memo Confirms (And What It Doesn't Address)
The Land Was Dedicated for School Purposes — But No Longer: The memo confirms that Tracts L1-A and L1-B (totaling 10.3 acres) were dedicated to Douglas County specifically for school purposes when the subdivision was platted in 2020. The School District formally declared the property "surplus" and "no longer needed for public school purposes" on April 7, 2026.
This matters: The community accepted this development with the understanding that land would be reserved for schools. Now that land is being redirected to residential apartments without a formal amendment process or community vote.
Critical: A Meridian PD Amendment Is Required: The memo states: "An amendment to the Meridian PD would be required in the future in order for the property to be used for residential purposes."
This is huge. The current zoning (Planning Area 7 of the Meridian International Business Center Planned Development) does not allow residential use. Before Shea can build apartments, the entire Planned Development agreement must be amended. This is a separate process that must go before the Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners.
Yet the county's land disposal memo makes no mention of when this zoning amendment will be requested, studied, or voted on. Is it happening simultaneously? After land disposal? Has it been submitted?
The Property Has Multiple Easements and Encumbrances: The memo lists several utility easements and a dirt road providing access to Meridian Village Metro District property along the eastern boundary. These are existing encumbrances that will affect site development. Residents deserve to know: How will these easements constrain building placement, parking, or site design?
No Floodplain, But No Stormwater Assessment Mentioned: While the memo notes "There is no floodplain on the property," it provides no information about stormwater management, drainage impacts, or water quality compliance — issues that the July 21 meeting indicated were "in progress." A floodplain exemption does not equal stormwater compliance.
The Process: How Fast Can This Move?
The county planner's memo outlines the land disposal timeline:
Referral to all Department and Division Directors (currently happening or just completed)
Staff prepares a report to the Board recommending disposal or retention
Board holds a public meeting with 14-day notice to affected landowners
Board votes to offer land for conveyance
Deeds are prepared and executed
The entire process can happen in 30-45 days. With the memo dated August 19, the Board could vote on land disposal in late September or early October 2026.
But here's the critical gap: The zoning amendment process is not on this timeline. It's mentioned as something that "would be required in the future" — a vague phrase that suggests it may happen after land disposal, creating a fait accompli where the county has already handed over the land and Shea is awaiting zoning approval.
**Notice what's conspicuously absent from this checklist: No requirement for traffic impact studies, stormwater assessments, market studies, or parking plans. The land disposal process is purely about whether the county should transfer the property, not about whether the project makes sense for the community.**
The Zoning Amendment Question: Where Is It?
This is critical: Residents and the Planning Commission must evaluate whether the zoning amendment to allow residential use is appropriate. But the land disposal and zoning amendment could move on separate tracks.
If the Board votes to dispose of the land in September/October, and the zoning amendment hearing doesn't happen until November or December, the Board will have already committed the land before the Planning Commission has fully vetted the project.
This is backwards. Zoning should be decided before land disposal, not after.
What Needs to Happen Now
1. Demand the Zoning Amendment Application Be Submitted and Heard BEFORE Land Disposal: The Planning Commission must review the Meridian PD amendment to allow residential use. This must be a public hearing with full disclosure of traffic, parking, drainage, and density impacts. And it must happen before the Board votes to transfer the land.
2. Request a Full Due Diligence Report from County Staff: Before the Board votes on land disposal, staff should submit a report that addresses:
Impact on the Meridian Village traffic network and Meridian Village Parkway capacity
Stormwater management and water quality compliance
Parking adequacy (with transparent analysis, not developer claims)
Market study results for teacher housing (when completed)
Public safety and crime prevention measures
Long-term affordability enforcement and community benefits agreement
3. Extend the 14-Day Public Notice Period: The law requires a 14-day written notice to affected landowners. But 14 days is insufficient for residents to research, analyze, and comment on a major zoning and land-use change. Demand the Board extend the notice period to 30 days and hold the hearing at a time when residents can attend.
4. Require the Planning Commission to Weigh In: The zoning amendment is the Planning Commission's domain. The Board should not vote on land disposal until the Planning Commission has made a recommendation on the Meridian PD amendment.
5. Make All Technical Studies Public Before the Board Hearing: If traffic, stormwater, or parking studies have been submitted to county staff, residents must have access to them before the Board hearing — not after.
The Timeline Is Even Tighter Than We Thought
The county planner's memo, dated August 19, suggests that the Board could vote on land disposal as soon as late September or early October 2026. That's less than 60 days away.
Meanwhile, the zoning amendment process is undefined. It could move in parallel, or it could be indefinitely delayed as a separate application.
Residents need to act now:
Sign and share this petition
Contact the Board of County Commissioners and demand they delay the land disposal vote until after the Planning Commission has voted on the Meridian PD amendment
Request a copy of any traffic, stormwater, or market study that has been submitted to county staff
Attend the 14-day public hearing (when announced) and testify about the need for due diligence
Planning Services Division:
planning@douglasco.gov - 303.660.7460
planningcommission@douglasco.gov
*Michael Cairy - Zoning Compliance Manager - mcairy@douglas.co.us - 303.660.7460
*Steve Koster - Assistant Director of Planning Services - - skoster@douglas.co.us - 303.660.7460
*Trevor Bedford - Planning Staff in charge of this project - tbedford@douglasco.gov - 303.814.4372
Commissioner Office:
BOCC@douglasco.gov
alaydon@douglasco.gov - 303.660.7335
kvanwinkle@douglasco.gov - 303.660.7380
gteal@douglasco.gov - 303.819.5936
The Bottom Line
This is not about stopping affordable housing. It's about requiring the county to do its job — to vet a major development against community standards, traffic capacity, and environmental compliance before handing over public land.
The county planner's memo shows the process is underway. The Board could vote in 30-45 days. The Planning Commission has not yet been heard from on zoning. And critical studies remain outstanding.
Douglas County residents: This is your moment to demand transparency and due diligence.
Thank you to the residents who continue to ask hard questions and hold decision-makers accountable. Together, we are protecting the future of Meridian Village.
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