We, the undersigned, call on the Town of Castle Rock to reject the Chateau Valley Proposed Site Development Plan submitted by Russell Hall on behalf of Highline Engineering & Surveying until meaningful revisions are made. The proposal includes a 402-unit residential subdivision on roughly 112 acres. The property is located east of Memmen Park and the Glover subdivision, north of the Baldwin Park subdivision, and south of the Southridge Townhome subdivision.

We petition the Town of Castle Rock to explore reasonable ways to expand the existing and protected Memmen Ridge Open Space to include the natural and forested land out to Valley Drive, once finished. 

We demand that, as consideration of the proposed development of the land parcel progresses, a minimum of 150 feet of natural land remains undeveloped between the new development and the existing neighborhoods - including, but not limited to Glover, Baldwin Park, and Southridge Townhomes.

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The proposal, as currently presented, is not aligned with the town vision and the Castle Rock 2030 Comprehensive Master Plan that Castle Rock officials laid out and made a commitment to on behalf of its residents. The proposal places a disproportionate and unfair burden on the existing neighborhoods, diminishes the quality of life of the residents, and eliminates the natural beauty and environmental character the Town of Castle Rock has committed to uphold.

If this proposal is accepted, the entirety of the roughly 112-acre undeveloped space would be destroyed to build 402 units composed of 254 single family detached homes and 148 single family-attached homes. The undeveloped land as it exists now would cease to exist and would destroy the ecosystem that is home to many indigenous plant and animal species.

Additional effects this development would have on the community include:

1. The inconvenience, traffic, and noise pollution to be forced on existing surrounding neighborhoods (including, but not limited to: Glover, Baldwin Park, and Southridge Townhomes)
2. The encroachment of too-dense development on some of the oldest, quietest neighborhoods in Castle Rock, destroying the “world-class community with small-Town character” culture that the town representatives have promised to uphold.
3. The forced relocation of the animals that live in this open space into existing neighborhoods and the new development, increasing the risk of danger to domestic animals and people by predators that currently thrive on natural prey in the wild, undeveloped land.
4. The loss of one of the last remaining undeveloped spaces within the heart of Castle Rock.

While development is inevitable, the Town of Castle Rock has made a commitment to its’ residents to “protect and enhance the natural environment” and “maintain a high quality of life for the residents and businesses”. It would be irresponsible and not in the town’s best interest to move forward with this proposal as it is currently being presented. This undeveloped land is one of the last remaining opportunities for Castle Rock to take action against overdevelopment and preserve the pockets of peace and quiet that remain.

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We ask that the Proposed Site Development Plan for Chateau Valley be rejected in its current form until further exploration and reasonable modifications are made to address these concerns.

Specifically, we ask the Town Council to:

1. Maintain a natural and open-space border of 150 feet between the new development and all existing neighborhoods.
2. Preserve the existing natural forested area by expanding Memmen Ridge Open Space to Valley Drive.

We are not asking for the Town Council to prevent “reasonable growth” and development in our beautiful town; we are asking for the Town, the developer, and the community to work together while there is still an opportunity to preserve an irreplaceable part of the landscape and create a development that better integrates with the community around it. We are asking the Town Council that all options be explored before this natural area is permanently lost.

By signing below, we respectfully ask that the Castle Rock Town Council pursue these modifications before approving the Chateau Valley Proposed Site Development Plan.