River Canyon developers and Roxborough activists will have to
wait a little longer to find out what the future looks like for 635
acres in scenic northwestern Douglas County.
The county planning commission did not hear all of the public
comments about a proposed development by late Monday night. The
commission continued the hearing to 7 p.m. March 12, when it will
hear the rest of the public comments.
Then the planning commissioners will vote whether to recommend
that a 249-home golf course development be approved by the Douglas
Board of County Commissioners.
Nearly 200 people attended the public hearing Monday night. Both
the county planning staff and the developers presented the River
Canyon proposal. There was only enough time for several public
comments before the hearing was adjourned.
Nearby neighborhood activists assembled the group Friends of
Waterton Canyon, who oppose the development. Monday night’s meeting
was not the foe group’s first. They’ve met with River Canyon LLC
two dozen times since the original 350-home plan was drafted in
1997. They offered to buy the land.
The area is a wildlife corridor for bears, coyotes, elk and
foxes, wildlife advocates said. The land is a wildlife corridor
that connects Pike National Forest and central Douglas County open
spaces.
Developers said they have worked with neighbors and added open
space to the plan. Only 20 percent of the land will actually be
built on, said Andy Bush of River Canyon LLC.