Sometimes it’s difficult to share a vision, especially if it is
one that’s as big as a town.
Castle Rock is attempting to do just that with its design
guidelines.
Two years in the making, the final draft of the guidelines was
presented April 24 to the Castle Rock Planning
Commission.
“I think the staff did a good job,” said Sandy Vossler, Castle
Rock Planning Commission chairperson. “It’s comprehensive,
user-friendly and a good tool for the development
community.”
The guidelines are not standards or regulations, said Loretta
Daniel, senior long-range planner for the town. They are a way to
explain the town’s vision of itself to those who come into Castle
Rock to develop and build.
“[Guidelines] are essential to encourage the type of development
in areas where design quality, building character and
use-suitability are critical elements in the growth of a
community,” the Castle Rock Design Guidelines say.
Besides preserving the style of historic buildings in town, the
guidelines provide architects and developers with a sense of what
defines the town, Daniel said.
Replete with historic photographs and photographs of newer
buildings that display the characteristics of Castle Rock, the
guidelines are a tool to be used, Daniel said.
“These guidelines are not intended to dictate a particular
architectural style nor presume to assure good design,” the
guidelines say. “The intent of these guidelines is to provide
guidance on site planning and architectural design.”
Organized in five sections based on land use and type of
development, the guidelines are townwide, Daniel said.
“I had hoped that, to some degree, the guidelines could have
some standards, but I understand how difficult it is to regulate
[visions].”
The planning commission hopes that as the town uses the
guidelines during review processes it will be able to codify some
parts of it, Vossler said.
“This is a good starting point,” Vossler said. “In a general
sense, it’s easier for the planning commission if it has a
regulation it can fall back on.”
Downtown commercial design guidelines were updated from an
existing document created in 1994, Daniel said.
The guidelines also include sections on commercial uses outside
downtown, single family and historic residential guidelines,
industrial, multifamily, gateway opportunities and the
Interstate-25 corridor.
Advisory in nature, the guidelines are more extensive than other
ones Daniel has seen, she said.
The final draft of the design guidelines will be presented to
the Castle Rock Historic Preservation Board, 5:30 p.m., May 7; and
6 p.m., May 12 to the Castle Rock Town Council for approval. Both
groups meet in council chambers at town hall, 100 N. Wilcox St.,
Castle Rock.