El Paso County Board of County Commissioners, Aug. 1, 8, 15, and 22 – Request to split Woodmoor property into four lots approved

Woodmoor property replat approved
Winsome final plat
Terra Ridge North final plat
Black Forest minor subdivision requests
Appointments to the Planning Commission
Beacon Lite Road and Highway 105 projects

By Helen Walklett

At the Aug.1 El Paso Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting, the commissioners heard a replat application to return a single lot property in Woodmoor to four lots. They also heard final plat applications for The Winsome and Terra Ridge North developments and minor subdivision applications for two Black Forest properties. These four applications came to the BOCC with recommendations for approval from the El Paso County Planning Commission July 6 meeting and were heard as consent items, meaning there was no discussion.

Woodmoor property replat approved

At the Aug. 1 meeting, the commissioners approved a subdivision request which will see a Woodmoor property divided into four lots. The application came from the Planning Commission with a unanimous recommendation for approval following its July 6 meeting. See www.ocn.me/v23n8.htm#epcpc.

The 3.81-acre property at 1384 Buckwood Lane, near its intersection with Fawnwood Road, is zoned RR-0.5 (residential rural) and was originally platted as four lots in 1963 with the current, single lot created in 2010. The replat creates four lots that conform to the RR-0.5 zoning. The existing residence on the east and central portion of the property will remain.

Property owner Tim Murphy, Murphy’s Custom Homes Inc., showed the hearing that he has written approval from the Woodmoor Improvement Association’s (WIA) Architectural Control Committee and commitment letters from the utility companies. He said that for 47 years of its history, the property had been four lots and that he felt the application met all the approval criteria. Referring to comments he had read from neighbors about fire concerns, he said he had met twice with the Forestry Department which had made recommendations, and he had cleaned up the property and fire mitigation work would continue.

Ashlyn Mathy, planner I, Planning and Community Development Department, said that 18 notification letters were sent to neighbors, and the county had received numerous emails voicing concerns.

Sarah Martin and Shane Martin, both with Murphy’s Custom Homes Inc., spoke in support of the application. Sarah Martin pointed out that in 2010 the property was pretty much in the exact configuration as was now being proposed.

Two neighbors spoke in opposition. Sarah Cole said that the justifications put forward in 2010 for combining the four lots into one were all still relevant issues in Woodmoor today. These include erosion and flooding issues, steep sloping areas that are unbuildable, roadways that are inadequate for any additional population, and county services such as police protection that are inadequate in meeting the needs of Woodmoor residents. She said, “This is not an area designed for high-density housing and, quite frankly, the Tri-Lakes area does not need three more million- dollar homes.”

Another neighbor said she was experiencing flooding and had two sump pumps to keep her basement dry because of the drainage issues. She also stated that the homeowners association (HOA) had made decisions regarding the application without putting it to a members’ vote. She said, “I would argue to you that this proposal is premature, and the HOA has not met its requirements.” She asked that it be tabled or denied until this could be further investigated.

The commissioners voted 4-0 to approve the application with Commissioner Carrie Geitner absent. Commissioner Longinos Gonzalez commended Cole’s testimony which would have swayed his vote had it been a rezone rather than a replat.

Winsome final plat

At the Aug. 1 land use meeting, the commissioners approved a final plat application for Winsome Filing No. 3 to create 38 single-family residential lots and five tracts on the 349.47-acre property zoned RR-5 at the northwest corner of Hodgen Road and Meridian Road.

The BOCC approved the Winsome preliminary plan in July 2019. The development encompasses 766.66 acres and consists of 143 residential lots, one commercial lot, open space, drainage tracts, and public rights-of-way. The plan was amended in 2021 to increase the lots to 146. These three additional lots are located within Filing No. 3.

Terra Ridge North final plat

Also at the Aug. 1 land use meeting, the commissioners voted to approve a final plat application by Phillip Miles for 11 single-family residential lots on Terra Ridge North, a 51.65-acre property south of the intersection of Black Forest Road and Hodgen Road. The application includes a replat of two existing single-family residential lots to provide access to the new lots.

The land was rezoned from RR-5 to RR-2.5 in 2022. Neighbors spoke to voice objections at both the Planning Commission and BOCC hearings at that time. See www.ocn.me/v22n9.htm#epcpc and https://ocn.me/v22n10.htm#epbocc.

Black Forest minor subdivision requests

The commissioners approved two minor subdivision requests for Black Forest properties at the Aug. 1 meeting.

The first was a request to create three single-family lots on a 14-acre Black Forest property west of the intersection of Vessey Road and Black Forest Road and south of the intersection of Vessey Road and Pine Crest Drive.

The property was rezoned from RR-5 to RR-2.5 by the BOCC in June 2023. See https://ocn.me/v23n7.htm#epbocc.

The second was a request by SMH Consultants for two single-family lots on a 27-acre portion of a 61.55-acre property. It is located at 18885 Brown Road, adjacent to the intersection of Brown Road and Running Horse View, to the north of Walker Road.

The subdivision, zoned RR-5, will be known as Owl Ridge. One lot will be 22 acres and the other five acres. The existing single-family residence will remain.

Appointments to the Planning Commission

At their Aug. 15 meeting, the commissioners voted to reappoint Brandy Merriam and Bryce Schuettpelz as associate members of the Planning Commission. Their terms run until Aug. 15 2024. Associate members may serve two consecutive one-year terms but can apply to serve additional terms if they wish.

Beacon Lite Road and Highway 105 projects

During August, the commissioners approved eight special warranty deeds, 13 temporary construction easement agreements, and two permanent easement agreements associated with the Beacon Lite Road/County Line Road improvements project. The agreements are with various property owners for a total cost of $274,130.

At their Aug. 1 meeting, the commissioners approved a special warranty deed and a temporary construction easement agreement associated with the Highway 105A project. The property is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and comes at a cost of $105,300.

Other decisions

Aug. 1—the commissioners approved the issuance of three ambulance permits to Monument Fire District. The one-year permits run until July 31, 2024.
Aug. 1—approved agreements between the county and Academy School District 20 and Lewis-Palmer School District 38 to provide school resource officers for the year to June 30, 2024.

Helen Walklett can be reached at helenwalklett@ocn.me.