By Helen Walklett
During October, the El Paso County Planning Commission recommended for approval development requests for the final portion of the Settlers Ranch development north of Hodgen Road and the Waterside at Lake Woodmoor development off Woodmoor Drive.
Settlers Ranch
At their Oct. 17 meeting, the commissioners heard requests for a rezone and final plat for the final portion of the Settlers Ranch development. A total of 24 single-family residential lots would be created.
The 78.71-acre property is situated north of Hodgen Road, west of Steppler Road and east of the currently developed part of Settlers Ranch, which consists of single-family detached lots varying between 2.5 and 5 acres. The development adjoins the Abert Ranch and Settlers View subdivisions to the north. The property is in two separated areas that are joined and served by Settlers Ranch Road.
The El Paso Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved the Settlers Ranch development in January 2005 for a total of 86 single-family lots. The current application to rezone from planned unit development (PUD) to RR-2.5 (residential rural), concerns only the 53.53-acre part of the property to the north and west. It would add six lots to this part of the development, which was originally planned to have 10, therefore increasing the total number of lots to 92.
In their letter of intent, the applicant states that the character of the area has changed and an RR-2.5 zoning would now provide consistency with the surrounding area. Under the original PUD zoning, lots in this portion would have ranged from 3 to 5.5 acres.
The 22.51-acre portion of the property to the south and west would remain as a PUD with eight lots varying from 2.5 to 2.74 acres.
Waterside at Lake Woodmoor
Also at the Oct. 17 meeting, the commissioners heard rezone and preliminary plan requests for the proposed 44-single family townhome development, Waterside at Lake Woodmoor. The property is east of Woodmoor Drive and south of Deer Creek Road and borders the lake to its east.
The property is part of a development plan for the Waterside Condominiums, which were approved by the BOCC in 1983. This would have seen 83 condominiums built, but the development never moved forward. In 2023, the current owner proposed a rezone and preliminary plan that would have seen 52 single-family town homes developed. The application was recommended for approval by the Planning Commission by a vote of 6-1 but was withdrawn by the applicant before the BOCC hearing. This new application proposes eight fewer units. See https://ocn.me/v23n6.htm#epcpc.
The rezone application requests that the 7.53-acre property be rezoned from R-4 (planned development) to PUD. Approval of the preliminary plan would mean that subsequent final plats and other agreements could be approved administratively.
The proposed units would be attached and each would have a two-car garage. The density would be significantly lower than the 1980s plan at 5.84 dwelling units per acre. Just over an acre of land would be donated to the Woodmoor Improvement Association to provide a buffer to the existing single-family residential neighborhood to the south.
The commissioners voted unanimously to recommend the applications for approval, and they are now due to be heard at the BOCC land use meeting on Nov. 14.
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The El Paso County Planning Commission normally meets the first and (as required) the third Thursday of each month at the Regional Development Center, 2880 International Circle, Colo. Springs. Meetings are live-streamed on the El Paso County News and Information Channel at www.elpasoco.com/news-information-channel. Information is available at 719-520-6300 and https://planningdevelopment.elpasoco.com/planning-community-development/2024-hearings-schedule/.
Helen Walklett can be reached at helenwalklett@ocn.me.
Other EPC Planning Commission articles
- El Paso County Planning Commission, Aug. 7 – Variance for rental unit rejected (9/4/2025)
- El Paso County Planning Commission, June 19 – Commission recommends disapproval of Flying Horse East sketch plan (7/3/2025)
- El Paso County Planning Commission, March 6 and 20 – Three projects recommended to BOCC (4/5/2025)
- El Paso County Planning Commission, Feb. 20 – Approval recommended for three lots at Black Forest property (3/1/2025)
- El Paso County Planning Commission, Dec. 5 – Urban Landing off Struthers Road recommended for approval (1/4/2025)
- El Paso County Planning Commission, Nov. 7 and 21 – Housing density, compatibility concerns raised with proposed Monument Ridge development (12/5/2024)
- El Paso County Planning Commission, Aug. 1 and 15 – Extension to Cathedral Pines development recommended for approval (9/7/2024)
- El Paso County Planning Commission, June 6 and 20 – Planning commission recommend denial of Monument glamping site expansion (7/6/2024)
- El Paso County Planning Commission, May 2 – Variance for Black Forest property would allow short-term rental to continue (6/1/2024)
- El Paso County Planning Commission, April 18 – Old Denver Road property requesting rezone to commercial (5/4/2024)