By Helen Walklett
At the El Paso County Planning Commission meeting on April 18, the commissioners heard a request to rezone an 8.07-acre property at 16050 Old Denver Road from RR-5 (rural residential) to CS (commercial service). The property is one-half mile north of the intersection of Baptist Road and Old Denver Road. The application was originally scheduled as a consent item, meaning there would be no discussion, but was pulled and heard as a regular item at the request of Commissioner Christopher Whitney, who had questions about the interplay of placetype (from the county’s master plan) and zoning.
Discussion at the hearing focused on the existing duplex on the property, which is not an allowed use by right under the CS zoning and would require a variance of use. Staff has proposed a condition to the zoning approval that would see the duplex remain until it’s vacant for more than a year, is removed, or is repurposed for a use permitted within the CS zoning district when commercial development occurs.
Nina Ruiz, with Vertex Consulting Services and representing the owner, All In Investments LLC, said, “If they [the owner] were to develop this property as warehousing, mini-warehousing and outside storage, those types of uses, it’s very possible that they could convert a portion of the structure into an office because they would need an office, and then the other portion could remain a caretaker’s quarters. That would be included within the site development plan.”
There was no public comment. The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend the application for approval, and it is now due to be heard at the El Paso Board of County Commissioners land use meeting on May 9.
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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 https://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.
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- El Paso County Planning Commission, March 6 and 20 – Three projects recommended to BOCC (4/5/2025)
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- El Paso County Board of County Commissioners, Feb. 11 – $4 million in federal funds approved for North Gate Blvd./Struthers Road stormwater project (3/1/2025)