El Paso County Planning Commission, Aug. 1 and 15 – Extension to Cathedral Pines development recommended for approval

The Estates at Cathedral Pines
Hodgen Road and Snowmass Drive properties

By Helen Walklett

During August, the El Paso County Planning Commission recommended for approval a request which would extend the Cathedral Pines subdivision, adding eight residential lots in a gated community to be known as The Estates at Cathedral Pines. They also heard requests that would see two Black Forest properties each divided into two separate lots.

The Estates at Cathedral Pines

At their Aug. 15 meeting, the commissioners heard a request by Villagree Development LLC for approval of a rezoning of 35.09 acres from RR-5 (residential rural) to PUD (planned unit development) and approval of a preliminary plan for eight single-family residential lots with open space provision. The currently vacant property is on the west side of Winslow Drive, about 1 mile northwest of the intersection of Shoup and Milam Roads.

The applicant is also seeking a finding of water sufficiency with regards to water quality, quantity, and dependability. Approval of the preliminary plan with such a finding would mean subsequent final plats could be approved administratively, i.e. without public hearings.

The proposed development would be an extension of the Cathedral Pines subdivision, which surrounds the property to the north and east. The proposed lots would range from 2.93 to 4.23 acres and are considered consistent with those in the Cathedral Pines subdivision where the minimum lot size is 2.5 acres. Falcon Forest, the subdivision to the south, has a minimum lot size of 5 acres. The 132-acre property to the west is zoned RR-5 and is undeveloped.

The commissioners voted to recommend the request for approval. It was heard as a consent item, meaning there was no discussion. It is now scheduled to be considered at the Sept. 12 El Paso Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) land use meeting.

Hodgen Road and Snowmass Drive properties

At their Aug. 1 meeting, the commissioners heard a request to subdivide a Hodgen Road property into two residential lots. The 38.68-acre property is zoned RR-5 and is south of Hodgen Road just east of the intersection of Roller Coaster Road and Baptist Road. The proposed lots would be 20.25 and 18.41 acres.

At the same meeting, the commissioners considered a request to replat a 10.36-acre property on Snow Mass Drive east of Black Forest Road to create two residential lots. The two lots would be just over 5 acres each in conformity with the zoning. The property is zoned RR-5.

The commissioners voted unanimously to recommend both applications for approval. They were heard as consent items, meaning there was no discussion. They went on to be approved at the BOCC land use meeting on Aug. 22, again as consent items.

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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.

The Estates at Cathedral Pines

Hodgen Road and Snowmass Drive properties

Other El Paso County Planning Commission articles