The Norwood Development Group, the developers of Percheron ó previously known as Banning Lewis Ranch North ó have renamed and redesigned the building project. Norwood has requested a master plan amendment that would include a 126.5-acre regional sports complex, which would be located south of Woodmen Road and east of Golden Sage Road, additional commercial development and an overall reduction in residential density.The new Percheron development is located on both sides of Woodmen Road between Golden Sage Road and Mohawk Drive.There is also a 3-acre site dedicated for a fire station. The Falcon Fire Protection District Chief Trent Harwig said the area is currently within the FFPD. Harwig said the FFPD has been and will continue to service the area. If the city of Colorado Springs builds a fire station on the site, he said most likely the city fire department would become the primary responder for that area.There are several areas in the Springs included in the Falcon fire district. The FFPD provides fire protection to those areas because some Falcon fire stations are closer to some areas in Colorado Springs than the nearest city fire station. Also, some city fire stations are closer to a few areas in the FFPD than the nearest Falcon fire station. In these overlapping areas, the nearest fire station, regardless of jurisdiction, usually provides fire protection, according to a memorandum of understanding between the city and the Falcon fire protection district.Percheron also includes two school sites. Melissa Andrews, facilities manager for El Paso County Colorado School District 49, said D 49 will utilize those schools.The Percheron development will likely increase the volume of traffic in the area, creating new traffic patterns. Todd Frisbie, a traffic engineer with the city of Colorado Springs, said the developer of Percheron will extend Banning Lewis Parkway to the north and to the south of Woodmen Road. To the north, the Parkway will connect to the proposed Briargate/Stapleton corridor; to the south, it will connect to Dublin Boulevard.Frisbie said the developer will be required to implement turn lanes and signal upgrades at Mohawk and Golden Sage as needed. Future plans call for the widening of Woodmen Road to six lanes in the next 10 to 20 years. The city of Colorado Springs has funding to widen Woodmen Road to six lanes between I-25 and Black Forest Road in the next four to five years. The city is also seeking funding to continue widening Woodmen Road to the east.According to a Gazette Dec. 9, 2021, article by Mary Shinn, the Colorado Springs Parks and Recreation Advisory Board voted unanimously in December to support the entire plan for the Percheron development, including the 126.5-acre sports complex. Shinn reported that Andrea Barlow with N.E.S. Inc., represented the developers and said the complex could feature baseball and multi-use fields, in addition to parking for 3,000 cars.Shinn also reported that the ìrevised and pending plans for the neighborhood Ö (include) an overall reduction in the number of homes from 2,900 to 2,650 and the elimination of one of three school sites.îThe Colorado Springs Planning Commission and the City Council will review the amendment plans over the next few months.
