Representatives of Morley-Bentley Investments LLC appeared before the El Paso County Planning Commission in May to request the formation of the Sterling Ranch Metropolitan District.The new district will provide central water (under contract), wastewater, drainage and road improvements, as well as parks and recreational facilities for the proposed 1,444-acre Sterling Ranch development north of Woodmen Road and east of Vollmer Road.On its eastern boundary, the development nearly reaches Raygor Road, close to the Falcon area.The proposed metro district has the same boundaries as the Sterling Ranch development.The El Paso County Board of County Commissioners approved the Sterling Ranch urban density plan in November 2008, despite strong opposition from adjacent property owners and the Black Forest Land Use and Transportation Committee, according to a Dec. 6, 2008, article in The New Falcon Herald.Craig Dossey, project manager for the county’s development services department, said the district would have a maximum debt authorization of $115 million, with a maximum mill levy of 60 mills; 50 mills for debt service and 10 mills for operations.Dossey said the application meets the “need” criteria for creating a metro district because there’s no other district capable of extending all the necessary services.The developers also requested authority to apply for and receive grants from Great Outdoors Colorado, as well as other grant-making organizations.Most metropolitan districts exclude themselves from seeking grants, Dossey said.GoCo grants awarded to the Sterling Ranch metro district could reduce the availability of funds that would benefit El Paso County’s parks and trail system, he said.According to its Web site, GoCo is funded by proceeds from the Colorado Lottery.The developer also asked that the district be allowed to provide covenant enforcement for the Sterling Ranch development, which itself is moving forward.”We’re in the process of reviewing a zoning conceptual plan, a Planned Unit Development plan and a preliminary development plan for Sterling Ranch,” Dossey said. Those items will come before the planning commission within a few months.Development services officials recommended a number of conditions before the district moves forward. Two of the conditions cite grants and the service plan.The district cannot apply for Conservation Trust funds but can apply for GoCo and other grants. The developer must revise the service plan to address the possibility of annexation by Colorado Springs before seeking BOCC approval for the district.Dossey said only a small segment of the Sterling Ranch boundary is contiguous with the city. The segment is so small that it wouldn’t meet the statutory threshold for annexation.”Most municipalities are interested in annexing commercial property. The majority of Sterling Ranch is residential,” Dossey said.”If they need to revise the sketch plan to add more commercial, it might be more beneficial for the city to annex at that time. After having discussions with city staff, [annexation] is not something that’s going to happen any time soon.”Sean Allen, a representative of White, Bear and Ankele, which represented the developer at the hearing, said the developer accepts all the conditions recommended by development services.”If this [development] was in the city or if it was to be annexed, we’d still be asking for a district. The city would not be able to help fund this level of infrastructure,” Allen said. Infrastructure costs are estimated at $100 million, he added.With a $115 million limit on debt authorization, the additional $15 million gives the district flexibility.”With today’s economy and market conditions, bondholders are asking for greater assurances, greater security and more enhancements to the bond deal,” Allen said.Commissioner Edward Bracken gave Allen a message for the developer.”There was a lot of controversy with respect to water, wastewater treatment, fire, traffic, wildlife and buffers [when the BOCC approved the sketch plan],” Bracken said. “The answer given by the developer at the time was ‘when we get the metro service district approved, we’ll come up with all those answers.'”When the developer comes back, he best be prepared to answer those questions and the other issues that were raised.”The planning commission approved the metro district by a vote of 8-to-0. Next step: approval by the BOCC. A hearing is scheduled for June 24.
