Getting your player ready...
It’s official.
Today, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners formally approved the $4.4 billion Sterling Ranch development that is expected to create thousands of jobs and generate an economic impact of $425 million annually at build-out. The board on May 11 had initially voted to approve the Sterling Ranch rezoning and water appeal application, following a nine-hour hearing, but only gave its final approval that spelled out all of the necessary agreement details on Tuesday.
It’s an important milestone.
“Today was the final approval and we are thrilled,” Harold Smethills, director of the family owned Sterling Ranch said. “Now, the real work begins. We move from a public process to an economic reality. Now, we have several months of engineering and site planning ahead of us to make sure that this happens. The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners wanted a water-efficient, sustainable community for the 21st century, and that is what they are getting with Sterling Ranch.”
The plan has sparked controversy.
Smethills said some critics and opponents are misinformed. An earlier plan to annex the property to Littleton didn’t gain traction, as opposition mounted from people who feared it would be tax city services, would increase congestion, and despite claims by the developer, would end up sucking up water resources, not conserving them.
“Opponent can say what they want,” Smethills said. “The people in the know, the people who studied our proposal – the county water engineers, the state agencies, the Douglas Planning Commission, and now the Douglas County Board of Commissioners – agree with us. That is why the board unanimously supported it. What is really important is that the first time in Colorado’s history, to the best of our knowledge, water conservation is embedded in our land-use application. That has never been done before in Colorado. It is revolutionary.”
Some opponents said that they could support the 3,400-acre development in northwestern Douglas County, if it was developed into smaller, ranchettes that could be used as horse property. They find that to be preferable to constructing thousands of new homes.
Ranchettes the real water hog
“First, there is no market for those type of properties at this time,” Smethills said. “Beyond that, our community will use a fraction of the water that two- to five-acre ranchettes would use. The only way those work is if you put a well and a septic tank on each property. It’s that many more straws sucking the water table dry. That last thing you want is ranchette-style sprawl. Environmentalists have testified that whatever you do, don’t do that. I love horses as much as the next person, but that is a terrible idea. We will have stables on the property for people who want to ride. And we will have 30 miles of trails. The trails the horses use will not be open to bicycles.”
Smethills said that they may be able to break ground as early as 2012, with the first homes being constructed in 2013. “It could take longer than that,” Smethills said. “If it does, that is fine. We’re family owned and in no hurry.” Several home builders said they are eager and ready to go today, if they could. Approval sets in motion a busy stage for the project, which will create nearly 1,000 construction jobs a year over two decades. Sterling Ranch is expected to generate more than 9,000 permanent jobs at build-out with an economic impact of more than $425 million annually, according to Patty Silverstein, President of Development Research Partners.
Buyers expect to embrace water conservation
Smethills said he expects that anyone who buys at Sterling Ranch will share his passion for water conservation.
“Look, somebody who wants acres of bluegrass, simply won’t buy here. It’s natural selection,” Smethills said. “If people want a little throw rug of grass, they can have it. We’re going to offer some truly beautiful plans for landscaping. It’s not Xeriscape with rocks and cactuses. The generation coming up, the Generation-Y, wants sustainable, smaller homes and clustered living and that’s what we are going to provide. We’re going to have options of gardens with plants that use very little water like you see on the south end of the Denver Botanic Gardens. We will also have edible gardens. And we will have landscaping for people who love to garden and we will have landscaping for people who hate to garden.”
Smethills said he thinks people drawn to Sterling Ranch will not see as conserving water as a punishment, but something to be embraced.
“It sounds kind of corny, but one thing I learned is that in America, people will do the right thing, once they truly understand it and you do not penalize them for doing the right thing,” Smethills said. “And this is the right thing.”
Highlights of Sterling Ranch include:
Housing: At build-out in 20 years, Sterling Ranch is expected to be home for 31,000 people living in a variety of homes, including condominiums, traditional single-family, patio homes, and 2 to 5 acre equestrian properties. The average home price is expected to about $350,000.
Open Space: 37 percent of the land will be reserved for open space and parks, with 30 miles of trails for hiking, biking and horse-back riding.
Town Center: The walkable community, with unique villages surrounded by open space, will feature a Town Center for working, shopping and dining.
Schools: Sterling Ranch ultimately will be home to five elementary schools, a middle school and high school.
Sports Village: Home to the Colorado Rush youth soccer program and Slammers baseball.
Transportation: 80 percent of Sterling Ranch residents will be within walking distance of mass transit options.
Medical Facility: Centura-Littleton Adventist has signed a letter of intent to build a medical facility in Sterling Ranch.
