I have been an area resident since 1979 — Castle Rock was 4,700 folks then, 70,000 now. Current zoning takes us to over 120,000.

That is an annual growth rate of over 6.5% for 40 years.

Economists say that quality of life suffers with excessive growth due to higher taxes, more crime and less freedom. Castle Rock asked for tax increases on the ballot. The crime rate is up and parking is difficult.

Do we want to live in Castle Rock or Aurora which has these problems?

The Dawson Trails development is in Castle Rock due to a southern flagpole annexation several decades ago. The owners have a better chance of high density with the town vs. the county. The current town council never met a development they did not like.

This development is shoehorning high density into an area that is bordered on all four sides by larger acreage.

Twin Oaks is 10-acre parcels, Keene Ranch is average of 8 acres, private ownership on the south includes a 500-acre parcel that has a buffalo herd and Bell Mountain Ranch is 5 acres and larger.

Dawson Trails will average 1/3 of an acre. This is 15 times the common usage in the area. This is clearly an abuse of the area by the developer — Westside Investment Partners — and the town.

We need a ballot initiative similar to Lakewood restricting annual new residential building permits to 300 for all developments. Then maybe we can save Castle Rock.

Peter N. Smith

Castle Rock