To help you better understand our vision for Sterling Ranch and what it means to people living in Douglas County, here are some Fast Facts along with most commonly asked questions.  If you have a question, ask us  info@sterlingranchcolorado.com

Fast Facts

What would Sterling Ranch offer to people who live in Douglas County?

By creating a highly efficient, conservation-minded community located in a growing county, Sterling Ranch will be able to provide economies of scale and much needed new infrastructure to the Chatfield Valley. Sterling Ranch’s new water system will allow us to fulfill our commitment to share our water with existing neighbors on declining wells. The development will uphold and substantially increase existing property values, attract new economic development with jobs, relieve existing homeowner tax burdens, and ensure a highly desirable, sustainable community for generations to enjoy. It will open up the land and remove the fences that have prevented others from enjoying the whole valley. We believe it’s important to keep the Chatfield Basin vibrant economically, while going well above requirements to ensure open space for wildlife remains secure.

What does it mean to have a sustainable community?

Sterling Ranch will be a pioneer in how we will build and live in the New West with sustainability as our overriding design principle.   The idea is to make a difference in our community by making quality of life choices as we consider our natural environment, economy, transportation, water, and local food systems.  Sterling Ranch is committed to disciplined, varied and permanent growth in the Chatfield Valley.  We will preserve 37% of our land for open space and minimize the consumption of natural resources.  Our walkable villages with clustered homes will prevent sprawl, and our housing will blend with and complement existing neighborhoods. Our community is intended to be a model for design and technology with the spirit and motivation to be the best and brightest that our sustainable heritage can offer.

How will Sterling Ranch enhance infrastructure in the Chatfield Valley?
Northwest Douglas County has significant infrastructure needs that have not been addressed by existing government entities.  These needs include roads to enhance traffic flow, necessary new rooftops to make the Roxborough businesses viable, water sufficient to relieve drying wells, and wastewater solutions for the entire valley. Only by allowing new growth that provides a financial infusion can these needs be met.  

How does Sterling Ranch fit into the Douglas County Comprehensive Master Plan?
The Sterling Ranch development team planned our community using the Comprehensive Master Plan as our blueprint.  The Sterling Ranch area is surrounded by development – Highlands Ranch to the east, Roxborough to the west, Littleton to the north and commercial development along the Santa Fe corridor. The area was designed for future urban consideration in the Comprehensive Master Plan approved by Douglas County in 2000. The Douglas County Planning Commission developed a plan to keep development in the northern part of the county. This was set forth in the Douglas County Comprehensive Master Plan (May 2008) which was adopted after three years of preparation, study, and public hearings. This plan designated the Sterling Ranch area as an urban growth area to accept the numbers of people coming to our county, while keeping the southern part of the county rural.

As water is a precious and limited resource in Colorado, how will you ensure a long-term water supply?
Sterling Ranch’s goal has always been to become one of the nation’s most frugal water-use communities using innovative conservation methods. We expect our proposed community to use one-third of the water that Douglas County has historically required. Water is a limited resource. That’s why our development team has assembled some of the best engineering minds who know water and reuse systems. Specifically, we are committed to setting a new standard for water use while maintaining a “water-wise” approach to our Colorado lifestyle.

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What water-wise conservation methods do you plan to use?
Our team is working with award-winning landscape architects who practice “waterwise” conservation principles to ensure our landscaping and irrigation is state-of-the-art. We will be utilizing a “conjunctive use water system” as required in the Douglas County Comprehensive Master Plan. This process utilizes tributary water in average or better rainfall years supplemented with storage and Denver Basin water in drought years. 

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How will you serve water customers inside and outside Sterling Ranch?
Dominion Water and Sanitation District will serve Sterling Ranch and is currently executing the purchase of renewable water. The principals of Sterling Ranch and organizers of Dominion Water and Sanitation District have committed to NOT charge the District OR its customers more than the costs involved in the purchase, holding, and entitlement of the water. There is also an agreement in place to purchase the former Roxborough Wastewater Treatment Plant which will become a platform for a regional waste treatment system capable of serving the Chatfield basin using advanced water treatment technology.

What is the “agriburbia” concept?
Agriburbia is an innovative and growing design movement that integrates aspects of agrarianism with land development.  It is a new vision for feeding ourselves and for defining how and where we live that means re-thinking how we use land and water, and how and where we grow food.  The land-use and planning concept combines the positive social, cultural, physical and financial characteristics from urban and rural lifestyles. In Sterling Ranch, Agriburbia will be an alternative low-water landscaping option. Sterling Ranch hopes to grow one-third of its calories in home and community gardens allowing residents to put fresh produce on the table all summer.

How are you planning to address traffic in the Sterling Ranch area?
Our goal is to keep traffic impact as low as possible and esthetically maintain a calm, safe, small-town feel to the entire community. That’s why we retained the nationally renowned firm of Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin Inc. (specialists in 21st century transportation planning and engineering). Sterling Ranch is committed to creating a hierarchy of interconnected streets that balance the regional mobility needs of Douglas County with the access and livability needs of its residents, coupled with the use of lower design speeds and access management.

What will the street network be like inside Sterling Ranch?
Sterling Ranch is committed to creating a more robust street network than is usually provided to distribute traffic, enable transportation choice, provide neighborhoods and commercial centers that are more pedestrian friendly and increase land use opportunities. The interconnected network of complete street design for all users will provide motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists multiple routing options – relieving the pressure to accommodate all traffic movement on a single corridor.

What about the natural wildlife here?
Sterling Ranch has dedicated more than one-third of its acreage, well over the amount required, to the preservation and conservation of what is near and dear to our hearts – nature and natural wildlife. Over 37 percent of Sterling Ranch is designated open space and parks, including indispensable wildlife corridors with buffer and transition zones. People will be able to view the wildlife; but those animals which thrive undisturbed, will also have their protected places within Sterling Ranch. Provision has been made for a variety of natural wildlife habitats, and we will also have a variety of natural trails for people and animals as established by the CBCN (Chatfield Basin Conservation Network).

How will Sterling Ranch handle prairie dogs and burrowing owls which are plentiful in our area?
Sterling Ranch is a working ranch. As such, it is our goal to foster range management techniques that identify, acknowledge, and manage a wide variety of plant and animal species in a conducive and harmonious environment. When one species, especially one as important to the overall program as prairie dogs, throws that environment out of balance by its sheer weight, we must take action on behalf of the broader system. In this case, favorable weather patterns, availability of abundant food sources, and lack of natural predators have combined to create an imbalance ultimately harmful to the whole. Sterling Ranch has retained the environmental monitoring firm, ERO, to help monitor and advise on this delicate balance, and that of peripheral species to the prairie dog, such as the burrowing owl.

What amenities are you planning? 
We are deeply committed to green infrastructure principles designed to balance people, nature, wildlife habitats, and landscape in harmony with our county’s growth demands.  Homes and commercial buildings will feature Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building for diverse single and multi-family housing options. We also want to provide such a rich mixture of recreation opportunities that all ages and abilities can enjoy becoming healthy throughout our lives. Sterling Ranch will provide a world-class Sports Village with fields and facilities for youth athletes and the local community.  In addition, 30 miles of new trails on Sterling Ranch will connect two popular state parks and five major trails, including the Highline Canal and the Colorado Trail.  

What are your plans for parks, sports and recreation?
The Sterling Ranch park system has been designed to provide a broader range of park types, both public and private, than are typically found in most communities.  The system will provide playfields and facilities that support traditional organized sporting activities, playgrounds, picnicking, and related amenities, as well as parks that support emerging active sports such as disc golf, fitness walking, lacrosse, and mountain biking that are truly multi-generational.

Will you have a trail system for walkers, joggers and bikers?  
A network of regional and community trails supports will be provided to give everyone access to Sterling Ranch and the beautiful places that surround it, including Chatfield State Park, Roxborough State Park, and Waterton Canyon. The fences around Sterling Ranch will come down, and more than 30 miles of trails will be created for all to enjoy.

What about horseback riders?
Sterling Ranch will also be home to many equestrian enthusiasts who will have an opportunity to enjoy the tailor-made equestrian trails that exist throughout Sterling and connect off the site. The development is surrounded by several equestrian riding clubs where riders can board horses, take lessons from professional trainers, and compete in horse shows.

What are your plans for a sports complex?  
We envision an enlarged, state-of-the-art sports village that would include soccer, football, lacrosse, tennis, basketball, baseball, volleyball and cheerleading. The sports village will be the new home for Colorado Rush, which will provide enhanced opportunities for youth soccer, and Slammers baseball and softball. Also included in the sports complex will be lodging for young athletes and their families who travel to Sterling Ranch for tournament play.

What about schools?
Sterling Ranch will expand its educational reach with five new elementary schools, plus the addition of a middle and high school. We have been working closely with the Douglas County School District to provide top quality education in northwest Douglas County.  The school district provided a very positive referral comment to the county in response to the Sterling Ranch PD Zoning application, noting that Sterling Ranch has worked hard to establish a strong working relationship with the school administration focusing on the needs of the local community. Sterling Ranch has partnered with the state of Colorado, acting through its Board of Land Commissioners, to develop the School Trust Parcel adjacent to the Sterling Ranch property to maximize the value, which benefits the school children of Colorado.

Will there be a town shopping and business area?
Absolutely. A recent New York Times story said that the future of America rests on “vibrant suburban town centers.” The story said humans need meaningful places to live —suburban gathering spots where they can dine, work and enjoy public spaces. Sterling Ranch plans a community town center and a few other niche streets that will give villages local flavor and neighborly interaction. The town center will include a library, along with space for small businesses, specialty stores, other retail and offices.

What needs to happen in order for the proposed Sterling Ranch development to move forward?
After eight years of high-level planning and meetings with key people at the county, conservation leaders, community interest groups, and existing homeowners, our final master plan application was submitted to the county for zoning review during February 2009. We look forward to the approval of the zoning of Sterling Ranch to create this unique community and expect the Planning Commission to schedule public hearings on our application this year.

How long will it take to build the Sterling Ranch community? 
Sterling Ranch is TOO IMPORTANT a community asset not to be done properly and we do not want to make the compromises that would be required to force the project into a weak real estate market. Therefore, we will move forward closely monitoring market conditions. To do it right, and be mindful of area wildlife and natural migration needs, we will work as efficiently as possible, to roll out sections at a time that best work within seasonal challenges and the daily flow of the community. Our plans call for a twenty-year full build-out of the Sterling Ranch development.