Douglas County approves Sundown final plat with conditions, fees and conservation requirements

Matt Jacobowski of Community Development presented the Sundown Oaks final plat (project SB2025-019), which proposes 17 single-family lots on roughly 72 acres with 36 acres (50%) set aside as permanent open space. Jacobowski said the applicant is eligible for a three-lot density bonus because the preliminary plan was submitted before the county removed the density-bonus standards in 2019; that bonus increases the allotment from 14 to 17 lots under the former rules.

Jacobowski listed 10 staff-recommended conditions that the board should include in approval. Key conditions in the staff presentation included: payment of $33,772 cash in lieu of school land-dedication fees and $64,269 cash in lieu of parkland dedication (both to Douglas County) prior to recordation; recording a 40-foot non-exclusive shared driveway and access easement; recording Sundown Oaks Metropolitan District covenants and restrictions; recording a deed restriction to limit further subdivision of open-space tracts; completion of wildfire-mitigation recommendations before issuance of the first building permit; and a burrowing-owl study if earthmoving occurs between March 15 and Oct. 31.

Applicant project manager Alan Westfall told the board the ownership group accepts the conditions and confirmed the metro district will own and maintain subdivision roads and the open-space tracks. Commissioners noted that required courtesy notices had been sent to numerous HOAs and neighborhood groups and that staff materials were thorough. Commissioner (speaker 5) moved for approval with the 10 conditions; Commissioner (speaker 3) seconded and the board approved the final plat.

The approval allows recordation subject to technical corrections and the listed conditions; it also places long-term restrictions on the open-space tracts and requires the applicant to meet wildfire and wildlife protections during construction.