A proposed 530-acre development within an unincorporated Douglas County ranch has drawn the ire of officials and residents from one the county’s largest towns.

The proposal is to transform the Pine Canyon ranch into a mixed-use development. The land is completely surrounded by the Town of Castle Rock on the west and east sides of Interstate 25 in central unincorporated Douglas County.

Pine Canyon’s proposed development, which requires the county to rezone the land to residential, would build 1,800 residential units, retain a chunk of land for open space and parks and establish a water system.

During Tuesday’s county land use meeting, Commissioner Abe Laydon asked the crowd who among them were in opposition.

Nearly everyone in the room raised their hands.

Residents expressed concerns regarding water.

A two-pipe well water system would supply potable water for indoor residential usage, then be transferred to a wastewater reclamation facility for use as recycled water, according to Jehn Water Consultants.

“The request will not be detrimental to the health, safety, or welfare of the present or future inhabitants of Douglas County,” Jehn Water officials said during Tuesday’s hearing.

Kurt Walker, the sixth generation land owner of Pine Canyon, said, “We will be able to irrigate for the first time in our family’s history.”

The Walker family, who has owned the ranch since 1885, has attempted to redevelop it since 2003, with the hopes of annexing it into Castle Rock. After three failed attempts, the Walkers have pivoted to Douglas County.

Pine Canyon’s proposed development calls for 800 single-family units, a maximum of 1,000 multi-family residential units and a 600,000-square-foot limit for non-residential space. Developers hope to retain 176 acres for parks, open space and trails.

A new mobile transportation hub on the west side of I-25 is also being proposed. Residents expressed worries that it would increase traffic in the area.

In a July statement, Castle Rock officials said, “These impacts will burden the residents of Castle Rock with additional costs related to traffic impacts, degradation of existing roadways, odors and potential overflows from the proposed sewage treatment.”

George Teal, former Castle Rock councilmember, recused himself from the vote to avoid a conflict of interest.

“It is not possible to develop this property without causing true impacts to the Town of Castle Rock’s community and infrastructure,” Castle Rock’s statement said. “The higher the density, the higher the impacts will be on a community that is not currently regulating this area.”

County commissioners plan to conduct another public hearing and a final vote on Monday.