A developer is hoping to bring a new subdivision and commercial center to rural land off of Judge Orr Road, working around a floodplain on the nearly 400-acre property. 

The project, called Jane Davis Ranch, is just northeast of Meadow Lake Airport. At full buildout, it is currently planned to have a maximum of 93 single-family homes, two commercial nodes and park open space.  

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On Thursday, the El Paso County Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend the subdivision to the  Board of County Commissioners for a vote next month. 

Jane Davis Ranch would be close to Saddlehorn Ranch, a 218-home development under construction; the Esteban Rodriguez Subdivision, a 135-home development currently under review by the county; and a location under development for the Pikes Peak Board of Cooperative Educational Services. The project applicant, William Guman and Associates is the planner for each of the surrounding developments, as well. 

A preliminary traffic study found that the subdivision would generate around 2,800 daily trips, with upgrades to surrounding roads recommended but not specifically discussed in the plan presented. 

“Staff has come to the determination that the change in character is relatively consistent with the other developments that we’ve seen in this area,” said Ryan Howser, a planner with the county, at the meeting. 

The property includes a floodplain identified through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The community would include six detention basins to mitigate potential effects. 

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Bill Guman, a representative for the property owner, told planning commissioners there was no plan to build houses in the currently identified floodplain. 

“We have taken that into consideration as far as buildable portions of the site,” he said.  

Guman said that connecting areas of the development across the floodplain probably would happen after the 50% mark in later plans. 

“We kind of have two communities that are cut off from each other,” said Planning Commissioner Eric Moraes.  

While the type of plan that developers presented on Thursday does not require findings about water availability, Guman said that the developers had done a study on the hydrology and geology of the area.

Documents submitted on the project show estimated water use per year and the intention for the subdivision to draw water from residential and commercial wells tied into the Denver Aquifer. El Paso County generally requires developments to demonstrate water availability for 300 years to meet approval. 

The project will go to the Board of County Commissioners with a positive recommendation from the Planning Commission on Aug. 28. More specific plans for the property also will need to seek county approval. 

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