English Bulldog Puppies for Sale in Highlands Ranch, CO

The Highlands Ranch Community Association is requesting a major amendment to the Highlands Ranch Planned Development. They want to create equestrian and outdoor education facilities on land that is currently open space.

It's located east of U.S. 85 along Ron King Trail next to the Highlands Ranch Law Enforcement Training Facility, about 20 miles south of Denver.

The Highlands Ranch Community Association wants to modify zoning for part of the Backcountry Wilderness Area. While it could expand recreational opportunities for Highlands Ranch residents, some neighbors are worried about a loss of open space.

"We wanted a view of the mountains, and this is very Colorado," said Monte Moore, longtime Cherokee Ridge Estates resident.

Moore built his Littleton home for the views, nature and open space.

"This is an elk migration corridor, and we see elk and deer on a weekly basis in our yard, in the street, and it's awesome, and that's one of the main draws," Moore said.

He lives right next to a more than 8,000-acre Open Space Conservation Area, which was established in 1988 and is owned by the Highlands Ranch Community Association.

The HRCA is proposing an amendment to allow a 20-acre equestrian center and a 45-acre area for outdoor education preschools, camps, community events, administrative offices and more.

"You're doing away with the original intent of what the conservation agreement was, and the impact to the elk herds that are native to this area," Moore said.

Moore worries about the impact on wildlife and safety. Parts of the area are in a floodplain, and there's little to no infrastructure in place.

"There's only one egress in and out, which is a safety concern for South Metro Fire," Moore said. "This neighborhood, believe it or not, has had five wildfires in five years."

According to a report from county staff on the proposed amendment, "South Metro reviewed the request and noted a conditional non-objection to the application. South Metro notes site infrastructure does not currently support new structures or expanded uses without approved improvements to site access and fire protection water supplies. South Metro indicates its comments need to be adequately resolved prior to approval of any future site improvement plans."

The report notes "Douglas County Wildfire indicated wildfire danger is considered moderate based on existing fuel types and topography," but does not include a detailed wildfire risk study.

The area that could house a preschool is next to the Highlands Ranch Law Enforcement Training Facility, which offers firearms and other training to many law enforcement agencies.

"What it sounds like to us is pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop!" Moore said. "It bothers me when you're going to put children next to an area where they use live ammunition on a daily basis."

The HRCA told CBS Colorado, "HRCA has submitted a petition to modify the zoning regulations for the current Basecamp area of the Backcountry Wilderness Area. In conjunction with this petition, we have developed a conceptual plan that contemplates the potential future construction of a facility dedicated to supporting HRCA's environmental and outdoor education initiatives.

This proposed facility is intended to enhance safety measures and substantially expand educational opportunities for Highlands Ranch residents as well as for the broader community. It represents HRCA's continued commitment to offering enriching, accessible, and sustainable nature-based learning experiences."

The plan includes a land swap of sorts. HRCA wants to reduce 65 acres of developable land from an area on the east end of the OSCA and "relocate" it to the area in question to maintain the same development footprint in the OSCA.

But it is little comfort to neighbors like Moore.

"It impacts the people, the land, the conservation agreement, which has been in place for well nearly 50 years," Moore said.

Moore says he and his neighbors have voiced their opposition to the plan, but feel their concerns have fallen on deaf ears.

"It's basically David and Goliath," he said. "I would say half our neighborhood has been to their planning meetings, and for the most part, they just sort of shut anyone down, saying, 'Well, you're not part of Highlands Ranch. You don't have a voice, because you're just the neighbor.'"

Many plan to try again on Monday, when the Douglas County Planning Commission will take up this item at 6 p.m. in the Philip S. Miller Building, 100 Third St. in Castle Rock. The Board of County Commissioners public hearing is scheduled for Dec. 16 at 2:30 p.m. at the same address.

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HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. — A Ranch View Middle School integrated wellness teacher has been arrested by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) on multiple charges, including sexual assault on a child.

DCSO said 28-year-old Teresa Whalin, of Centennial, has been employed by the Douglas County School District since July 2021. At the time of her arrest on Nov. 10, she was working at Ranch View Middle School. She has now been placed on administrative leave, DCSO said.

In addition to the sex assault charge, she also was arrested on charges of internet exploitation of a child and stalking. The district attorney will determine formal charges.

According to an arrest affidavit, a student notified a counselor on Nov. 10 about an inappropriate sexual relationship with a former gym teacher, later identified as Whalin. The student was struggling with mental health issues in the 2023-2024 school year and Whalin begin offering support and hanging out after school in her office, the affidavit reads. Their bond "increased" and "they developed a relationship with one another," the document reads. It became sexual in April 2023. They also shared photos of each other and communicated over Snapchat. The relationship lasted more than a year, the affidavit reads.

The document says that Whalin drove the student to and from school for most of the relationship, and that the student's parents were not aware of it.

At some point, the student said they were interested in dating a classmate and broke off the relationship with Whalin, who "continued to drive near" the student's home and their "walking path to and from school," the affidavit reads. The student reported feeling fearful that they were being followed by Whalin, who they believed was "jealous" of the new relationship.

During an interview with authorities, the student described the relationship was Whalin as traumatizing, the affidavit reads.

After this, police went to Whalin's residence and arrested her. She admitted to being in a sexual relationship with a student for 14 months, and that she knew it was "wrong and illegal" because the student was a minor, the document continues. She was remorseful and said she felt manipulated by the student because she was trying to help them with their mental health, and therefore felt trapped in the relationship.

After they broke up, she admitted to going by the student's home to "catch a glimpse" and of using fake phone numbers in hopes the messages would alarm the student and lead them back to her, the affidavit reads.

She told authorities she knew her actions were wrong and that she deserved jail time for her actions.

Whalin is being held on a $50,000 bond at the Douglas County Detention Facility.

“We are working to find a long-term substitute teacher for our impacted students. In the meantime, the entire Ranch View Middle School administrative team will support our students and ensure learning continues,” Principal Erin Kyllo wrote in a letter Denver7 obtained.

Anybody who has information on this case is asked to contact DCSO Det. Clay at sclay@dcsheriff.net.

This remains an open investigation. No other details were available s of Wednesday morning.

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Will Makoski wanted to move to Colorado from Chicago but didn’t want to leave the cafe he’d worked at for the past 17 years.

“The company felt that it was ready. I spoke up and said, ‘Hey, this has always been a dream of mine, and I think we could do really well there.’ I probably go to Colorado once a year,” Makoski said.

In February, the 40-year-old will open Egg Harbor’s first two Colorado locations, one in the DTC at 7222 E. Layton Ave., and the other in Highlands Ranch, at 9579 S. University Blvd. The breakfast and lunch spot has been around since 1985 in Chicago, with recent expansions into Georgia and Wisconsin, also driven by employees.

“As we started to get bigger and bigger, we started to encounter more employees that were either coming to us and saying, ‘An Egg Harbor would be great out here,’ or, ‘It’s always been a dream of my family to live in this part of the country, but I also don’t want to leave Egg Harbor.’ And so that’s how Georgia happened. That’s how the Wisconsin one happened,” Makoski said.

For Makoski, it will be a family affair. He met his wife at Egg Harbor, and his stepson works at the eatery, too.

But cracking into a new market won’t be easy. The cafe scoured 30 locations across the state, from Fort Collins to the Springs. It costs between $1 million and $1.5 million to open a new restaurant, though how much of that Egg Harbor will pay depends on the landlord and whether a restaurant was previously inside the space.

Lorenzo Harris of JLL helped the eatery find its first local locations.

In the DTC, the restaurant will start from scratch in one of Denver’s newest office buildings. Built by Vectra Bank in 2022 and part of the ritzy new Belleview Station area, its entire 5,100-square-foot retail space on the ground floor has never been occupied.

“It is just a concrete floor and windows. So, we’re really having to go in and start from scratch,” Makoski said.

In Highlands Ranch, things will be more straightforward. The former tenant inside the upcoming Egg Harbor space was a brewery, HopsnDrops, that closed last spring. The brewing tanks and equipment have largely been removed.

The company typically likes to stay in the suburbs, where it captures more of the commuter crowd on the way to work. Its thinking behind more urban spots is to be near residences, as is the case with Belleview Station, home to three new apartment complexes.

“The thing that makes or breaks a breakfast and lunch restaurant is your ability to get and keep weekday business,” Makoski acknowledges.

Pricing may vary somewhat by location, with the DTC’s menu being a tad more expensive than its more suburban counterparts. Makoski compared the Belleview Station’s location to its spots in downtown Chicago, where a traditional breakfast of two eggs with potatoes, an English muffin and one other protein costs $16.50 and a basic omelet is $17.

Once the pair of restaurants are open, Makoski will start hunting for future spots across the state, hoping to get a half dozen online in the next few years.

“There’s 1,000-plus miles between Colorado and Chicago. And my goal is that for someone that has been to our Chicago locations, they should be able to walk into our Denver locations and not even notice a difference.”

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Douglas County commissioners Tuesday approved to transfer 202 acres of land to Highlands Ranch, a move paired with the county spending $3.5 million for a 10-mile public trail network there and beyond.

In the northeast Back Country Wilderness area south of Highlands Ranch Metro District homes, developers once envisioned heavy development featuring a large park, sports fields and indoor facilities known as Wildcat Regional Park Project.

Last year, the county’s development plan for Wildcat faced controversy when residents decried potential impacts to elk herds, other wildlife and natural resources.

As a result, Douglas County partnered with the Highlands Ranch Community Association to develop passive recreation, instead of organized recreation, on and beyond the 202-acre property.

Douglas County acquired the southern Highlands Ranch site in 2011. Wildcat is located west of Monarch Boulevard and east of Daniels Park Road/Grig’s Road. County officials said the new network features 10 miles of new trails connecting with the Douglas County East West trail.

During Tuesday’s land use meeting, commissioners transferred ownership of the 202 acres, known as Wildcat Regional Park, to the Highlands Ranch Community Association. The agreement comes with $3.5 million provided from the county’s open space fund.

“With the land and generous $3.5 million funding from Douglas County, we’re committed to developing this 202-acre space responsibly, balancing recreation with preservation,” HRCA CEO Mike Bailey said in a statement.

“Our goal,” he said, “is to create a park that celebrates the natural beauty, wildlife and community spirit that define Highlands Ranch.”

The planned Wildcat trails will extend to an adjoining trail network throughout a total of 350 acres into the Highlands Ranch Open Space Conservation Area, according to county officials.

Plans appear to include bike skills areas, downhill bike-only trails, surfaced trails, pedestrian-only trails and nature viewing/preservation areas.

The Douglas County Parks, Trails, Historic Resources and Open Space Fund, now with a $24.3 million account balance, is distributing the $3.5 million. In 2022, voters approved a 0.17% sales tax to generate $330 million over 15 years for preserving and creating outdoor amenities – such as regional parks or recreational amenities.

The fund also assists the massive 500-acre Zebulon Regional Sports Complex in Sterling Ranch, a sports facility originally slated for Wildcat. During Tuesday’s business meeting, prior to Wildcat’s land transfer approval, Douglas County commissioners acquired Sterling Ranch land to build Zebulon.

Longtime Highlands Ranch resident Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle, on Tuesday, called the Wildcat approval a victory not only for the metro district, but for all of Douglas County.

“I’m thrilled to support the transfer of Wildcat to HRCA, ensuring this land is available for public use, as it was intended,” Van Winkle said. “Neighbors will see the preservation they wanted, and everyone gets to enjoy miles of trails through this amazing habitat.”