Parker's Ramblewood Development Plan Draws Neighbor Opposition in Douglas County

Douglas County Commissioners approved a preliminary plan for the Ramblewood Planned Development at a March 10 land use meeting, clearing the way for 68 single-family detached lots, two agricultural lots, eight tracts and associated public roads across roughly 176.79 acres in unincorporated Douglas County. The decision came despite sustained opposition from nearby residents and a split vote at the Planning Commission level, where two of seven commissioners argued the project simply does not belong.

The site sits on the south side of Hilltop Road, across from its intersection with Merryvale Trail. The land was rezoned from agricultural and rural residential use to the Ramblewood Planning Development in August 2025, setting the project on a path that the Douglas County Planning Commission subsequently endorsed in a 5-2 vote. The two dissenting commissioners said they felt the proposal was "not consistent with the rural character of the area."

Residents from nearby Hidden Village and Talman Gulch have raised a wide range of objections. Many centered on increased traffic and concerns about an off-site sewer line. Others focused on compatibility with the surrounding landscape and the potential for the development to lower property values and make certain equestrian trails unusable.

Some opponents took their argument directly to the Douglas County Master Plan, contending that the Ramblewood cluster development fails to meet the county's "like-for-like" development standards. Their position: the density is inconsistent with the surrounding subdivision and the area should remain low density.

A significant concern involved the Upper Dawson aquifer, which supplies Hidden Village. Jennings, whose title was not confirmed in available records, addressed that worry directly, stating that "none of the water that will serve Ramblewood will come from the Upper Dawson, which is the aquifer that supplies Hidden Village." Jennings also said developers plan to have a Wildfire Mitigation Plan in place, add fire hydrants throughout the community, and build a fire vehicle turnaround.

Key details remain outstanding, including a construction timeline, final plat approvals, the actual water source designated for Ramblewood, specifics of the proposed off-site sewer line, and whether any formal appeals of the preliminary plan approvals are forthcoming.