DougCo Drop – Jan 8: Draconian Rental Caps, 100-Day Closure, and an Arborist's Warning

Hope your year is off to a fantastic start! With the Broncos in such a great position heading into the playoffs (knock on wood), I reminded myself to finish the Elway documentary on Netflix. I had forgotten some of the details of his storied career. He was drafted first overall by the Colts (who were in Baltimore at that time), refused to play for them, and forced a trade to Denver by threatening to play baseball instead.

Saddle Up

🎤 Music & Concerts

🎤 Tots & Tunes
📅 Date: Thursday, January 8
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
📍 Location: Southridge Rec Center, Highlands Ranch
🔗 See event details

🎤 Atom’s Open Mic Night
📅 Date: Thursday, January 8
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
📍 Location: Wild Goose Saloon, Parker
🔗 See event details

🎤 Nikki Z & The Vizzion
📅 Date: Friday, January 9
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM - 11:30 PM
📍 Location: Takoda Tavern, Parker
🔗 See event details

🎤 Street Survivors – Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute & Second Chance – A Tribute to 38 Special
📅 Date: Friday, January 9
⏰ Time: 8:00 PM
📍 Location: Wild Goose Saloon, Parker
🔗 See event details

🎤 Old Man Rock Band
📅 Date: Saturday, January 10
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
📍 Location: Sterling Center, Sterling Ranch
🔗 See event details

🎤 Alex Cuba
📅 Date: Saturday, January 10
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM
📍 Location: Lone Tree Arts Center, Lone Tree
🔗 See event details

🎤 Classical Concert at the Mansion – January
📅 Date: Tuesday, January 13
⏰ Time: 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
📍 Location: Highlands Ranch Mansion, Highlands Ranch
🔗 See event details

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family

🐍 Seedlings: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
📅 Date: Tuesday, January 13
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM & 11:30 AM
📍 Location: Lone Tree Arts Center, Lone Tree
🔗 See event details

🛂 Passport to Culture LocoMotion
📅 Date: Sunday, January 11
⏰ Time: 1:30 PM & 4:00 PM
📍 Location: Lone Tree Arts Center, Lone Tree
🔗 See event details

 🎨 Arts & Culture

🌳 Branch & Bloom Educational Workshop: Delivering Dance Back to the People
📅 Date: Wednesday, January 14
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM
📍 Location: Lone Tree Arts Center, Lone Tree
🔗 See event details

🍽️ Food & Drinks

🍷 Blanchard Family Wines Guided 4-Wine Tasting
📅 Date: Friday, January 9
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
📍 Location: COFF33, Castle Rock
🔗 See event details

🍫 Blanchard Family Wines Wine and Chocolate Tasting
📅 Date: Saturday, January 10
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
📍 Location: COFF33, Castle Rock
🔗 See event details

🍹 Nightlife & Entertainment

❓ Trivia Night
📅 Date: Wednesday, January 14
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
📍 Location: Sterling Center, Sterling Ranch
🔗 See event details

🎙️ Avery Kyle Entertainment
📅 Date: Wednesday, January 14
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM
📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill, Parker
🔗 See event details

💸 Fidelis Wealth Financial Planning Symposium at Happy Crew Coffee House
📅 Date: Friday, January 9
⏰ Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
📍 Location: Happy Crew Coffee House, Lone Tree
🔗 See event details

🏔️ On the Horizon

🎤 Rented Tuxedo
📅 Date: Friday, January 16
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM
📍 Location: 105 West Brewing Company, Castle Rock
🔗 See event details

💃 Ailey II
📅 Date: Saturday, January 17
⏰ Time: 6:30 PM
📍 Location: Lone Tree Arts Center, Lone Tree
🔗 See event details

🥃 Whiskey Tasting-Bourbon and Rye
📅 Date: Saturday, January 24
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM
📍 Location: Cherokee Ranch & Castle, Sedalia
🔗 See event details

🎮 Game Show Night
📅 Date: Thursday, January 29
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
📍 Location: Southridge Recreation Center, Highlands Ranch
🔗 See event details

🐈‍⬛ Nat Geo Live: Wild Cats Revealed with Sandesh Kadur
📅 Date: Friday, January 30
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM
📍 Location: Lone Tree Arts Center, Lone Tree
🔗 See event details

🚗 Worth the Drive 

🏃‍♀️ Stock Show Kick-off Parade
📅 Date: Thursday, January 8
⏰ Time: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
📍 Location: Union Station at 17th Street, Denver
🏃‍♀️ Detail: Hooves on the streets of downtown Denver mean one thing: the National Western Stock Show is here!

Need more events? Check out https://dougcoevents.com (new URL)

Land and Lore

When HOAs, courts, and rental limits collide in Douglas County

A quiet but consequential HOA fight in Douglas County highlights how much power community associations can wield, especially when state law gets involved.

Headlines like this bring back nightmares from my time dealing with LA rent control and other housing regulations. No, I do not miss it.

In the Sawgrass at Plum Creek townhome community, a new amendment now caps rentals at 25% of units, bans short-term rentals, limits owners to leasing just one property at a time, and creates a waiting list for anyone who wants to rent in the future. Existing leases are grandfathered in, and hardship exceptions may be granted, but for many owners, the change fundamentally alters what they can do with their property.

What makes this case notable is how the amendment passed. Fewer than 34% of owners voted in favor, well short of the 67% threshold outlined in the community’s covenants, which normally would have ended the proposal. But under the Colorado Common Interest Ownership Act, an HOA can petition the court for approval if more than half of the normally required votes are cast in favor. State law also requires the court to approve the amendment unless at least 33% of all owners object to it. In this case, fewer than 30 of Sawgrass’s 243 owners — about 12% — objected, leaving the judge with no legal discretion to deny the petition.

The HOA argues the rental cap protects property values, community stability, and rising insurance costs tied to higher rental concentrations. A homeowner challenging the amendment calls it draconian, saying it restricts individual rights, may force some landlords to sell, and could even depress resale values. The amendment also allows the HOA to enforce rules directly against tenants and requires higher landlord insurance coverage.

From my perspective, this raises some big questions worth watching.

• How many homeowners truly understand that court petitions can override low turnout votes?

• Could this become a model for other Douglas County HOAs facing insurance pressure?

• And for buyers, sellers, and investors, how much weight should rental caps now carry when evaluating HOA communities?

Whether you love or hate HOAs, this is a reminder that the fine print and state law matter more than most people realize.

Source: CBS Colorado

Hometown Headlines

100-day closure coming to County Line Road as major reconstruction begins
TLDR: A stretch of County Line Road will be fully closed for about 100 days so crews can fill the notorious Lee Gulch dip and continue widening work. Neighbors are bracing for detours and spillover traffic, but most seem to agree the long-term safety and congestion improvements are overdue.

Colorado arborist warns Douglas County homeowners to protect ponderosa pines from mountain pine beetle
TLDR: A local arborist says mountain pine beetle activity is picking up and healthy ponderosa pines can be at risk. The key takeaway: prevention matters, and treatment options like trunk injections plus deep watering and mulching can help, but it is often too late once infestation signs appear.

Backcountry Wilderness Area rezoning sparks concerns about wildlife, traffic, and future development
TLDR: Parts of the Backcountry Wilderness Area in Highlands Ranch were rezoned to potentially allow expanded equestrian and outdoor education facilities. Supporters say the change affects a small slice of the property and helps fund the broader conservation mission, while opponents want stronger traffic and wildlife impact data.

Senior Helpers opens in Parker and expands in-home care options for Parker and Castle Rock families
TLDR: A new Senior Helpers location opened near downtown Parker, offering in-home care ranging from companion support to specialized Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s care. If you are navigating aging parents, post-surgery help, or day-to-day support, this is a new local option serving both Parker and Castle Rock.

Life Care Center of Stonegate earns U.S. News Best Nursing Home designation for 2026
TLDR: The Parker facility received national recognition from U.S. News & World Report, with marks for both short-term rehab and long-term care. For families comparing care options, this is one of the more credible third-party signals to know about.

Castle Pines Life Time gym is expected to include a cafe and poolside bistro
TLDR: The upcoming Life Time in Castle Pines is expected to offer two on-site food and beverage options, including smoothies, coffee, and grab-and-go meals, plus a poolside bistro. The project is also pitched as a major amenity build with a sizeable local jobs impact once it opens.

Parker oral surgeon heads back to Kenya for a major dental mission this spring
TLDR: A Parker resident and oral surgeon is returning to Kenya with a medical mission team to provide dental care at scale, after treating hundreds of patients on a prior trip. The story highlights the growing local effort behind Global Humanitarian Healthcare and the logistics of delivering care in low-resource settings.

Need more events? Check out https://dougcoevents.com (new URL)

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