EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KOAA) — Town leaders in Calhan are going through the initial steps of a proposed housing project that could double the population of the small El Paso County town.
The "North Tree Annexation" proposal could bring nearly 500 new houses to about 100 acres on the northwest edge of town. The project aims to support schools and add open space to the town of about 700 residents. The estimate comes from documents filed with the county detailing the general development plan.
Earlier this month, town officials signed off on an agreement allowing the developer to pay for an impact report. The agreement does not guarantee approval, and town leaders say the review process could take months, with more public meetings and input ahead.
News5 reached out to Will Vandergriff with Smith Land Development LLC, the group making the annexation request. Vandergriff pointed to the town's new "comprehensive plan," which sets the framework for the possibility of this type of growth.
"We have many good benefits we would like to achieve with good and proper cooperation," Vandergriff wrote to News5.
The land in question is located right next to the ranch of Garrett Balsick, a fifth-generation rancher. Balsick said his concern is not whether Calhan grows, but how it grows.
"Our land isn’t just dollars… It’s a way of life, and it’s a way that I hope I can pass down to my kids," Balsick said. "When you're wanting to double the town… with adding no new businesses, where do those people work?"
Balsick added he has supported other projects that include a mix of residential and commercial space.
"I’m fully behind growing the town… we just need to do it in a responsible way," Balsick explained. "If you do business in Calhan, you will be impacted by this development. I live outside of city limits, so I don't have a vote."
On the other side of the coin, the Pikes Peak Region is facing a shortage in housing, according to a housing assessment. The City of Colorado Springs and El Paso County have contracted with Matrix Design Group to conduct the assessment to address gaps in housing availability. The assessment is being paid for by the City of Colorado Springs, the El Paso County Community Development Block Grant, and the Colorado Infrastructure and Strong Communities Grant Program.
In July, Matrix presented data they gathered in public engagement sessions, highlighting the existing and projected housing unit shortfall. According to their data, which pulled numbers from the 2023 Five-Year American Community Survey and the State Demography Office, the current housing unit need in Colorado Springs is 27,712, while the 10-year projected need is 60,034. For El Paso County, the current need is 36,779 with the 10-year projected need at 82,242, and for unincorporated El Paso County, the current need is 7,585, while the 10-year projected need is 18,571.
Balsick believes that without commercial development, the town risks becoming a bedroom community.
“The town thrives with business,” Balsick said. “Property tax hardly covers the services that those properties require. Commercial tax will cover that.”
The land at the center of the proposal once belonged to Balsick’s family. He said his grandfather sold it in 2002 to avoid bankruptcy, and while development may be inevitable, how it happens matters.
“We’re OK with it getting developed,” Balsick said. “We just want to see it be developed in the right way.”
News5 will continue to track the progress of this proposed project and we expect to provide an update once the impact report is made public.
News5 partner The Gazette has more on the firm selected to conduct the impact report, click here for their coverage.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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