More parks, trails to come near Woodmen Drive

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - A new neighborhood in Colorado Springs will bring thousands of homes and more than two dozen acres of open space.

The City Council just approved new taxes for people who move there.

The neighborhood off of Woodmen Dr. is called Percheron Parks and Recreation District. The area was previously called Banning Lewis Ranch North.

As a part of the new service plan approved Tuesday the meadow north of Woodmen Dr. will turn into parks, trails, and housing.

"All that 3000 and the 2500 houses are going to come down this little road that we've had for 40 years," said homeowner Lynn Vanlandingham.

Some neighbors are worried about an influx in traffic and having to share the road with drivers.

"We have animals out here. This is animals and horse country," continued Vanlandingham.

A breakdown of the plans for Percheron shows businesses, schools, and a sports complex, which is still in the early stages. Part of the appeal of the Percheron development is the added six miles of trails and 30 acres of parks and open spaces.

"We already have open space and they're encroaching on that open space," said homeowner Ted Baldwin.

What is filled with brush and wildflowers now will eventually look more like a residential area. In total it’s nearly $40,000 in public improvements costs, paid for partially by Norwood Development.

In addition to the developer's payment, on Tuesday, the City Council approved additional taxes meaning
anyone who moves into the district will also pay a little over $35 in taxes a month, totaling more than $400 each year.

One point made clear in the City Council meeting Tuesday is that these additional taxes will not impact any of the nearby districts that the Percheron Parks and Recreation District overlaps with.

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