No Access, No Approval, No Transparency: The Road That Doesn’t Exist

The Hillcamp (or “Mesa Tops”) development being proposed south of Lone Tree along the East/West Regional Trail has one fundamental problem: there’s no approved access to the site.

That’s right—despite glossy presentations and conceptual plans, the developer’s team has no legally approved road or entry point into the property. And yet, they continue to push this project forward as though access is a done deal.

Who’s asking for the road?

The official applicant is Rampart Range Metropolitan District, but the real beneficiary is Brookfield Residential / RidgeGate Investments, the entities behind the Hillcamp proposal. Their current plan depends on persuading the City of Lone Tree to give up publicly owned land so a private road can be built through it.

In plain terms: a developer needs our public land to access their private project.

No access—from anywhere

There is no approved access point from the north, south, or west.McArthur Ranch and Surrey Ridge have both made it clear: they will not allow roads through their rural neighborhoods. These communities were designed for horseback riding and quiet living—not construction trucks and commuter traffic.

The only “potential” access routes are speculative and would require major land transfers or new road extensions that don’t exist today.

So why would a developer push full steam ahead on design plans, presentations, and PR campaigns without confirmed access? Are they betting the City will eventually give them what they need?

The public land problem

Rampart Range Metro District is asking the City of Lone Tree to convey public open space—land currently meant for all residents—back to them so they can construct an access road to Hillcamp.

In a community meeting with local residents on Thursday, November 13, Keith Simon, Executive Vice President of Coventry Development Corporation (also known as RidgeGate Investments and the board majority on the Rampart Range Metro District), claimed that when the Rampart Range Metro District conveyed land to the City of Lone Tree in 2020, it “had an easement in place with the City” allowing them to build a road and whatever other infrastructure they wanted for Hillcamp.

But this raises serious questions.If Rampart Range intended to take the land back to build a road, why did they convey it to the City in the first place in 2020? And if such an easement truly exists, why hasn’t it been made public?

This statement also directly contradicts what residents have been told by the City.

According to Chuck Darnell, Lone Tree’s Principal Planner, any proposed road to Hillcamp must go through the full development review process and can only move forward if approved by a resolution of City Council—a public vote at a public meeting.

City Council agendas are published here, and residents can sign up here for email notifications ahead of time.

This discrepancy calls into question the transparency and consistency between the developer’s claims and the City’s official process.

What residents are asking

Residents are calling for transparency and accountability:

• Has the City already discussed or negotiated land transfers behind closed doors?

• Are other parts of the Hillcamp application moving forward without a legal access plan in place?

  
  

These are fair, reasonable questions—and ones every Lone Tree resident should want answered before this proposal moves forward.

Why it matters

Once a road is built, it’s forever.It will displace wildlife, destroy open space, and permanently alter the landscape. It will affect trail safety, increase traffic, and change the character of our community.

This isn’t just about a road—it’s about public trust and responsible planning.

Get Involved

Join your neighbors in standing up for responsible development and the protection of public lands. Stay informed, attend City meetings, and make your voice heard.

Sign the petition. Contact us at SaveTheLoneTreeBluffs@gmail.com for ways to get involved. Email the Lone Tree City Council and ask: “Why are we considering giving away public land for private access?”