What Is the Hillcamp Subdivision?

A Breakdown of the Proposed Development West of I-25 in Lone Tree

All info below about the Hillcamp (or Mesa Tops) project is taken directly from official development applications, project narratives, and preliminary plans that were received from the City of Lone Tree. We’re hosting these docs on our page under the File Share tab if you want to create a free profile and read them for yourself!

Here is a straightforward look at what’s being proposed and why so many residents are paying attention.

Where Is It?

The Hillcamp subdivision is planned for the western edge of Lone Tree, directly south of Cabela Drive stretching west and south toward the bluffs. It’s part of land within the RidgeGate and Southridge Preserve planning districts — two long-range development zones created years ago to guide growth on the city’s western mesa.

The newly proposed Hillcamp Drive would extend Cabela Drive to serve this subdivision. That new road would connect traffic from RidgeGate Parkway through current City of Lone Tree open space areas and watershed canyon filled with vegetation and wildlife toward the mesa top.

What’s Being Proposed?

The developers— Brookfield Residential, part of the multibillion Canadian-based Brookfield Corp. and RidgeGate Investments - have applied to build a large single-family neighborhood totaling roughly 400 acres split across two planning areas:

• RidgeGate portion: 221 acres, with 261 single-family detached homes and 45 tracts.

• Southridge portion: 171 acres, with 82 single-family homes and 22 tracts.

• Total: 343 homes, a 2.68-acre private amenity center, internal roads, drainage systems, and seven stormwater detention ponds.

  
  

The design calls for five phases of construction, moving from east to west across the mesa and will consist of several years of construction. Phase 1 alone covers nearly 74 acres, with later phases adding homes, open space, and the private amenity center.

The developers say their project will include over 100 acres of community open space and ties into the Douglas County East-West Trail.  Editor note: EXISTING open space and the East/West Trail will be impacted in order to build this subdivision. Also, the open space they're touting is a sales pitch to benefit their future residents, NOT the community.

What’s on the Land Now?

The site today is largely undeveloped open grassland that forms part of the natural mesa ridge overlooking The Bluffs Regional Park. If you were to walk the East/West Regional trail today, you'd see cattle grazing and enjoy sweeping views of 120 named mountain peaks stretching from Wyoming down to Colorado Springs. This mesa connects with habitat areas used by deer, elk, raptors, coyotes, and other wildlife including migratory birds like the burrowing owl and Golden eagles.

No FEMA floodplains or wetlands exist on the site, but the area does drain toward lower neighborhoods such as The Retreat, North Sky, Montecito and Bluffmont Estates in Lone Tree, Surrey Ridge to the south, and McArthur Ranch to the west.

What About Traffic and Access?

The developer is hoping to access the neighborhood from RidgeGate Parkway via Cabela Drive, which would be extended as Hillcamp Drive to reach the mesa top. The road network will loop throughout the subdivision and provide emergency access connections toward McArthur Ranch and Surrey Ridge.  Editor note: The proposed Hillcamp Dr is required to proceed through a full development process and does NOT have final approval. Approval has also not been granted through McArthur Ranch or Surrey Ridge.

Infrastructure and Utilities

The developer has submitted “will-serve” documentation from Parker Water and Sanitation District, confirming future service for water and sewer. Parker Water and Sanitation has not provided any documentation that shows they'll be able to sustain this new community yet. Stormwater quality will be handled through the seven proposed Excess Urban Runoff Volume (EURV) ponds that ring the site.

Why It Matters

Hillcamp represents one of the largest remaining undeveloped areas in Lone Tree, and its location along the bluffs makes it particularly sensitive. Residents have raised concerns about:

• Traffic and road safety on RidgeGate Parkway and Cabela Drive.

• Drainage and runoff impacts to surrounding neighborhoods.

• Loss of wildlife corridors and open viewsheds.

• Building roads and other infrastructure on fragile hillsides with history of movement.

• Fire-risk management on the exposed mesa and for surrounding areas (including rural communities who require water to be trucked in for emergencies).

• What the implications are for another 300+ homes on an already strained water system and resources.

Understanding the details is the first step toward informed community input! Sign up here to get notifications on when this application enters the public referral stage so you can submit written comments and be notified of meetings with the Planning Comission and City Council.

Learn More & Get Involved

Official Hillcamp application documents — including traffic studies, drainage plans, and environmental assessments — are available under the Files tab.

Together, we can make sure development in Lone Tree reflects smart, responsible growth that protects what makes our city unique.

Sign the petition!