History
In 2005, the Colorado Defense Mission Coalition (CDMC) recognized a community-wide need to prepare the region for rapid military growth. The organization approached the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG) about developing a proposal for the Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) at the Department of Defense.
In the proposal, PPACG requested financial support for a multi-discipline regional planning effort to better prepare local communities for growth-related impacts. In August 2006, the Department of Defense awarded a $518,000 grant for PPACG to launch the Fort Carson Regional Growth Plan.
Over the next two years, PPACG conducted the first phase of the study, and in July 2008 the PPACG Board approved the final Phase I Fort Carson Regional Growth Plan. The Phase I Plan achieved several important goals:
- Provided a high-level look at the issues facing the Pikes Peak region as a result of the coming population increases
- Developed recommendations for further research and action steps to meet Fort Carson growth-related needs
- Initiated regional communication and infrastructure to ensure a coordinated approach to address Fort Carson growth impacts
Click here to download Phase I of the Growth Plan.
The Phase I Plan also identified the need for further research and planning in order to effectively meet community needs. The Office of Economic Adjustment responded by granting PPACG $1.98 million in additional funding for further planning efforts.
Phase II analyzes in greater detail the effect that Fort Carson’s population increase will have on a multitude of resource areas. The final Phase II plan, completed in July 2010, provides the region with a comprehensive analysis of expected growth, as well as a coordinated approach to addressing the growth-related opportunities and challenges in the Pikes Peak region.