Frequently Asked Questions

General Community

What is a neo-traditional community?

Neo-traditional communities are built with their residents in mind. Inspired by the traditional neighborhoods of the past, a neo-traditional community blends walkable streetscapes and greenspaces designed as pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods that lead to a collection of community parks and a Town Center where neighbors gather, live, work, and play together.

What is unique about Painted Prairie’s location?

Painted Prairie is one square mile bordered by Piccadilly, Himalaya, 56th, and 64th avenues, and directly across from the spectacular Gaylord Rockies Resort. The community is five miles from Denver International Airport, nine miles from Anschutz Medical Center, and 17 miles from downtown Denver.

Additionally, the 61st and Pena Station is a quick one-and-a-half miles from Painted Prairie. Painted Prairie offers the easiest access to the A-Line Rail, E-470, 56th Avenue, and I-70 for easy commutes to Denver’s employment centers.

What homebuilders are building at Painted Prairie?

Painted Prairie currently features a wide range of world class builders offering a large array of home styles in the neighborhood (with more on the way!).

  • Berkeley Homes
  • David Weekley Homes
  • KB Home (offering both detached homes and paired Villas)
  • McStain Neighborhoods
  • New Home Co.
  • Pulte Homes
  • Remington Homes
  • Toll Brothers (Coming Soon)
  • Tri Pointe Homes

How long will it take for the community to be fully built?

At capacity, Painted Prairie will consist of approximately 3,400 residences. The diverse builders and builder home styles being offered now and in the future should enable home sales and build out of the community over the next 7 to 10 years. Download the Painted Prairie Master Plan here.

What are the plans for commercial and retail development at Painted Prairie?

The Painted Prairie Town Center will be the focus of commercial and retail development at Painted Prairie. As shown on the Master Plan, the Town Center will feature boutique hotels, eateries, and a vibrant retail mix for residents and visitors to the area.

Will Painted Prairie offer for-rent opportunities?

Yes. Plans for two multi-family communities, stacked flats and townhomes for rent at 56th and Picadilly are in the works. In addition, Painted Prairie will feature further rental options available in Town Center.

Who are the developers of Painted Prairie?

The Painted Prairie ownership group is a collaboration of long-time Denver developers Alberta Development and Resolute Strategies. Painted Prairie is the only other Colorado community designed by the same creative planning team–Civitas and Calthorpe & Associates—who successfully transformed Stapleton Airport into a world-renowned, successful urban redevelopment now known as Central Park.

Builders & Homes

How many model homes are currently open at Painted Prairie?

Currently, Painted Prairie offers 9 open model homes from world-class builders: Berkeley Homes, David Weekley Homes, KB Home Paired Villas, KB Home Single-Family Detached, New Home Co., Pulte Homes, Remington Homes, and Tri Pointe Homes.

Is there a site map available?

The Master Plan map references home sites, parks, and other amenities with a conceptual map available for viewing in the community brochure. Each builder manages their own available homesites within the plan. Check the builder websites for details or contact their sales centers.

What builders have inventory available?

The best and easiest way to check for current inventory is to visit the Inventory page on the Painted Prairie website.

What’s the difference between Available Now, Under Construction, and Ready to Build in reference to Inventory homes?

When a builder offers an Available Now home the buyer can move within a few short weeks. An Under Construction home means the builder has made all feature and finish selections, and the buyer is able to move within three or five months. A Ready to Build home is a home where the homesite is selected, permitted, and in the beginning stages of construction. The buyer generally then can select many of their options and finishes.

Transportation

How far is Painted Prairie from Downtown Denver?

Painted Prairie is approximately 17 miles from Downtown Denver.

How long does it take to get to the Denver International Airport (DEN) from Painted Prairie?

DEN is a mere five miles from the community. On average it’s about a seven- to ten-minute drive to the airport from Painted Prairie. And if you're wondering about the noise that causes in the community, you're in luck! In short, it's rare you hear airplane noise while at Painted Prairie. Flight patterns, the landscape, prevailing winds, and aircraft types all play a role.

In the early 2000s, DEN did a noise study that assumed all of the worst cases. Then, they established a 60 Day-Night Average Sound Level (Ldn) noise contour—5 Ldn quieter than Federally mandated. Even at its closest point, that is well north of Painted Prairie.

Do the trails connect to the broader Colorado trail system?

Painted Prairie’s current parks all interconnect throughout the neighborhood. This connection carries through to the future parks in the community. Our final park, Prairie Retreat Park, features the last headgate of the historic Highline Canal. Many local hiking and biking enthusiasts are anxiously awaiting the construction of this park as it completes the 70-mile-long journey, following the history of Colorado’s water supply to the plains.

Will there be a Park and Ride station at Painted Prairie?

Not quite, but close! The 40th & Airport–Gateway Park Station (less than 6 miles away) is a Park and Ride with bus routes, access to the A-Line light rail, along with bike racks and lockers. There's also a closer A-Line light rail stop at the 61st & Peña Station, which is under 4 miles from the community. 

Town Center & Amenities

What are the plans for the Town Center?

At the heart of Painted Prairie will be an active, creative Town Center featuring a beautiful urban park at its center. A collection of communal spaces, Town Center will offer eats, drinks, destination dining, health and wellness, boutique hotels, and a host of urban living options. 

What is special about the Painted Prairie park system?

One of the most compelling features of a neo-traditional community is the green spaces tucked into every corner of the neighborhood. While the yards may be smaller than traditional suburban homes, every resident is only steps away from a pocket park where neighbors meet to play and enjoy the great Colorado lifestyle. Painted Prairie’s parks pay homage to the historical significance of the prairie in design, plant choices, and creative points of interest to recognize the impact and importance of the area in the history of Colorado.

The park system at Painted Prairie is touted to be one of the best community parks along the Front Range. In fact, these parks were nationally recognized by the National Association of Home Builders as the Best Landscape of a Community at the 2022 The Nationals awards. Designed by Civitas, the park system features natural playscapes, as well as whimsical playgrounds created by Beanstalk Builders. Before breaking ground on homes, the community installed the first of seven parks in Painted Prairie. In keeping with the neo-traditional style, more parks are coming to Painted Prairie with added parks and green spaces planned to be incorporated into each new phase. Explore our parks here.

Will there be a community pool at Painted Prairie?

No. Painted Prairie will not install a community pool. The neighborhood planners and developers discussed the pros and cons of a community pool within the neighborhood. The decision was made to create outdoor spaces, gardens, parks, and internal trails for residents to enjoy year-round instead of a few months out of the year and keep HOA fees lower.

For an interactive map of pools, worship centers, daycare and school options, and shopping, click here.

Are there retail and other services nearby?

This area of the City of Aurora is rapidly growing! Explore this interactive map (same as the one linked above) of nearby shopping opportunities, recreation centers, centers of worship, and childcare options.

Schools

What schools are available to residents' children and located near Painted Prairie?

Painted Prairie is located within the boundaries of Aurora Public Schools. High school students attend Vista Peak Preparatory School. For elementary and middle school, children attend Aurora Highlands P-8. Private and charter school options are available in the area, including nearby High Point Academy. For more information about nearby schools, please explore this interactive map.

Is there bus service to the public or charter schools?

Yes. Painted Prairie does feature a bus stop in the neighborhood for the public schools in the area. Please contact your school of choice to learn more about individual transportation options for each school.

HOA & Metro District

What are the HOA (PPOA) dues at Painted Prairie?

The Painted Prairie Owners Association's (PPOA) initial homeowner assessment varies by the type of home purchased, as well as the varied levels of maintenance provided by the PPOA. For 2024, the PPOA's fees are: Single Family with Front Load Garage - $58/mo.; Single Family with Alley Load Garages - $90/mo.; Single Family with Tuck-behind Garages - $107/mo.; Townhomes - $280/mo.; Green Court Facing Homes - $150/mo.; and Paired Homes - $135/mo. Depending on the type of home owned, the PPOA’s fees cover varied levels of property maintenance, as well as residential trash and recycling services.

What are the responsibilities of the PPOA and the Painted Prairie Metropolitan District (PPMD)?

The PPOA is responsible for annual assessment billing, compliance inspections and enforcement, architectural review, trash removal, common area landscaping, specified snow removal (which varies by the home style and applicable dues structure), and administrative services (including but not limited to insurance, expense management, tax and budget preparation, and board management). The Metro District oversees park and district property maintenance, snow removal from the trails and sidewalks within the parks and parking lots. The City of Aurora maintains all public streets. A map of maintenance responsibility areas is available through the PPOA management company.

With Metro District mill levy responsibilities, what is the overall tax breakdown for Painted Prairie residents?

Painted Prairie property taxes are paid to the Adams County Treasurer. The 2024 annual total mill levy (ML) for Painted Prairie residential is 190.523 to 196.955. Painted Prairie mill levy (ML) includes Adams County (26.967), Aurora (7.816), Fire District 11, (1.0) Painted Prairie Metro District(s) (#3; 75.894, #2; 82.326), RTD (0.0), School District 28j-Aurora (77.846), Urban Drainage & Flood Control (0.9) and Urban Drainage South Platte (0.1). The residential Assessment Rate (AR) for 2024 is 6.7%. Sample Calculation: $500,000 Adams County Valuation (based on conservative valuation and timing) x 6.7% AR = $33,500 x 1.96955 ML = $6,598 in annual taxes due. A rough estimate of current taxes could be calculated as approximately 1.4% of current sales pricing (ie., $500,000* 1.4% = $7,000). Please ask your builder sales representative for details. Visit the Painted Prairie Metro District website for detailed information on the Metro District structure and mil levy breakdown.
Gardens, Parks & Playgrounds

How many parks are open?

There are currently over 30 acres of open space spread across seven unique parks within Painted Prairie’s first phase of development. The park system features natural playscapes, as well as whimsical playgrounds created by Beanstalk Builders. The largest of the parks, High Prairie Park features 22 acres, four distinct playgrounds, BBQs and Pavilions available for rent, as well as picnic tables, ski chairs, and more!

Learn more about High Prairie Park and the nine other pocket parks.

How do I reserve a pavilion or any of the amenities at Painted Prairie?

Residents and visitors may reserve parks, pavilions, and other amenities by contacting the Metro District at [email protected]. If you're a resident, you can also visit our Resident Resources page to login to your HOA account and access more information.

How do I find out more about the community gardens?

In honor of the history of the prairie it is built upon, Painted Prairie’s Community Gardens offer residents dedicated garden plots to grow their own food. Currently, there are four Community Gardens—Indian Paintbrush in High Prairie Park, Columbine Gardens in Lilac Park, Primrose Garden, and Sunflower Garden —with more on the way. You can contact the PPOA Management company to learn more ([email protected]).

Are there plans for a dog park in Painted Prairie?

Yes. Prairie Paws is a dog park that is open in the northeast corner of the community as part of Pioneer Park.

How many children’s playgrounds are at Painted Prairie?

High Prairie Park currently has five unique playgrounds—The Fort, Adventure Run, Gamble Ropes, The Outpost, and Lincoln Logs—all designed and built by the renowned Beanstalk Builders. More playgrounds and equipment are planned in future phases of Painted Prairie.

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