Parker's budget hearing is tonight, Pine Drive adds turn bans and three high schools are off Friday

Parker Town Council holds its public hearing on the proposed 2027 budget at 7 p.m. tonight, with $89.1 million in General Fund spending on the table. Showers clear by Tuesday, Pine Drive adds left-turn bans and three Parker high schools have no classes Friday.

What's Open, What's Closed

Rain today, sunny and 58 by Tuesday, and a chance of snow Wednesday night

Today brings a 70% chance of showers, areas of fog and gusts to 30 mph, with a high near 53 that slips to about 47 by afternoon. Tuesday turns sunny, with a high near 58.

Wednesday reaches 58 before a 40% chance of rain after 5 p.m., then a slight chance of rain and snow from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday is sunny and Friday mostly sunny, both near 58.

Lows reach about 32 Tuesday and Thursday nights, and sunset lands between 4:52 and 4:56 p.m. all week, so a 5:30 p.m. dog walk now needs a light and a jacket.

Source: National Weather Service forecast for Parker. Source date: Nov. 2, 2026.

Pine Drive: closed Ponderosa to Lincoln, with left-turn bans starting as soon as today

Douglas County's Oct. 29 update lists Pine Drive closed between Ponderosa Drive and Lincoln Avenue for about a week, reopening on Sundays. That's down from about two weeks in the county's Oct. 23 notice.

Starting as soon as today, Ponderosa traffic east of Pine shifts north. You can no longer turn left from westbound Ponderosa onto southbound Pine, or from southbound Pine onto eastbound Ponderosa.

Detours use Ponderosa, Parker Road (Colorado 83) and Lincoln, and access to Sierra Middle School and AdventHealth Parker stays open. Every detour lands on Parker Road, so leave early if you have a morning drop-off; the full project runs to the end of July 2027.

Source: Douglas County Pine Drive/Pine Lane project page. Source date: Nov. 2, 2026.

No classes Friday at Chaparral, Legend and Ponderosa

All three high school calendars list Friday, Nov. 6, as a professional development day with no students. If you have a younger student, look up your own school's calendar.

Source: Chaparral, Legend and Ponderosa. Source date: Nov. 2, 2026.

On the Agenda

Town Council: the 2027 budget, 7 p.m. tonight

The proposal budgets $92.2 million in General Fund revenue and $89.1 million in spending, and it counts on $64.7 million in sales tax, up 7% from the 2026 amended budget. General Fund capital outlay falls 70%, to about $1.2 million.

New positions include a Traffic Signal Lead Technician, a Parks Maintenance Technician and an Economic Development Coordinator. The full document is at ParkerCO.gov/Budget.

You can attend at Town Hall, 20120 Mainstreet, or watch on the Town's YouTube page; Zoom isn't offered.

Source: Town of Parker budget notice, 2027 Proposed Budget and Town meeting listing. Source date: Nov. 2, 2026.

County commissioners: $3.54 million for rideshare, Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.

Douglas County commissioners take up 2026-2027 agreements with River North LLC for regional rideshare in the Highlands Ranch and Parker zones. The regular agenda also has $15.25 million toward the Happy Canyon Road and I-25 interchange in an agreement with Castle Pines.

The consent agenda adds $500,000 for drainage and flood control work on Newlin Gulch at Recreation Drive, under an agreement with the Town of Parker and Mile High Flood District. The meeting is at 100 Third St., Castle Rock, and streams on the county YouTube channel.

At 2:30 p.m., a public hearing covers countywide zoning rules on nonfunctional turf and artificial turf. County zoning applies outside town limits, so this one matters if your address is unincorporated Douglas County.

Source: Business meeting agenda and land use hearing agenda. Source date: Nov. 2, 2026.

School board and Planning Commission: nothing this week

The DCSD Board of Education next meets at 5 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Legacy Campus, 10035 S. Peoria St. Parker Planning Commission is next on Nov. 12.

Source: DCSD district calendar and Town of Parker. Source date: Nov. 2, 2026.

This Week

Tuesday: Rightsizing 101 at Parker Library, 3 p.m.

This $5, one-hour session from Parker Recreation's Senior Support Series covers housing options, simplifying daily life and community resources, led by a Realtor. Tuesday's sunny 58 makes it an easy afternoon outing; register here.

Worth it if you or a parent are starting to weigh a smaller home.

Source: Parker Recreation event page. Source date: Nov. 2, 2026.

Wednesday: Chaparral Showcase for eighth graders, 6 p.m.

Chaparral High School, 15655 Brookstone Drive, lists its Eighth Grade Open House from 6 to 7:50 p.m. Rain chances rise after 5 p.m., so bring a jacket for the walk from the lot.

Worth it if your eighth grader is choosing a high school for next fall.

Source: Chaparral High School calendar. Source date: Nov. 2, 2026.

Thursday: Drum Circle at the Rec Center, 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Parker's Therapeutic Recreation program teaches simple group rhythms at 17301 E. Lincoln Ave. for $12, with all levels and abilities welcome and no musical experience needed. Sunset is about 4:53 p.m. Thursday, so it's dark an hour before the start; register here.

Worth it if someone in your house thrives at a social event built for every ability.

Source: Parker Recreation event page. Source date: Nov. 2, 2026.

Thursday: Parker Chamber Member Appreciation Party, 5 to 8 p.m.

The Pinery Golf Club, 6900 N. Pinery Parkway, hosts food, drinks, entertainment and prizes, free for Chamber members and $10 per guest. The RSVP is required, so register first rather than walking in.

Skip it if your business isn't a Chamber member.

Source: Parker Chamber event page. Source date: Nov. 2, 2026.

Thursday and Friday: Chaparral Theatre's Little Women, 7 p.m.

The school calendar lists 7 to 9 p.m. performances Nov. 5, 6 and 7. For tickets, call the school at 303-387-3500.

Worth it if you want two hours of live theater within Parker, and Friday's show follows a day with no classes.

Source: Chaparral High School calendar. Source date: Nov. 2, 2026.

Coming Soon

Veterans Day fireworks: 7 p.m. Nov. 11, with far less parking

The rescheduled July 4 show launches just northeast of Salisbury Regional Park, weather permitting. The North expansion and its new lots stay closed and the large grass lots are out this year, leaving about 300 paved spaces, first come, first served.

You can't park along Parker Road, Hess Road or Mainstreet. The Town's survey picked Bar CCC Park, McCabe Meadows, Stroh Soccer Field, Tallman Meadow Park and the Cherry Creek Trail as viewing spots, and the show may be visible up to two miles away.

Worth it if you can watch from a park near home instead of hunting for one of 300 spaces.

Source: Town of Parker fireworks page and Town of Parker news release. Source date: Oct. 30, 2026.

Dransfeldt Road: a second southbound lane, open house Nov. 17

The Town plans a continuous second southbound lane on Dransfeldt between Lincoln Avenue and Pony Express Drive, with Lincoln to Lincoln Meadows Parkway expected in 2027 and the rest in 2029. Staff walk through the plans at the Parker Fieldhouse, 18700 Plaza Drive, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. or 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Nov. 17, so you can stop by on either side of a workday.

Source: Town of Parker news release and Dransfeldt project page. Source date: Oct. 30, 2026.

Have a Parker event we should know about? Email hello@parkergazette.com.