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Neighborhoods & Schools

What is it like to live in Banning Lewis Ranch in Colorado Springs?

By Weldon Hobbs · Team Hobbs Realty
Published · Last reviewed

Banning Lewis Ranch is a large master-planned community on the east side of Colorado Springs, east of the Powers Boulevard corridor, with mostly newer homes, a residents-only recreation center, and new construction still underway. It's run largely through a set of metro districts, which add their own property tax and fees, so knowing the full monthly cost matters more here than in older areas. City Council approved plans in 2026 for about 5,000 more homes. Most addresses are in District 49; verify yours.

Where Banning Lewis Ranch is

Banning Lewis Ranch covers a huge area of east Colorado Springs. The City annexed about 24,000 acres, roughly 38 square miles, in 1988, and most of it sat undeveloped for decades before homebuilding picked up in the 2010s. The built neighborhoods today are east of Powers Boulevard, around Dublin Boulevard, Vista Del Pico Boulevard, and Banning Lewis Parkway.

The Powers corridor is close by, with its shopping, restaurants, and activities. Peterson Space Force Base is to the south, and Schriever Space Force Base is farther east. Getting to downtown, the north side, or I-25 means crossing town, so drive your own routes at rush hour before you buy. Commute times by area gives estimated drive times from across the city.

For emergency care, UCHealth's freestanding Emergency Room–Powers is on North Powers Boulevard, and UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central has a full emergency department.

The homes

Most homes in Banning Lewis Ranch were built from the 2010s on, by several builders, including Oakwood Homes and Empire Homes. Expect mostly single-family homes in a range of sizes and prices, with some newer sections still being built.

The community also includes The Retreat, an age-restricted (55+) section under the federal housing-for-older-persons exemption, with its own amenity center, outdoor pool, and main-floor floor plans.

Because the homes are newer, roofs and major systems are usually younger than in older parts of town. The El Paso County Assessor's property record shows the year built for any address, and a newer home still deserves an inspection. Inspecting a newer home explains why.

Resale or new construction?

On the edges of Banning Lewis Ranch, a resale home often competes directly with new construction nearby. In today's interest rate environment, new construction can be tough to compete with on price, because builders can offer rate buy-downs and other incentives. The trade-off is time: new construction takes longer.

In my experience, builders today aren't building homes the way they did in 2006, 2007, and 2008, when it was "build it and they will come." They're running a business, so by and large they wait for buyers to sign before they build, with a small number of spec homes to keep their crews working.

If you're weighing the two, compare the full cost of each, including the builder's incentives and how long you can wait. New construction or resale and builder incentives walk through the comparison.

The recreation center, parks, and trails

  • The Banning Lewis Ranch Recreation Center, on Vista Del Pico Boulevard, is for residents only. It has pools, including a water park area with a zero-entry pool and slides, along with fitness classes and community programs, and it has been operated by the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region. Ask what's included in your fees and what costs extra.
  • Neighborhood parks and trails run through the built sections, and more parks are planned in the new phases.
  • The Retreat's amenity center is for that section's residents.

Metro district, HOA, and property tax costs

Even a paid-off home isn't free. Taxes, district fees, any HOA dues, and insurance continue, so I recommend knowing the full monthly cost of any home before you decide.

  • Metro districts. Banning Lewis Ranch is served by a group of metro districts (Banning Lewis Ranch Metropolitan District Nos. 1–5 and 8–11 and two regional districts). Besides paying for infrastructure, the districts handle covenant enforcement and design review, the recreation center, trash and recycling, and snow removal. That means the districts do much of what an HOA does elsewhere.
  • Their levies add up. For example, District No. 8 listed a total levy of 61.321 mills on its 2026 transparency notice, on top of the city, county, and school district levies. The districts also charge fees. Levies and fees differ by district, so check them for the specific address. What a metro district is explains how to look them up.

Two homes at the same price can have very different tax bills because of the districts they sit in. Why two similar homes can have very different property taxes shows how to compare them.

Schools

Most of Banning Lewis Ranch is in Falcon School District 49, which also authorizes Banning Lewis Academy, a public charter school in the community. School district boundaries don't always follow neighborhood names, and assignments can change, so verify the district and schools for the specific address with the district before you buy. Neighborhoods by school district explains how to check.

Insurance and wildfire risk

Homeowners insurance varies by home in Colorado Springs. The roof's age and material, hail history, and wildfire risk all affect it, and the east side's open prairie brings grass-fire risk. Colorado now requires insurers to give you a wildfire risk score for your property and to consider mitigation you've done. Get an insurance quote for the specific home early in your search. Why insurance varies so much between Colorado Springs homes explains the factors.

Check every home, every time

Every home is different, and every neighborhood is different. The HOA or district rules, insurance, metro district, the age of the home, and the age of its systems all matter, so it's worth checking each one every time.

The Colorado contract builds in time to do that. Under the standard Colorado purchase contract, you have deadlines to:

  • inspect the home (§ 10.3),
  • review the association or district documents (§ 7.4), and
  • confirm you can get insurance you're comfortable with (§ 10.5).

By each deadline, you can end the contract if you're not satisfied, in your sole subjective discretion, and your earnest money is returned when you terminate on time. How earnest money works explains the protection.

What's coming: about 5,000 more homes

In September 2026, Colorado Springs City Council unanimously approved zoning and concept plans for two more phases of Banning Lewis Ranch, covering more than 1,100 acres between Dublin Boulevard and Stetson Hills Boulevard, east of Banning Lewis Parkway, with Oakwood Homes as the developer:

  • Village B2, north of Dublin Boulevard: about 2,500 homes, a small commercial area at Dublin Boulevard and Banning Lewis Parkway, a school site, and neighborhood parks.
  • Village C, south of Dublin Boulevard: about 2,500 homes, two school sites, land for a future fire station, a 35-acre community park, smaller parks, a segment of the Rock Island Trail, and mixed-use land along U.S. 24.

Both phases still need further approvals before construction, and the developer estimated buildout at about 15 years. Public comments raised traffic, water, density, parks, and school capacity. City staff found that the projects wouldn't overburden existing infrastructure, and the Colorado Department of Transportation's open issues at the Stetson Hills Boulevard and U.S. 24 intersection must be resolved before Village C's final plat can be recorded.

In my view, this is why we have a public process: people raise concerns, and that leads to better ideas. By the time buyers are ready to move in, a lot of those questions have been worked through. There's no guarantee, but the City and the developer have every reason to get it right. In today's market, buyers have choices, so a community has to stay appealing.

How to decide whether Banning Lewis Ranch fits

  • If you want a newer home with a community rec center, Banning Lewis Ranch is worth a look. Confirm what your district fees include.
  • If you're comparing a resale home with new construction nearby, compare the builder's incentives, the timeline, and the full monthly cost side by side.
  • If your commute runs to the north side or I-25, drive it at rush hour first.
  • If you're buying near the new phases, expect years of construction nearby, and look at the approved plans for what's planned next to the home.

If you'd like to compare Banning Lewis Ranch homes, resale or new, with other parts of town, let's look at the numbers together, including the full monthly cost.

What could change the answer

  • Which metro district the address is in, and its current levy and fees.
  • Whether you're comparing against a builder's incentives on new construction.
  • How close the home is to the new phases or major roads under construction.
  • Your commute route and the time of day you drive it.
  • The exact school district and schools for the address.

When to talk with a professional

Check the property's tax districts with the El Paso County Assessor or Treasurer, and read the district's documents and fee notice. Get a homeowners insurance quote early. Hire an independent home inspector, even for a newer home. Verify schools with the district. And work with a local real estate professional who can compare resale homes with new construction in your price range, including the full monthly cost.

About the author

Weldon Hobbs is a Colorado Springs REALTOR® and co-founder of Team Hobbs Realty. He is a member of The Platinum Group, REALTORS®, Colorado Springs' #1 independent brokerage, which pairs deep local expertise with premium marketing exposure. A U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and retired Air Force veteran, he and his family made more than 10 military moves. Since 2006, he and his wife, Kristen, have bought and sold their own homes, managed a portfolio of rental properties, and guided others through their own real estate decisions. He has also helped both family members and clients downsize, where the decisions are often complex and the process can feel overwhelming. Drawing on his background as a PMP® (Project Management Professional), he helps people break those decisions into clear, manageable steps.

Since beginning his real estate career, he has ranked in the top 7% by sales volume among the more than 4,000 members of the Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS®. He works with military families, seniors and downsizing clients, luxury and premium home sellers, and people relocating to Colorado Springs. He developed the Life → Wealth → Real Estate™ method, hosts the national YouTube channel Life & Real Estate After 50™, and holds an MBA along with the SRES® (Seniors Real Estate Specialist®), MRP (Military Relocation Professional), and Certified Financial Coach credentials. More about Weldon

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