Author : Lakewood News from Karen

Vivian Elementary, the Graham House, and the Isolation of a Neighborhood in Ward 1

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on September 26, 2024Posted in UncategorizedTagged Colorado, historical, history, housing, Lakewood, news, parks, real-estate

Guest Post from Laura Majors We all rely on our elected officials, both paid and volunteer to do the right thing, work together, and make the best decisions possible for the city, county, and school system. When they aren’t talking, community amenities are put at risk. Our neighborhood, in the north end of Ward 1, is in a position to lose many amenities that can isolate a neighborhood. We are being handed “plans”, then input is received and largely ignored, with a concession here and there. Here are the example of what we are experiencing: Graham Park & Graham House: The Graham House and Park were donated to the city for a park with house for meetings and education. Last Autumn, a small group of neighbors and HOAs (in a largely non-HOA neighborhood) were notified of “improvements” to this park. The plan included the demolition of the Graham House. The reason for the demolition plan was the cost of fixing up the building as event rentals had decreased, largely for the reason that the building had not been maintained. According to counts of the responses on at the initial community meeting and on https://www.lakewoodtogether.org/grahamparkimprovements , community members want to keep the building, yet this request was ignored. The new plan after community involvement, is to demolish the building. An open records request response said that there is no record of a legal review by the City Attorney whether or not demolishing the building in respect to our city charter is legal, section 14.3, page 40. Today, I requested of all our city council members a legal review of the plan to demolish the Graham House within Graham Park. If there is an objective lawyer out there reading this who would like to give a pro bono opinion to the community, please do. Vivian Elementary School: JJeffCo School District decided to close Vivian Elementary School. The school exists on a parcel of land donated in 1953 by the Larsen family, who farmed the land. The family of the Larsens have indicated they would like the property to remain public. Since the school closed in the Fall of 2023, neighbors say we are not receiving the priority #2 snow plowing around the school, making it more difficult to get out of the neighborhood onto priority #1 streets. In April 2024, JeffCo Schools held a community meeting at the local library. They were overwhelmed by the number of people from our community who were interested, so many that monitors were set up outside of the room for overflow. Representatives from the school district told the community that the City of Lakewood had turned down the opportunity to purchase the land and building. This municipal process was posted on the JeffCo Schools Disposition web site for how the process was supposed to go. The first step of the process is to meet with city officials, yet no record of this meeting exists. At the library meeting, the community gave clear feedback that a park was the best use of this land and indicated that the school district should go back to the city and ask again. Instead, Jeffco Schools went ahead with their next steps in the process to sell the land, which could result in up to 70 homes being built on the property. Community members came forward in force with requests of the city to purchase this land for a park and possibly using the building for a recreation or learning center of some kind. On September 13th at 12:00 noon, the City Council of Lakewood and the Jeffco School Board and Superintendent held a meeting. The only topic discussed was the school disposition process and more specifically, Emory and Vivian Elementary Schools. While the Jeffco School Disposition process has a community notification system in place for anyone interested in one or all of the schools, a notification did not go out about this meeting. The meeting was mostly about how the process didn’t work and Jeffco Schools admittedly said that the municipal process needed to be more “formal”, and that the city would be given more time in the future to respond on whether or not a property was desired for purchase. The additional time would allow the city to discuss plans with the community before giving a formal response on a property. So, there are now direct negotiations for the city to purchase 3 acres from Jeffco Schools and Jeffco has asked developers to include that in their final plans. A community group met with one of the developers at their request to look at their plan and give feedback. The development plan was for the ballfields, basketball court, playground, picnic areas, parking lot, and school building to be demolished. The plan showed 37 houses leaving 3 acres of park space. Unfortunately, this is the 3 acres on the easement under which a very large Denver Water pipe lies. Likely, homes could not be built on most of this space anyway. We lose our amenities, we gain an easement. We would like to have a discussion with the city before all the amenities are gone. 10850 20th Street/Quail Street Park: City Council approved the purchase of this land from Denver Water in the Autumn of 2023. The city website says they have purchased it and will ask for community involvement after the purchase is complete. The portion on which Quail Street Park with a playground sits is a lease held by the city through 2028. The Assessor’s office shows the owner is still Denver Water. I asked the city for clarification and was told negotiations are ongoing. City Council members have described this land as “passive park space”, which denotes no ball field or space for organized sports. Removal of 20th and Oak Pedestrian Light: In addition to these properties, a pedestrian traffic light at 20th and Oak was being reviewed for decommissioning. Kids used it to get to Vivian Elementary School. Neighbors responded to the request for input, saying this light connects the

New Property Deals in Lakewood for Subsidized Housing and Possibly Migrants

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on September 23, 2024Posted in Uncategorized

Repost from Colorado Engaged The video below, recorded in early February 2024, discusses Jefferson County’s plans to invest millions of dollars in taxpayer funds on Navigation Center(s) and outlines their expectations. In particular, I recommend watching the discussion at the 15:30 mark, where Commissioner Andy Kerr shares his position that public funds should be spent on individuals regardless of where they’re from or legal status. The response from Jeffco staff highlights that, depending on the funding source and any restrictions, their approach is essentially “the more, the merrier.” The opening section of the video touches on Proposition 123, which may be confusing for some viewers. For context, Prop 123 was narrowly approved by voters in 2022 and reallocates TABOR refunds to support government-managed, taxpayer-subsidized housing and homelessness initiatives. The video explores three main revenue streams: federal ARPA funds, Prop 123 allocations, and county public funds, which are currently capped under TABOR but could be uncapped if voters pass Measure 1A in the 2024 election. Two major developments, in addition to schools, are being considered for government purchase. These include the Aspen Heights building at 13th & Wadsworth, which is stalled due to financing issues, and the Colorado DMV campus at Pierce & Colfax, where former State Representative Chris deGruy Kennedy is negotiating a deal to convert the property into subsidized housing. Editor’s Note: Financing issues on the Aspen Heights property are on the developer side, not any potential deal with a government. The video is available on my YouTube Colorado Engaged channel. Thanks, Natalie Menten

Lakewood Purchased Navigation Center Property

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on September 21, 2024Posted in Uncategorized

Lakewood closed on the purchase of the Navigation Center property on Wednesday, September 18, 2024. Travis Parker, Chief of the Sustainability and Community Development Department, made the announcement on Monday, Sept 16, during the budget presentation. The property has been leased until now. He added that Lakewood is working on an Intergovernmental Agreement to fund operations, which may include Arvada’s new navigation center as well. Such an agreement would allow other cities to contribute some funds while Lakewood takes on the long-term burden of caring for the unhoused. Lakewood will begin property renovations as soon as possible. The property has never been granted a shelter permit, which is the only opportunity for public input. Instead it has operated for years on an emergency basis and will continue to do so. The increased crime surrounding the area has been ignored by the city, as has the increase in homeless in Lakewood. City officials seem intent on providing more free to low-income housing despite these problems. Lakewood is also looking for properties to host transitional housing, like pallet homes, particularly along Colfax. Lakewood donated $500,000 to affordable housing projects this year.

Metro West Receives Grant for the Whippoorwill Development

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on September 19, 2024Posted in Uncategorized

The Colorado Department of Local Affairs published a press release regarding the development going in near Whippoorwill Dr, to showcase the positive impact of this housing funding locally. As a follow up, Lakewood Informer asked if DOLA was aware of the resident concerns or the dangerous interestion involved. There has been no response at this time. Williams Pointe: Housing Authority of the City of Lakewood, Colorado dba Metro West Housing Solutions (MWHS), was awarded a DOH loan of $4.4 million and a grant for $2.2 million to assist with new construction of Williams Pointe, a 44-unit apartment building in Lakewood. Read the full press release here: Colorado State Housing Board Announces Over $43M in Rental, Homeownership, and Supportive Housing Awards

Land Taken by Eminent Domain Plagued by Crime – Ignored

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on September 19, 2024Posted in UncategorizedTagged Crime, Homeless, housing, news, vagrancy

The owners of Lakewood affordable housing are plagued by crime that is ruining their business and driving residents away. A piece of their property was taken by Lakewood in 2022 through eminent domain to be used as a bike path. Now that bike path, along RTD tracks, is home to so much illegal activity that the people living nearby are leaving their affordable housing to go elsewhere. Property owners made another plea to City Council on August 26 asking for police enforcement. Property owners met with RTD on September 9 and city representatives accepted the invitation to attend. However, no new actions or greater enforcement was promised. Property owners were urged to keep calling but their calls will remain a low priority since Lakewood does not prioritize drug use or vagrancy. “We have Section 8 people who do not want to live at our property and are moving out. We have higher turnover and vacancy costs. We are being put out of business by the issues going on across the street. Our business is to help and provide affordable housing.” – Property owner The owners have made hundreds of calls to police in the last years. The police are involved in several incidents but say their hands are tied so they try and disperse the people loitering, who then return and continue their activities, leaving evidence of drug use and drug deals on the property. City Council defends programs of selective enforcement or non-enforcement. These programs nullify the law, leaving people like these owners to watch their affordable housing become uninhabitable. Council has chosen to keep laws on the books that the city will not enforce. The Zephyr property used to have a valuable amenity, being on a quiet, dead-end street near the lightrail. That has changed. “…now it’s drugs and illegal activity. This isn’t watching people smoking weed. This is watching people doing hard drugs and bad things. All day every day.” – Property owner Unfortunately, this is not the first time these property owners have had to come before City Council. They came a year ago to plea for help and came once before that. They have been ignored for years. Points West still operates out of Lakewood to provide safe drug use material with county funding. (Read more about these complaints in Lakewood Informer news) Lakewood police told property owners that calls on infractions involving illicit drug use and vagrancy are a low priority call. On the day of the RTD meeting, RTD and Lakewood officials came to the property to find the remains of a campfire that vagrants had set the night before. Lakewood considers the space a park and allows people to stay. RTD also allows people to stay as long as needed. Lakewood does not prioritize drug use or vagrancy. – Policy of Lakewood Police as explained to property owners Note: Lakewood City Council supports this unofficial decriminalization of drug use and vagrancy out of compassion for the homeless. Watch the full video testimony here (minute mark 42:23): Transcript (emphasis added): We’re the owners and managers of 1320, 1330 Zephyr Street. We’re a family-owned business that was started in 1991. Over the last 10 years we’ve produced a portfolio of apartments, mostly in West Denver and in Lakewood. We currently own more than 300 units in Lakewood, and multiple properties along the light rail station. We take pride in providing safe, clean, affordable housing, and we are committed community partners, striving to make a positive impact. In the community we operate. More than a third of our tenants are on Section 8 housing vouchers. Our main focus today is the challenges of the transit population along Wadsworth Station specifically, that is affecting Zephyr Street and multiple properties along the light rail station. We purchased the Zephyr apartments in 2016. We improved the property investing in the units, common area, and had a stable, quiet property, um, that families enjoyed living in. In 2022, the City of Lakewood came and took part of the property via eminent domain to create a larger public walkway and bike path, and they took valuable parking from our residents. Since then, we’ve had ongoing issues with the transit population along the light rail that was once a valuable amenity to our tenants. Here’s our property, highlighted in green, the Wadsworth station is one block to the east of the picture, highlighted in yellow is the section that was eminent domain from our property. Here is the southeast, southwest corner of our property, looking to the east of the light rail station is 2 blocks um past our property, um, and this shows the area that was eminent domain. I’m gonna just talk about some of the safety concerns and issues that we have since the property was taken this larger walkway, um, sits behind a chain link fence from our property and our tenants no longer feel safe. This is a place that was a nice area. The street dead ends there. And so a nice public space and it’s now drugs and illegal activity. This isn’t watching people smoking weed. This is watching people doing hard drugs and bad things. All day every day. People don’t want their kids to use the bike path. Tenants don’t feel comfortable going and using the public transportation and light rail. What was once an amenity is now a nuisance. We’ve constant trespassing and public intoxication. So we have people that come onto our side and they come on people’s balconies, they break into our property in common area. We’ve had theft of our property of our tenant’s property and vehicles. With people using the bathroom out of the bathroom. People doing Schedule One drugs and doing other things that nobody wants to see all day every day at their apartment. It’s a health and safety concern. They’re creating trash constantly, so the trash gets in between this fence and is littered onto our property. So WE have to go pick up

City Not Disclosing Where New Units for Homeless Going

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on September 10, 2024Posted in UncategorizedTagged affordable-housing, city-council, Homeless, housing, news

Lakewood City Council amended the building code to allow transitional housing for homeless on September 9. There were no defined programs, no defined projects, no defined locations, no operational guidelines and no defined structures. City Council Members spent most of their comments defending the lack of specificity by saying this is just the first step. They pointed to the housing crisis as evidence of need. Council positions are summarized below. The vote was 10-1, with Councilor Olver being the sole no vote. Programs can start as soon as the city acquires land, which was not approved in the 2025 budget. Councilor Rein proposed a contentious amendment that would require the city to own or control the housing programs. There was push back from Council Members Shahrezaei, Mayott-Guerrero, Stewart, Cruz, Low, Nystrom, and Sinks. The feeling seemed to be that Lakewood should buy the land with taxpayer money and allow the programs but essentially give it to private actors to use for the homeless. An interesting note is that many Council Members frequently mention their work for non-profits while advocating like they are soliciting donations, rather than legislating from a government responsibility standpoint. There is a homelessness crisis and if we don’t do anything we are complicit…. People have a right to shelter. – Public Comment, Amber Varwig Rein eventually removed his owned or control language. That means any non-profit can control the program. As Council Member Shahrezaei pointed out, this includes faith-based programs. Once approved, the city will have no control over the program. There is no defined project, policy or process for a city approved project so staff was unable to answer many of the City Council questions, which was awkward because City Council obviously had specific things in mind and they struggled to figure out how to get their base assumptions resolved. “How far from the usual do you want to go in amending this building code” …Transitional housing is not within in the purview of the building code to begin with. – City staff response upon being questioned on whether it is even possible to put “own or control” definitions into the building code. Without a defined “City of Lakewood Transitional Housing Program” , and without a defined approval process, this discussion could morph into anything in future. Council Member Comments and Positions Stewart: Asked questions so that staff can reiterate that these units are safe. Clarifies that City Council asked for this ordinance before other pieces come forward. She says that when they tried to do safe parking they had a vendor lined up and then had to wait because the city hadn’t changed the ordinance first. She clarifies with staff that the word control and approved is not defined in the ordinance as passed, which she agrees to. Mayott-Guerrero: Says we’ve been working on getting this housing ability for two years. Now that there is a code they can work on a specific project. She says there are already homeless here and so taking care of them prevents problems later on. This is a local solution to a national problem. Rejects using the building code to try and control a program and does not try to define what a program means in the ordinance. LaBure: Questions if garage door mechanisms are included in the amendment. Sees the need to address the affordable housing crisis but half the city is zoned R1 so we need to change the building code. Low: The city needs to provide housing so that people can get the help they need. Says LA and Denver crime went down around pallet homes. Reiterates that the proposal is a result of council request, not a specific project and asks how the specific project would be approved. Answer is that the approval process has not been set but there have been conversations about what is needed. There may need to be a permit review involving public hearing. Sinks: Clarifies that these new units will not be going into parks or open space. Cruz: Asks whether a non-profit could partner in these projects. The answer is that it is only city approved, does not need to be city controlled. She says there is a human cost in not taking action. Rein: Next step is for staff to provide a framework to answer all these questions, such as does it need a special use permit, which is an option but not certain. Rein motions to add language “owns (in whole or in part), or controls, or both” to the projects. so that the city always has “skin in the game”. He later removes this language. Shahrezaei: As to the amendment, she approves the subcontractor relationship, (rather than the having the city own or control). City staff answers that this is a policy decision and that control could come from the permitting process. Nystrom: Strongly states that City Council has nothing specific planned, they are just getting ready. Lakewood has a homelessness problem. People who are living on the streets need our help. Naysayers should consider being more compassionate. Strom: Thank you to everyone working on this for the last couple years. This aligns with our priorities. Scorecard: Amend Building Code for Transitional Housing Strom: Aye Shahrezaei: Aye Sinks: Aye Mayott-Guerrero: Aye Cruz: Aye Stewart: Aye Low: Aye Olver: Nay Rein: Aye LaBure: Aye Nystrom: Aye

BACK TO THE 50s! LAKEWOOD COMMISSIONERS DECIDE THAT PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT MAKES IT TOO HARD ON DEVELOPERS.

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on September 9, 2024Posted in UncategorizedTagged city-council, Colorado, environment, news, parks

Press Release A Resolution drafted by the Lakewood Planning Commission sought to address inadequacies in the process for Major Site Plans. The request for a Resolution came from Rebekah Stewart on City Council and was in direct response to the 6-story apartment complex planned directly adjacent to Belmar Park, its lakes, and established natural habitats. The Resolution notably promoted a paragraph recommending there be “an evaluation of the potential effects of a park adjacent development on habitats with the park, including any demonstrable effects on park flora and fauna”. In the Sep 4 discussion of the Resolution, Commissioner Kolkmeier mentioned that this was not a new concept and that Ft. Collins has an ordinance exactly on this topic, so that there were models available to draw from. However, Commissioner Buckley stated that he did not know what Ft. Collins experienced from this ordinance, and therefore recommended striking the paragraph from the Resolution. After a half-hearted round robin where other commissioners stated “perhaps we could recommend that City Council review the Ft. Collins ordinance” and “it’s unfortunate not to address the ecology at all”, the commission voted 4 to 1 to remove the paragraph and not consider protecting the environment in a review of Major Site Plans, even when they might be located adjacent to a park. There is well documented peer-reviewed research of the adverse impacts of adjacent development on wildlife from increased noise, light pollution, pets – especially cats, bird strikes on window glass, and general human-caused disturbance. An industry as vilified as Oil and Gas is required to perform environmental assessments before beginning projects. However , the Lakewood Planning Commission has decided that in our human-centric world, protecting the environment should not be a factor that developers need to bother with. From developers to Lakewood: “Thanks!”. History. Belmar Park was voted into existence in 1973, after a long-contested struggle of what the original Bonfils Stanton estate should become: a development that would provide a tax base for the newly incorporated City of Lakewood or a large, centrally located park. The outcome, Belmar Park, is described on the city website as one of the “true jewels of the city park system, a peaceful enclave in the center of town” that comprises 132 acres of natural area. It is valued for its wildlife (avidly photographed) and also for the serenity and tranquility it provides to park visitors. Threats to the Park. In the 50 years since the inception of Belmar Park, the city of Lakewood has inevitably seen much growth. One recent proposed development at 777 S. Yarrow St., which currently contains the two-story Irongate office building, threatens the integrity of the park by adding 412 luxury apartment units in a six-story complex on 5 acres immediately adjacent to the eastern boundary of the park. Sixty-five mature trees would be removed. The project is legally zoned for this density after a zoning change in 2012. Done as a city-wide “legislative rezoning”, the change did not require neighborhood notification that most rezoning involves. The 2015 Comprehensive Plan further exacerbated the problem by designating Belmar Park and the adjacent land as a “growth area”, which allows for dense multi-storied structures. Also, with the designation of a Major Site Plan, the project to date has been reviewed only by city staff, with no input from City Council or the public. Residents of Belmar Commons townhomes, located within 300 ft of the project, were notified in 2023, 2 years after the project plans had been submitted to Lakewood. Impacts to the Park. How would Belmar Park be affected by such development on its periphery? Over 240 species of birds have been catalogued at Belmar Park, according to Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird.org, including resident, breeding, and migratory birds. There is written authority on the detrimental effects of noise and night lighting on bird mating, nesting, and reproductive success. There is wide documentation of the threats to birds from collision with buildings and glass, a danger that the nearby multi-story building would present as birds fly eastward across the lake with afternoon sun reflected on the windows. The mature trees on the project site provide nesting and foraging sites for songbirds and raptors. As far as more people experiencing nature, there have been articles about our public spaces being loved to death. As a frequent visitor to Belmar Park, I have watched people fishing near the No Fishing signs, and social media has reported turtles being taken from the lake. With the addition of 412 apartment units encroaching on the park, degradation is inevitable. Public outcry and City of Lakewood Position. When the public became aware of the project in August 2023, people filled City Council chambers to protest in each meeting from September into January 2024. Most City Council members and Mayors Adam Paul and Wendi Strom contended there was nothing that could be done to change the proposal due to the “right to build”. This raises the question, why does development supersede the wishes of the community and Lakewood’s own ordinances and plans, such as The Existing Tree Preservation ordinance, which requires protection of mature trees and design plans that minimize disturbance to such trees; the Lakewood Sustainability Plan, with a goal to achieve a 30 percent tree canopy by 2025; and The Lakewood Comprehensive Plan, which reads that new developments should be compatible and seamlessly integrate with existing neighborhoods (in this case the park and 1and 2-story townhouses.) Additionally, according to the Lakewood Municipal Code, the calculation of land dedication requirements for park and open space, the developer owed the City 3.3 acres of parkland, which would have created a buffer with the park. However, the City opted to accept an “in lieu of” cash offer from the developer with no land donation, and intends to use the funds for a parking lot south of the library, effectively removing more trees and green space. Where we are now. It is clear that the deteriorating Irongate office building should be demolished. The

Lakewood Changing Code to Allow Transitional Housing Units for Unhoused

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on September 8, 2024Posted in Uncategorized

Lakewood is following Denver’s lead on allowing micro-communities, or pallet homes, to be built in Lakewood. This program would provide transitional housing for the unhoused. According to Denver7, Lakewood is considering building these housing units themselves. Lakewood remains opaque as to their intentions and where these communities might be built. The vote to change the municipal code is Monday, September 9. Micro-communities are the kind of affordable housing that city officials have been talking about for years. Residents have been interpreting “affordable housing” to mean housing that teachers could easily afford. In reality, studies have shown that the only the homeless and extremely low-income need additional housing units. Micro-communities would fill this need, especially since they are generally subsidized by taxpayers. As one Lakewood resident points out on LakewoodSpeaks, Denver is spending $7 million on 200 pallet homes, a cost of $35,000 each. The new Lakewood municipal codes and pallet homes do not address long-term solutions. Denver has been spending increasing amount without seeing a decrease in homeless. Denver receives first batch of tiny homes as it looks to house 1,000 homeless by the end of the year Lakewood is already seeing the new navigation center acting as a magnet to attract homeless to Lakewood. As reported in the Lakewood Informer news, Lakewood hired a consultant to change the zoning codes to densify neighborhoods. This was done without finalizing the comprehensive plan and without alleviating the problems that high-density brings, like increased parking problems. The proposed changes eliminates the need for parking spaces here. This means that as residents diligently work together on building a comprehensive plan that fits their vision, Lakewood is already doing what it wants. Pallet homes.

Proposed Speed Limit Change is Ineffective

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on September 8, 2024Posted in Uncategorized

Due to the number of complaints the City and Council receive about people speeding, Council is driven to do something – anything. Therefore, the first reading of a proposed speed limit change to residential streets will be heard on Monday, September 9. This change is intended to decrease accidents and fatalities. However, evidence shows lowering speed limits does not change driving habits. Lakewood has not presented the number of speeding tickets, range of speeds those are given for, nor number of accidents related to speeding. This proposed change will cost Lakewood an estimated $75,000. “It is important to note that just changing the number on the signs doesn’t significantly change driver behavior.” –Lakewood staff memo People who drive significantly over the speed limit will continue to do so. Is speeding causing any problems besides complaints? Will complaints go down after giving residents more reason to complain? Lakewood staff point out that there has only been one fatality, due to a speed so much over 30 mph, that it went up the berm into a house on the second story. That driver would not be obeying any speed limit sign posted. Staff showed that Lakewood has the same amount of accidents as other cities statewide. This data included cities with lower speed limits so the Lakewood speed limit is not causing more accidents. Are the drivers involved in accidents on cell phones? Are they driving under the influence? None of these factors are being presented. Most of the crashes involving pedestrians occur along Colfax, a street that would not be affected by the proposed change. Staff is asking that if lowered, the speed limit should only go down to 25 mph now but possibly decrease to 20 mph in the future. Indications from a prior meeting, are that all City Council Members except for Rich Olver, are in favor of lowering the speed limit.

West Metro Ambulance Costs

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on September 6, 2024Posted in Uncategorized

A long-time resident and Lakewood Informer reader recently questioned the cost of an ambulance bill through West Metro. Here’s what we found out: