Densification Advocacy Groups
Many groups advocated for densification in 2026 at both local and state level. This list below can be used to identify key players in future campaigns.
Author : Lakewood News from Karen
Special Use Hearing on June 3 For Navigation Center
The Lakewood Planning Commission is anticipated to approve a Special Use Permit for the Navigation Center on June 3, 2026. Lakewood staff have already made a presentation in favor of the permit. There are no neutral reports or equal opportunities for opposing viewpoints. While public comment is allowed, the way Lakewood interprets the Planning Commission rules means evidence needs to be presented AT THIS HEARING.
Every public comment that was made in previous City Council meetings is meaningless unless repeated at the hearing. Testimony at the hearing that presents problems with the special use could result in the permit being denied.
City Staff Pull Wildfire Code Recommendation Following Resident Feedback
Lakewood proposed, then later retracted, the adoption of a new wildfire resiliency code. Lakewood said the new code was needed to satisfy Colorado Senate Bill 23-166 but the staff memo suggested adopting much more extreme measures than required. The broad impact and high cost led to opposition from the community, which is detailed below. City staff are now developing a new recommendation that will be brought forward when ready, to replace the proposal that was pulled.
Lakewood Made 30-Year Commitment on Navigation Center
Lakewood purchased 8000 W Colfax Avenue to use as an emergency shelter and Navigation Center using a grant from the state to fund the property purchase and renovation. As a condition to getting the grant, Lakewood committed the property to shelter use for 30 years. No public discussion about this condition occurred when City Council authorized the purchase. At an annual operating cost of $3,000,000, that’s a $90,000,000 commitment that was not disclosed to the public. That makes the Center severely underfunded, with declining neighborhood support, and may be one reason for the proposed city sales tax hike.
Lakewood Council Enables Personal Advocacy For Themselves
Lakewood City Council Members gave themselves the right to use the city resources as a personal platform, while at the same time further limiting the voice of the residents. New City Council Policies and Procedures were adopted April 24, 2026.
Eye of Sauron now turns to Economic Development
by Somebody Should Do Something
Having lost the special election on the 7th of April, by an almost 2 to 1 margin (despite having enormous financial backing from the real estate interests – more on that elsewhere), Lakewood’s Eye of Sauron now turns to economic development. Not that Lakewood has been doing anything of the sort.
In case you missed the memo, “In Colorado, an annual salary for a single adult needs to be at least $105,955, using the 50/30/20 budgeting rule. For a family of four, $273,728 is needed annually to live comfortably in Colorado.” Of course, if you look at the economic statistics for Lakewood – not even close an average resident is.
Our Tax Dollars at Work
By Bob Adams. The Lakewood special election is now over with an overwhelming mandate to reject the new zoning and return to the previous ordinance. This warning is that all the politicians, activists and money defending the new zoning, are still in place. Are they just going to give up? In their own words, No. One way or another, they’ll keep trying to push higher density through…. Whether Lakewood likes it or not! The battle has just begun.
Residents Reject City Council Zoning
No one asked Lakewood residents if they wanted city-wide rezoning for urbanized high-density until April 7, 2026. On that day, Lakewood residents answered this question with a resounding “No.” The discussion lasted for years and culminated in an ongoing disconnect between residents and their elected representatives.
Meeting Move Raises Questions
Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church says they did not ask the Ward 1 meeting to relocate on Saturday, April 4.
Despite the holiday weekend, the room reserved for the city was open. The meeting remained on the church’s calendar. In fact, church staff reportedly did not even know about the change until the following day, when they discovered a note left on the door.
Ward 1 City Councilors say they remember the church not being available in 2025 and offer apologies for the mix-up.
The Great Colorado Extraction
“Colorado is losing businesses and jobs at an alarming rate.”
Bold strategy, Cotton—let’s see if it pays off. But honestly, what did anyone expect?
It’s not just a “tough” regulatory environment chasing companies away. It is a systemic preference for extraction over production. As in – how much rent, metro district fees and real estate fees can be extracted from the residents? For nearly two decades (or longer), Colorado’s leadership—a revolving door of real-estate-industry lackeys, municipal bureaucrats, and the “useful idiots” yapping about “affordable housing” and virtue signaling – has bent over backward to prioritize real estate developer margins at the expense of actual economic development.