Lakewood Informer

Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado

Lakewood Informer

Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado

Author : Lakewood News from Karen

Disproportionate Development of MultiFamily

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on Posted in DevelopmentTagged , , , ,

A new analysis shows an overwhelmingly disproportionate amount of new apartment buildings. A Lakewood resident developed the pie chart above by researching Lakewood’s current project list. This is something that has been obvious to resident for awhile but it helps to see the graphic and we at Lakewood Informer appreciate the insight. Thank you. Statistically, 95% of current projects are for high-density, multi-family units. 88% are for apartments and 7% are for condos. Low-density, multi-family townhomes account for 5%. Continuing this projection, this many new multi-family units will quickly change the voting patterns and priorities of Lakewood residents. Lakewood management hopes to accelerate this trend of thousands of new units through the new zoning code that will substantially change neighborhoods. The narrative of “affordable housing” is clashing with the desire to maintain Lakewood’s natural character. This has caused some residents to question the need for government interference in the housing market. This also shows the lack of balance in bringing new jobs to the area with no commercial economic development.

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Resident Voices: Lakewood Zoning Ignores Preservation

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on Posted in Uncategorized

From Eve S., Lakewood resident       Lakewood’s Comprehensive Plan and the new zoning ordinances do NOT protect our native and migratory wildlife. Without a specific Zoning Regulation the City will allow all land-use development regardless of the destruction of the few remaining wildlife areas. We need a Wildlife Preservation Zone that allows us to create refuges for wildlife. The Comprehensive Plan mentions protecting wildlife. We need enforceable laws that set up and preserve wildlife areas. We have Arts Districts and Historic Districts and we protect homeless populations. “Open Space” as defined by the city includes rooftops and building patios. Our “Parks” are for people, not wildlife. In Lakewood, Parks and Open Space have nothing to do with natural flora and fauna. Only a new Zoning Regulation that protects them will prevent the destruction of all of our remaining natural habitats.    When the Planning Commission passed all the measures Kairoi wanted, the chairman said he couldn’t help Belmar Lake because in Lakewood there are no regulations that protect wildlife. In Longmont and other Colorado cities natural areas are protected.     But how can we get the Council to listen? 

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CHAC Gallery Presents Summer Solstice Celebration 

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on Posted in CommunityTagged , , , , , ,

From Chicano Humanities and Arts Council (CHAC)   Date: June 20th from 6pm-9:30pm Location: CHAC Gallery @40 West (7060 W. 16th Ave. Lakewood, CO 80214) Summer Solstice Celebration  Come and celebrate the longest day of the year with the Chicano Humanities and Arts Council (CHAC Gallery) on June 20th from 6pm-9:30pm at 7060 W. 16th Ave. Lakewood, CO. For ancient Meso-American communities, the Summer Solstice was a time to celebrate abundance and give thanks for all that the sun provides us. In ancient times, the sun’s position was carefully observed to allow people to track time and make agricultural plans.  Summer Solstice Celebration will feature: vendors, live music by Jon Romero, face painting,  free family sundial workshop, Aztec dancer groupo Huitzilopochtli, fry bread, and a Low Brow Art show.  This event is free and open to the public.  Contact: Event Coordinator Asia Fajardo- Diamond eventcoordinator@chacgallery.org For more information, go to www.chacgallery.org Chicano Humanities and Arts Council (CHAC) CHAC is an inclusive community of all creatives that are dedicated to preserving, showcasing, educating, and reflecting the essence of Chicana/o/x, Latina/o/x, and other multicultural/multiracial communities. 

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Disturbance at Market Square Business Center

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on Posted in CrimeTagged , , , , , , ,

From a Lakewood Informer reader At approximately 8 p.m. this evening, the King Soopers on 12043 W Alameda Pkwy, was disrupted by a significant emergency response. Multiple police cruisers, along with a fire truck and an ambulance, filled the parking lot of the Market Square Business Center, prompting concern and speculation from bystanders. While the scene appeared serious at first glance, further observation and a conversation with a witness clarified that the situation was less severe than it initially seemed. The following is a summary of the events as they unfolded: It all started with a loud verbal altercation between two men in the neighboring ARC Thrift Store parking lot. Their argument quickly drew the attention of nearby grocery shoppers, prompting someone to call the Lakewood Police Department. By the time officers arrived, the dispute had escalated into a physical fight. One man immediately stopped and complied with police, while the other took off running, prompting a brief foot chase through the area. Despite their efforts and backup from additional units, officers were unable to apprehend the fleeing individual. Fortunately, the man who stayed behind was unharmed and did not require medical attention. Though it may have looked like a major emergency, the situation was relatively contained, and no serious injuries were reported. So if you saw the flurry of first responders at King Soopers tonight, now you know, while dramatic in appearance, the real story was a short-lived bicker that ended with one suspect getting away and no major harm done. Thank you for any resident-generated information, especially including eye-witness reports! Thank you always to Lakewood police for responding as needed!

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20,000 New Apartments Lowers Rent by (only) $56

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on Posted in Development, SustainabilityTagged , , , , , , ,

From savebelmarpark.com Many of you are aware of the ongoing attack on Front Range habitats including Belmar Park, Chatfield State Park and Bear Creek Lake Park.  Unfortunately, habitats are under pressure globally which threatens the web of life for everyone on the planet. This trend is often justified locally by proclaiming the need to ignore the value of habitats because there is a ‘housing shortage’ and building more housing is necessary above all else. While statistics are not supportive of that argument for the Lakewood area, proponents continue to repeat it for lack of anything better to spout. Some even claim that regardless of whether there is an actual shortage of housing, it is necessary to build more housing in order to reduce the cost of rent.  In other words, if there are enough vacant, unused rental units, THAT will cause rent to come down significantly. Yet that 20,000 units was actually a much larger than average inventory increase. “This growth far exceeds Denver’s average annual construction of 11,400 units over the past five years” according to JP Morgan.  Because adding 20,000 units was such an outsized increase, it should have reduced rents significantly but for many local residents the $56 was not enough relief.   Yes, rents declined but according to the FOX31 report, developers also reduced apartments under construction by over 36% which will exert upward pressure on rents. Proponents of continuously building more and more rental units might say the minimal rent reduction was due to the upward pressure on rents caused by the population increase!   They claim we need to keep building rental units to accommodate the population increase in Lakewood which is causing the so-called ‘housing shortage’. What population increase are they talking about?   Developers don’t seem to agree with the growth argument since they reduced the amount of units under construction by 36%. The US Census Bureau shows Lakewood has experienced a population increase of less than 1,000 people from April 1, 2020 through July 1, 2024.  That is almost zero growth over 4 years! Even Denver has increased only 13,500 which is less than 2% total growth in that extended 4-year time period.  Compare that to the 20,000 units added plus the 11,000 units per year average for earlier years.  It would seem a lot more units are getting built than are needed. Jefferson County has actually lost 4,000 population in that same time period. Neither Lakewood nor Jeffco are in a population growth mode. As you probably know, because the secret is finally out – Jefferson County is closing schools!  Even selling off school buildings. That is not exactly an indication of population growth.  Just the opposite. So let me ask, if I can find this data and you can click and easily verify it, why can’t the Planning Commission or the City Council find these relevant facts to inform their planning horizon and policies?  What is that different drum they are dancing to? Why do we have to sacrifice the habitat quality of Belmar Park to accommodate population growth that does not exist? And as far as the use-by-right argument for private property?  We have previously exposed the fact use-by-right is irrelevant since the developer has to do earth moving in Belmar Park itself and they needed Lakewood to surrender valuable easements to enable their project.   Instead of use-by-right, we should call it use-by-deception. So the question still stands.  What is that different drum? For more info, click here.

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National organization to honor Lakewood police officer

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on Posted in CrimeTagged , , , , , ,

From the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) The National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) announced that it will present a regional Exceptional Service Award to Officer Scott Gillespie, a school resource officer (SRO) with the Castle Rock Police Department and its 2025 SRO Social Award to Det. Jason Ezell, an SRO with the Lakewood Police Department. NASRO will present these awards and others on Monday, July 7, during a ceremony as part of its annual National School Safety Conference in Grapevine Texas, in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. The Exceptional Service Award recognizes one recipient in each of NASRO’s 10 regions who demonstrates continuous and sustained service to the school community above and beyond that normally expected of an SRO. Gillespie will receive the award for a region that includes Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming. The SRO Social Award recognizes an SRO for effectively utilizing social media to promote the SRO position, school, and agency. During the July awards ceremony, NASRO will also present several other awards, including its Floyd Ledbetter National School Resource Officer of the Year Award. About the NASRO National School Safety Conference NASRO’s 35th annual National School Safety Conference takes place July 6 through July 11 at the Gaylord Texan Convention Center, Grapevine, Texas. The conference provides opportunities for attendees to learn best practices for SRO and other school safety programs. It also provides networking opportunities to SROs and other law enforcement officers, as well as school security and safety officials, school board members, administrators and anyone interested in school safety.  About NASRO NASRO is a nonprofit organization for school-based law enforcement officers, school administrators, and school security and safety professionals working as partners to protect students, school faculty and staff, and the schools they serve. NASRO is headquartered in Hoover, Alabama, and was established in 1991. For more information, visit www.nasro.org.

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The Illusion of Debate: How Lakewood’s City Council Rubber-Stamps Policy

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on Posted in Entrenched Bureaucracy, Transparency, Vote TallyTagged , , , , ,

By Karen Gordey As you may or may not have heard, Kairoi—the Texas developer behind the 777 S Yarrow Street project—cut down more than 60 mature trees on May 12th. The community response was swift and emotional. That evening, a large group from the Save Belmar Park movement filled the back of Lakewood City Council chambers and voiced their outrage during public comment. Many echoed the same call: every sitting councilor—save perhaps one—needs to be voted out. The next day, I drove to Belmar Park to see the damage for myself. As I pulled up, I noticed two current council members chatting nearby. I spoke with one of them off the record for about 25 minutes. When I said, “Isn’t this what you voted for?” the councilor quickly replied, “No, I didn’t vote for this.” Skeptical, I went home and reviewed voting records for the past two years. And they were right—technically. The 777 S Yarrow project didn’t come before City Council. It went through the Planning Commission and the City’s Planning Department. But that wasn’t the end of the story. When I tried to dig deeper, it became clear how inaccessible the City’s meeting records really are. Minutes from meetings are supposed to be approved during the Consent Agenda at every regular council meeting. But finding the actual minutes? Nearly impossible. For instance, during the May 12, 2025 meeting, Council approved minutes from March 24, April 14, and May 5—but none were linked or attached. On February 24, they approved minutes from December 9, 2024. Again, no actual documents. You can technically find every ordinance and resolution passed by council here: https://www.lakewood.org/Government/Departments/City-Clerks-Office/City-Council-Ordinances-Resolutions. But it’s a list, making it difficult for residents to hold individual councilors accountable. The Consent Agenda, meant for quick approvals of non-controversial items like meeting minutes, ordinances on first reading, or ceremonial resolutions, is often a catch-all for measures that go unscrutinized. Councilors can ask to remove items for discussion—and did so multiple times in 2024. But here’s something you may not know: residents can request that items be removed too. Once passed, the items removed from the consent agenda are discussed and voted on, then the rest of the agenda is addressed in order., And while the Consent Agenda script claims that first-reading ordinances are published in the Denver Post—none have appeared in the last two years. Don’t take my word for it. You can search the Denver Post’s legal notices here: https://marketplace.denverpost.com/marketplace-denver/category/Miscellaneous/Legal%20Notices and on the state’s required public notice database: https://colorado.column.us/search/ (which is moving to: https://www.publicnoticecolorado.com). So how did your councilor vote? Here’s a breakdown of every vote not passed via the Consent Agenda Here’s what I found: Also included in that spreadsheet is a tab for study sessions and workshops. These are arguably more important than council meetings themselves. That’s where councilors hear presentations on major issues—always from city staff or invited parties that support the city’s position. No opposing views. No residents. By the time a topic comes up for public hearing (on second reading), the council has already made up its mind. Is it any wonder residents feel ignored and angry? Let’s talk transparency. The Budget & Audit Committee—tasked with overseeing your tax dollars—hasn’t met once in 2025. Back in January, Ward 5 councilors proposed expanding the committee to represent all five wards. That proposal was shot down. Only three wards are represented. Two wards remain unheard. And all this under a City Manager pulling in over $400,000 a year. When government struggles with the basics—recordkeeping, transparency, fair representation—it often fails on the big things too. Isn’t it time for a better way? If you’re tired of a council that listens to developers more than residents, tired of unanimous votes that ignore dissent, and tired of a system where transparency feels like an afterthought—then do something. Start asking questions. Email your councilor. Demand meeting minutes be posted, ordinances be published, and your ward be represented. Government works best when it’s held accountable. And in Lakewood, it’s time we started holding ours to a higher standard.

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Lakewood is Laughing At Us

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on Posted in Development, Entrenched BureaucracyTagged , , , , ,

The May 7th Planning Commission meeting was a travesty of a public hearing. Lakewood cared enough to give residents an outlet for their grievances. No one cared enough to enact a single change. And sometimes they outright laughed at us. Watch the video below from the end of public comment, starting at min 2:58:25. One resident got up and publicly read an article from the Lakewood Informer. Watch the city staffer seated in the background unsuccessfully hiding her laughter during this reading. All of which was proved to be true. All of which city staff ignored and the entire Planning Commission dismissed — just like so many other valid resident points. The meeting started with Lakewood Chief of Sustainability and Community Developer Travis Parker explaining that he didn’t think this meeting wouldn’t change anything. He said that there were “pretty significant misunderstandings” of what staff could do. He said that “attacks on staff for being, you know, incompetent or malfeasant or acting in bad faith, demonstrate a fundamental misunderstanding of the good and hard work that’s done by people that are experts.” No one doubts city staff work hard. They all deserve thanks. But we also can’t assume they are always right and the residents are wrong about everything. We can’t assume that there is no other way to evaluate base assumptions. But that’s exactly what the Planning Commission decided to do. Ironically, one of the main points of the Belmar Park battle was about cutting down all the trees that could have formed an expanded buffer. Mr Parker himself has been educating residents on new zoning codes from Lakewood that will not increase the setbacks to what they were pre-2012, but will now require RESIDENTS to get a permit to cut down their trees. So the meeting was a pretty show that started and ended with all the well-researched points the residents brought forward being dismissed. Sadly, the best thing to be said is that being dismissed was more respectful than being laughed at. Required Grading Permit – Evidence not reported by city staff The permit pictured above is from Lakewood’s eTRAKit system, showing the grading permit that was applied for and received within one day of the complaint, just as reported by Steve at savebelmarpark.com The permit below is for demolition, which was applied for a month earlier. No malicious intent was implied and the problem was quickly corrected. Thanks to residents who apparently know less than city staff. Grading permit requirements below Actual permit that must be displayed before construction:

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UPDATE: Disappointing but Not Surprising – We Need Your Help Now More Than Ever!

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on Posted in Development, Entrenched Bureaucracy, SustainabilityTagged , , , , ,

From Save Belmar Park, Inc., – a Colorado non-profit What happened at the May 7th Lakewood Planning Commission hearing was deeply disappointing—though sadly, not unexpected. After several speakers delivered well-researched, thoughtful, and heartfelt presentations, the audience erupted in applause. The public’s support for protecting Belmar Park was undeniable. So how does a small group of City officials override the will of the residents? Despite an overwhelming outpouring of public opposition—including emails, social media comments, and a nearly 10-to-1 ratio of anti-this-development comments on Lakewood Speaks—the Commission still voted 5–0 in favor of the 411-unit Kairoi apartment building. And they did so even after being presented with a powerful, evidence-based case showing that the proposed development directly contradicts Lakewood’s own zoning code, comprehensive plan, and parks master plan. This vote was a slap in the face to the community. It disregarded common sense, environmental preservation, and the very planning documents the city is supposed to uphold. The proposed zero-lot-line, six-story building is incompatible with the surrounding two-story Belmar Commons townhomes, overwhelms local infrastructure, and threatens the ecological balance of Belmar Park. The city has rolled out the red carpet for billionaire developers—again—ignoring the public and prioritizing profit over people, parks, and trees. Dozens of mature, century-old trees will be clearcut. Wildlife will be displaced. Belmar Park’s peace and beauty will be irreversibly damaged (if we don’t stop them). But, we have NOT given up—and we’re not stopping now! Our next step is filing a lawsuit under a 106A appeal, which will go before a Jefferson County district court rather than more city insiders. We believe we still have a strong chance at a different outcome—despite the city’s push to bulldoze trees—because the proposed development blatantly contradicts Lakewood’s own zoning laws, comprehensive plan, and parks master plan, giving us solid legal ground to challenge it in court. This is our last real chance to stop this destructive project, and we’re counting on supporters like you to help us make it happen. Legal fees are significant, and this is a fight the community should not have to fund—but we must because the City of Lakewood refuses to listen. Please stand with us—again. If this park means something to you, dig deep—and give as generously as possible (then smile knowing you’re helping to save something irreplaceable). Every dollar helps us hold the line against this destructive plan. Then share our campaign and spread the word. We’re fighting for what’s right: environmental integrity, community character, and the future of Belmar Park. 👉 Donate now: https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-belmar-park Directors Save Belmar Park, Inc. 

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The Bend: A Government Financing Trade Deal

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on Posted in Development, Entrenched Bureaucracy, Word GamesTagged , , , , , , , ,

Lakewood may be forcing a property owner to blight their own land in a backroom trade deal wherein staff pledged a positive vote from City Council for a metro district. The deal would give The Bend development city financing in exchange for metro district status. In January 2025, a representative for The Bend developer made the following public comment: “The city is actually only allowing a Metro District to be put in place if the URA (Urban Renewal Area) passes so that it is a vehicle for this infrastructure and tax increment financing. They actually would not pass our Metro District standalone. They’ve made that very clear.” – Allie Meister, Lincoln Properties, at Green Mountain Water Board Meeting, min 40:13. This deal illuminates why Lakewood is rushing through a URA and metro district public hearing on the same night. Staff presentations have repeatedly touted the advantages of doing both the URA and the metro district at the same time. They claim these are complementary structures. But they are not complementary. Rather, these are essentially overlapping structures that could finance the same set of infrastructures. Apparently, financing public infrastructure is a profit center. Overlapping financing is duplicative. Even worse, for The Bend, neither metro district nor URA is appropriate. The Bend is not a “serious and growing menace” to the public health, safety, morals, and welfare, which is the statutory reason for Urban Renewal. The Bend does not provide public services, which is necessary for a metro district. The metro district will only be used for financing. Therefore, the most appropriate government assistance, if any, would be a Business Improvement District (BID).  BIDs are the more accountable, less powerful, way to achieve development financing but no one is advocating for its use. Instead, developers prefer to form metro districts. This initially involves the developer loaning money to the new metro district.  Then the metro district issues a bond, with interest, to pay back the loan. Since the developer and the metro district are the same people (different legal entity), the developer has now gained itself government immunity, as well as millions of dollars of interest payments. In many cases, the interest payments never end – they only continue to grow. This outcome isn’t possible with a BID. (See Denver Post series “Metro Districts: Debt & Democracy” by David Migoya for more in-depth information on metro district abuses) Therefore, developers generally want that metro district as a profit center, rather than as a way to finance development, since they front the funds in either case. A URA is also meant to fund public infrastructure. Much of the public infrastructure was repeated under both the URA and metro district justification. Only one method is needed to finance infrastructure, and, as noted, the developer will provide the base funds in any event. As Karen Gordey reported in the Lakewood Informer, there was no required financial gap analysis completed to show that city funding was required. Therefore, with a metro district there is no need for a URA. This conclusion is also shared by a report from the Independence Institute. A URA has not required a metro district in the past. However, Lakewood can trade URA financing for affordable housing. Lakewood is not allowed to pay for housing directly. Lakewood is not even supposed to demand any percentage of affordable housing. There is no zoning or ordinance that requires it.  The irony is that Lakewood City Council itself sunset the Strategic Growth Initiative ordinance. Under that ordinance, this development would have fallen under the allocation review system wherein Lakewood could have asked for affordable housing to permit this many units in a TRANSPARENT process. Instead, the city is now working behind the scenes to make this same thing happen. So, through the URA, Lakewood will gain affordable housing, aka government housing or government-subsidized housing. Those units can be used to qualify for state grants for even more development in Lakewood. “Without the Urban Renewal plan, in our case, we wouldn’t be able to deliver kind of what they want to see or their vision for this piece of land which includes housing retail and affordable housing they you know both the state and the city and the county do have a desire to have a portion of the site have affordable housing in it.“ Allie Meister, Lincoln Properties, Jan 28 2025, min 35:57 Lakewood residents will pay for The Bend development by giving the developer financing. The new taxes from that development are diverted out of the general fund, which pays for Lakewood resident services like police, and instead will pay for The Bend development responsibilities like streets and pipes. The decision for an Urban Renewal Area is very separate from the decision to approve a metro district. The developer did not originally desire to be in an Urban Renewal Area and Lakewood may not approve a metro district as a standalone decision. But, operating together, the developer and city can trade financial incentives that residents throughout Lakewood will pay for.  The developer offers blight and gets metro district status and financing. The city offers URA financing to indirectly offset affordable housing units and gets a basis for more state grant funding. “Municipalities are using a tool (URA) meant only for serious threats to the public as a tool for gaining a competitive advantage in economic development. Which, essentially, is a way to financially reward development partners and a method to force the public into a future desired by government planners.” -From The Empty Promise and Untold Cost of Urban Renewal in Colorado Just like Lakewood’s deal to buy Emory Elementary, residents should know the full plan to leverage this deal for more high-density development using state grant funds from the affordable housing units. Without that knowledge, which has not been disclosed, neither the URA nor the metro district decision makes any sense. There will be a City Council vote on the metro district and URA on Monday, May 12 that is open to

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