Author : Lakewood News from Karen

Relevant facts withheld from Planning Commission regarding unpermitted demolition

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on May 10, 2025Posted in DevelopmentTagged 777 S Yarrow, Belmar Park, Grading, permit, Planning Commission, site plan

From SaveBelmarPark.com Greetings Supporters of SaveBelmarPark.com, The 777 S Yarrow project was approved by Lakewood’s Planning Commission by a lockstep vote of 5-0 on May 7, 2025. Despite in-person and online expert testimony and informed and articulate personal testimony from hundreds of citizens who raised a wide range of serious issues and potential violations of the Zoning Ordinance that will never be addressed or mitigated by the current proposal, the commissioners still approved the proposal. If it is possible for a planning commission to be replaced by artificial intelligence software, this might be a good place to start a proof of concept. Maybe even remote-controlled rubber stamps would suffice. At one point, ‘Mr.’ Buckley asked about the grading in the park. As you may know, the city claims the park will not be touched. That is a false claim. As the city engineer admitted, it is necessary to grade park property so the developer does not have to build a retaining wall. You are not supposed to build a retaining wall within 10 feet of the property line in Lakewood. So it would not be feasible to require the developer to stay on their own property since they would have to modify their site plan to build a retaining wall with a proper setback. So Mr. Buckley asked what the grade change difference would be and was told only 2 feet. No big deal, right? However, the developer’s site plan shows the floor of the building at 5,528.75 feet. The park path adjacent to the graded area is at 5,518. Guess what? That is more than a 10 foot difference in elevation. Not 2 feet. The fire road is at 5,524 which is a 6 foot difference. But none of that matters. Because facts don’t seem to matter to the Planning Commission. They can simply be ignored and replaced will false statements such as telling the public that the park won’t be touched. Problem solved. This type of deceptive behavior is rooted in the history of land development. Look at Stanford University. When Leland and Jane Stanford passed away, they left 8,000 acres of land to the university with the provision it could never be sold. Yet visitors to Palo Alto, CA who visit the Stanford campus are amazed at all the development on that 8,000 acres that supposedly could never be sold. How did developers and the university get around that seemingly ironclad restriction? Enter the 99 year lease! Stanford leases their land which has allowed all manner of development including residential, retail, you name it. Just as if it had been sold. Maybe Leland Stanford got railroaded on that! Similarly, May Bonfils did not envision the abuse and exploitation that would occur with her property at 777 S Yarrow Street after her passing. (And coincidentally, Planning Commissioner Overall is a Stanford grad.) In a previous update, I mentioned the possibility the developer would bring attorneys or other advocates to put a positive spin on their proposal. However, they did not make any attempt to put a positive spin on their project. But to their credit, they also readily re-confirmed the project plans to provide only market priced rental units with no affordable units other than what the market will bear. Perhaps they already knew there was zero chance of not gaining approval from their supportive anti-science minions on the planning commission. Commissioners warmly welcomed the few supporters they obviously knew who showed up. Yet addressed an accomplished PhD conservation biologist from Cornell and CSU who visited the site and the park and created an excellent presentation as ‘Mr’ Pardo. And after years of working on this project, who did the commission turn to for the ridiculously obvious question – how much does bird resistant glass cost? Not the planning staff. Not the developer. Such an obvious question was apparently above their pay grade. They expected Dr. Pardo to have done their homework for them. He offered to follow-up on that. During the hearing, the commissioners asked specifically whether the demolition of 777 S Yarrow was properly permitted because various citizens were aware it was not and commented to that effect. They were assured by staff with Mr. Parker present that there were no problems with permitting and were not told that demolition began without being properly permitted. In fact, staffers denied that there were any issues with permitting. I initially reported about the improper permitting and subsequently the Lakewood Informer carried that report and subsequently a portion of the Informer reprint was read back to the commissioners during the hearing. They disparaged the report as something unreliable from a ‘blog’ and terminated the conversation. The city and Planning Commission should issue a public apology for that disparagement, inability to manage the permitting process and refusal to consider relevant facts on the matter brought to their attention by citizens during the hearing. Instead, they were not told a required grading permit (as shown above) was not issued until a citizen complained that it had not been issued. They were not told even the most minimal erosion control measures such as straw socks and tire shakers were not installed until after a citizen complained via a ticket in Lakewood’s user.govoutreach system. As per the image above, the very FIRST requirement specified by the developer’s own Kimley-Horn engineers is the grading permit which was never even requested until a citizen raised the issue. They were not told demolition continued for a period of time without any erosion control measures in place in contravention of Kimley-Horn recommendations and without a required grading permit as specified in the image above. This happened in early March. It has been two months and the commissioners apparently were not aware of this breach. But they were at the ready to disparage accurate reports of it that were brought in to the public hearing. We predict no action will be taken regarding the unpermitted start of demolition, lack of even minimal erosion control measures and failure

Lakewood Crime for April 2025

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on May 7, 2025Posted in CrimeTagged Colorado, Crime, crime map, Lakewood

Maps showing crime locations from Community Crime Map for the month of April, 2025, in Lakewood, Colorado. Note: Statistics seem to vary slightly per application (density map versus event map). This website is very user-friendly and can be zoomed in for better detail. Exact locations are changed for privacy.

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity to Host Annual Holmes Omega Scholarship Foundation Golf Tournament in Support of Local Students

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on May 6, 2025Posted in CommunityTagged scholarship

From www.HOLMESOMEGA.ORG Denver, CO — April 29, 2025 — The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. is proud to announce the return of its annual Holmes Omega Scholarship Foundation Golf Tournament, taking place on Friday, May 30, 2025, at the scenic Greg Mastriano Golf Courses at Hyland Hills Golf Club in Westminster, Colorado. This cherished event raises critical scholarship funds for high school students in the Denver area, continuing the Fraternity’s longstanding commitment to uplifting youth through education and opportunity. Since 1965, the scholarship foundation has provided more than $250K in scholarships to Denver, Aurora, and Lakewood, Colorado, metro-area students. This year, the Foundation is thrilled to partner with First Tee – Colorado, a nonprofit dedicated to introducing young people to the game of golf while also supporting their academic growth and personal development. The 2025 tournament will feature a 2-person Best Ball Scramble, open to golfers of all skill levels. Participants can expect a day filled with camaraderie, competition, and community impact. Registration is $300 per twosome or $150 per individual, which includes golf carts, practice balls, and a delicious lunch. “We invite the community to come out, play a round of golf, and support our mission to invest in the future of our young people,” said James Sykes, Jr., a representative of the Holmes Omega Scholarship Foundation. To register or learn more, visit https://bit.ly/2025OMEGAGOLF

Lakewood Navigation Center Closes for Renovations

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on May 6, 2025Posted in HomelessTagged Colorado, Homeless, Lakewood, navigation center, REcoveryWorks, renovations, shelter, unhoused

The Navigation Center in Lakewood is closed for renovations to make it suitable for a permanent shelter. When this building was purchased, it was supposed to be a resource center that, if feasible and approved for permit, would be used as a shelter. That story changed immediately upon purchase and it started operating as an emergency shelter while facilities were tested and renovations evaluated. The scope of the renovations increased, the plumbing difficulties increased, and the need for a full-time shelter accelerated. Lakewood residents have not yet had a meeting to share public comment or approval on the shelter. Lakewood’s City Manager continues to operate the shelter on an “emergency” basis rather than go through the special use permit process. Lakewood assures residents that they will have time to be heard – later, when it’s irrelevant, because the building was purchased and the renovations will be complete. This is similar to the public comment planned for the purchase of Emory Elementary on behalf of the Action Center. Residents will be heard – later. The following article has a thorough update, including an update on MountainView Flats. That purchase was also funded with ARPA grants that are no longer expected to continue. Homeless navigation center in Colorado closes amid renovations, with goal of creating full-time shelter By Andrew Haubner at cbsnews.com RecoveryWorks in Lakewood has been a central gathering point for the area’s homeless population in need of resources. The navigation center, which sits on the corner of W Colfax Avenue and Allison Street, provides services such as behavioral health aid, medical help or just a hot meal. But, for the next six months, the center is closed as RecoveryWorks renovates the space. The hope, executive director James Ginsburg says, is a 103-bed, full-time overnight shelter to help get people off the street and provide a more consistent and reliable resource to add in the transition from homelessness to housing. RecoveryWorks is operating out of MountainView Flats, a transitionary or “bridge” housing community in Lakewood. Registered Nurse Shawn Marzan and his street medical team at STRIDE Community Health Center have set up shop in one of the rooms, planning their day and being a medical resource for those that live there. “If [people are] in a centralized location where we know where they’re gonna be, you can provide them medical, you can provide them behavioral health,” Marzan told CBS Colorado. “You can provide not just the medical piece but the social piece too.” Read the rest of the article at cbsnews.com

Likely Defect Identified in Planning Commission Software

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on May 5, 2025Posted in Development, Entrenched Bureaucracy, TransparencyTagged Belmar Park, lakewoodspeaks, Planning Commission, public hearing, site plan, Travis Parker

From savebelmarpark.com The 777 S Yarrow public hearing is very close on: May 7th at 7:00 PM at 480 S Alison Parkway, Lakewood, CO You may now enter public comments online at: https://lakewoodspeaks.org/meetings/869. You may have to click on item 3. Unfortunately, a likely defect in the Planning Commission’s online file upload process has been identified and was reported via a follow-up public comment. However, that public comment was rejected by Lakewood for violating comment policy. It appears the comment was rejected out of an assumption that the Planning Commission software could not possibly be broken. The city clerk was also very helpful in providing examples of other comments with attachments that were publicly posted as proof that the upload process is not broken. Notably, NONE of the examples provided by the clerk included the .doc file extension. Therefore, because Lakewood was obviously not going to investigate a reported defect that could potentially have been suppressing public comment file attachments for a long time, perhaps years, I investigated. It turns out that the Planning Commission does NOT accept all of the file extensions specified on the file upload dialogue (which is shown in the image at the top of page). Once I converted the .doc file to a .pdf file, then the upload process was successful! If you upload a file with a supported .doc file extension, for example, it appears to work properly. However, if your comment is approved for publication, the attachment is never displayed. This is a material error because members of the public may reasonably assume their upload was successful since no error message is ever produced at any point in time during this process. Nor does the moderation process capture file upload errors and notify users. Nor are members of the public ever advised that the software may be unreliable and may silently dispose of file uploads. Upon reviewing public comments just this morning, one person who supports approving the Kairoi project referenced his attached letter. But no attached letter was displayed. So his attachment may also have been lost by the software. Therefore, members of the public or any parties with a matter to be heard by a quasi-judicial panel could upload files for the official hearing record and discover after the hearing record is closed that their file uploads were rejected. Then it is too late to re-submit their files. This problem is also complicated by a significant conflict of interest due to the fact that Mr. Parker, Lakewood’s executive in charge of making development recommendations to the Planning Commission and/or City Council, is also and incredibly an advisor on the executive team of the same software company that is at the crux of possibly suppressing public comment by silently rejecting documents intended for quasi-judicial hearings. We suggest the city is indifferent both to the public perception and the risks of this conflict of interest. We also suggest that as a result of enabling this conflict of interest, the city is also indifferent to the requirement for software quality control. Please consider that a quasi-judicial hearing is a legal proceeding. What if the clerk of a court periodically discarded or lost documents delivered by litigants without telling anyone? What do you think would happen to that court clerk if this malfeasance came to light after years of discarding court documents? We are not suggesting any Lakewood employees are disposing of these files. The comparison is being made to the apparently inconsistent software vs what if an employee hypothetically did the same thing? We doubt that an employee would get off so easily. But in Lakewood, the software does get off easily. And consequences can be significant if a court is not diligent regarding management of important technology used in processing court documents or evidence. Consider the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the fiasco over their DNA tests. It was recently revealed that hundreds of DNA tests were allegedly ‘manipulated’ over a 30-year time period and as a result material facts were omitted from official records even though no DNA matches were falsified. The CBI Director stated: ““Our actions in rectifying this unprecedented breach of trust will be thorough and transparent.” Will Lakewood be as forthcoming regarding ignored software defects that potentially corrupted public hearing records? Has this defect been suppressing relevant files for years? It is possible. Especially considering Lakewood does not seem responsive to any report that the software does not work properly. Anyone who has previously reported a problem may have received a similar response that it was user error because other people can upload files – but of a different file type. Therefore, we strongly urge that Mr. Parker be required to recuse from any matter that may eventually involve the Planning Commission or City Council where the PeopleSpeak software is used to accept public comments for any quasi-judicial hearings or city council meetings. In the meantime, any past decisions made by the Planning Commission or City Council where online public comments were accepted from the public should be reviewed and new hearings potentially announced once the software is fixed. Stay tuned and thanks for listening, Steve

West Metro Fire Election

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on May 5, 2025Posted in ElectionsTagged carolyn wolfrum, election, fire, jay willmott, rescue, term limits, West Metro1 Comment

May is election time for West Metro Fire Rescue but most of the 300,000 people it serves will never know that because it is off season and doesn’t involve big money campaigns. West Metro also does not provide mail-in ballots to increase voter turnout, a decision made by the Board of Directors. Instead, residents must walk in to vote for two things on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. On May 6 voters across West Metro are being asked to increase Directors’ term limits from 8 to 12 years. Term limits are the only ballot question and are self-explanatory. Electors also have the opportunity to vote for ONE candidate in Director District Five. The rest of the board positions do not have enough candidates to have a competitive election. The election is “at large” so anyone can vote for a District 5 candidate. They are: Willmott can be described as a fire suppression enthusiast with an easy ability to “nerd out” over the topic. He has a long history in the industry and he hopes to bring that experience to the West Metro Board. Current West Metro Board Members do not possess field experience and Wilmott would like to see that change with this election. Willmott can be seen directly answering fire questions in the podcast “Fire Break”. Wolfrum is an incumbent who has experience serving on the West Metro Board. She has also served on the Lakewood Reinvestment Authority (LRA). Wolfrum has not responded to requests for comment at the time of this post, but she has supported all leadership decisions during her tenure, which gives an idea of her position. (sidenote: residents may be familiar with the LRA through an April 28 vote to recommend The Bend development for city funding through blight.) There are a few differences of opinion between the candidates. For example, the current West Metro leadership is very concerned about EV batteries and renewable energy, more from a climate change perspective than from a fighting fire perspective. There has been talk of getting an EV firetruck when they become more feasible. Wolfrum has been generally supportive of those initiatives. In contrast, when Jay Willmott was asked about EV and renewables, he immediately discussed the difficulties in putting out the fires started by the technology. He also believes firefighters need to update their techniques and methods. This includes the ability to make an initial assessment of whether, for example, the fire might have started by traditional means (cooking, paper, etc.) or through chemical means, such as failing computer batteries. This determination is necessary to successfully extinguish each type of fire. Sustainability to Willmott meant increasing the budget to use more efficient fire suppression methods, rather than just dumping tons of water where it may not be most effective. The current West Metro leadership has been advocating for allowing homeless encampments to have unsanctioned fires because it’s their only source of warmth in the winter. Jay Willmott was reluctant to take on enforcement activities but argued strenuously that the homeless deserved the same fire protection as everyone else, which meant safe fire protocols and prevention. The question of increasing term limits had Wolfrum’s support to put on the ballot. Jay Willmott supports term limits for all positions of government and supports the current 8-year term vs the proposed more lenient 12-year term. View the official election notice here. Available polling places are:

Springsteen Files Injunction Regarding Emory

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on May 4, 2025Posted in Development, Entrenched Bureaucracy, Jeffco, TransparencyTagged Anita Springsteen, Emory, injunction, open meetings

Former Lakewood City Councilor and attorney Anita Springsteen is no stranger to Lakewood’s backroom dealing and use of executive sessions. Springsteen has filed two lawsuits against the city for using “negotiations” as the context for an executive session. Allegedly, those meetings were open meetings violations because they didn’t provide enough detail on the “negotiations” involved. Those allegations are playing out about the purchase of Emory school. Even residents living next to Emory had no idea the city was trying to purchase the school for the Action Center. Springsteen filed an injunction to prevent the city from voting on the property purchase April 28 but Springsteen says “the Court held that the issue was moot when Council held the vote despite being on notice of the request for injunction.” She plans to refile the motion to prevent further actions by the city. She is also communicating with the Jefferson County Schools so they are on notice of breach of fiduciary duty. Councilor Mayott-Guerrero asked for an attorney to explain why residents have not seen open conversations about purchasing Emory before. The attorney for the city said negotiations are protected by executive sessions so there has been no public notice until now. The April 28 meeting, during which this conversation and vote took place, was duly noticed, he advised. Unfortunately, that still left many residents in Lakewood feeling like they were unprepared, not informed and left in the dark. Which is entirely reasonable since, as Lakewood just admitted, they did not tell residents they were working on this until now. Lakewood did not put the address of the property on which they were negotiating in the notice for executive sessions. City Council and staff were very clear that this was only the first step and that the city needed to proceed in this matter so they could progress to formal negotiations. But then what were they doing in previous executive sessions? Lakewood could have been transparent and told residents in September of 2023 that they were interested in buying the school on behalf of the Action Center, as documents show. Instead of fully explaining the plans for Emory, Lakewood cried “misinformation” and only addressed limited misunderstandings. There are also allegations that Jeffco was hiding talks because they were involved in negotiations to sell the property four months before it was officially disposed of. Council and staff still say that no decisions have been made and that they will listen to resident input at future meetings. Of course, that’s a variation of what they have said for the past year and a half while decisions were being made. There is no indication that plans will change based on resident input at the city level but that may be different at the school district level. There is also the possibility that the expanded interests of the Action Center will persuade people that this is the best use of Emory. The purchase of Emory for the Action Center was a priority for Lakewood since the school’s closing. It was the first and only one on the municipal option list to begin in January of 2024. Springsteen was one of four Councilors who demanded transparency before allowing an executive session to proceed. The session involved the City Manager’s contract renegotiation. The four Councilors calling for transparency prevented a super majority vote, which is required for an Executive Session to proceed. This forced the contract renewal to take place at a public meeting so that the public could see who voted to renew the City Manager’s contract, which increased her benefits. Springsteen has filed three lawsuits regarding open meetings violations, two of which pertain to property negotiations. Springsteen says “the third case was for an Executive Session involving ‘legal advice’ on a CCU issue that had already been resolved upon appeal a year prior, which calls into question the purpose of the meeting.”

Lakewood’s shady Jeffco Schools business deal

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on May 4, 2025Posted in Development, Entrenched Bureaucracy, Word GamesTagged action center, backroom deal, Emory, jeffco, schools

By Jimmy Sengenberger, in the Denver Gazette The backroom deal I warned about last year is now playing out in broad daylight. In February 2024, I asked whether Lakewood was eyeing a bargain on the closed Emory Elementary — a deal that could dodge public input and leave Jeffco taxpayers holding the bag. Fifteen months later, the answer is a resounding yes. On Monday, Lakewood’s City Council authorized a $4 million below-market purchase of the school — a site that got $2.6 million in taxpayer-funded upgrades before Jeffco closed it in 2023. It’s now on track to become the new home of the nonprofit Action Center — courtesy of a taxpayer-funded workaround. The Action Center’s mission may be noble, serving vulnerable families and individuals. But the process? Not so much. It reeks of an almost theatrical disregard for transparency and taxpayer interests — with a straight face. In January 2024, Jeffco Schools quietly introduced a new “Municipal Interest” process giving municipalities like Lakewood first dibs on shuttered schools — without competitive bidding or public input. COO Jeff Gatlin confirmed Lakewood’s “interest in the Emory property,” revealing they were already “working through the municipal interest route.” Translation? A backdoor sale — letting Jeffco Schools unload taxpayer-funded property at a loss. A consultant even advised this process empowered the district to skip community feedback entirely. Read the rest of the article….

ROGER WENDELL: A DISTINGUISHED LEGACY OF SERVICE TO THE COLORADO MOUNTAIN CLUB

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on May 4, 2025Posted in CommunityTagged CMC, Colorado Mountain Club, Mount Morrison, Roger Wendell, Wendell

From Colorado Mountain Club As Roger Wendell prepares to retire in May 2025 after decades of dedicated service to the Colorado Mountain Club (CMC), it’s fitting to recognize his remarkable contributions and the indelible impact he has made on both the organization and its members. A CHRONICLE OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE Roger’s journey with the CMC began in 1981 when he joined as an enthusiastic member eager to explore Colorado’s magnificent landscapes. By 1983, he had already stepped into a leadership role, becoming a certified trip leader guiding fellow outdoor enthusiasts on countless adventures through Colorado’s backcountry. In 1991, Roger took on the significant responsibility of serving on the Denver Group Council, where he helped shape policies and initiatives that strengthened the organization’s largest chapter until 1994. His administrative acumen and passion for the club’s mission made him a natural fit for these leadership roles. One of Roger’s most notable achievements came in 1998 when he authored a series of influential articles on backcountry survival for the club’s publications. These educational pieces, including one titled “Survival is Your Own Responsibility,” highlighted essential wilderness safety principles and encouraged members to practice self-sufficiency in the backcountry. His expertise in this area has helped countless hikers and climbers stay safe in Colorado’s sometimes treacherous mountain environments. CONSERVATION ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION Roger’s commitment to conservation has been exemplary throughout his tenure. In 2003, he organized the highly successful “Preserve Our Peaks” campaign, which mobilized over 500 CMC members to advocate for the protection of sensitive alpine environments in the Front Range. This initiative played a crucial role in securing additional protections for several threatened wilderness areas. As an instructor for the CMC’s Wilderness Trekking School since 1989, Roger has personally trained more than 2,000 students in wilderness navigation, Leave No Trace principles, and mountain safety. His dedication to trail conservation is evident in his educational efforts, where he emphasizes the importance of staying on established paths to minimize environmental impact, noting that properly maintained trails “really do help the landscape by keeping us two-leggeds in a narrow little corridor so the rest of nature can flourish around us unmolested.” Continue reading Colorado Mountain Club Or read Roger’s original work at http://www.rogerwendell.com/

Mark Your Calendars for May 7 to Speak for Belmar Park

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on May 2, 2025Posted in Community, DevelopmentTagged Belmar Park, environment, mature trees, Planning Commission, public hearing, sustainability, Yarrow St

From savebelmar.org At long last the date for the Lakewood Planning Commission to hear the review of the major site plan of 777 S. Yarrow St has been set. MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR MAY 7. We will need everyone available to pack council chambers. You can: OR Donate your time to a speaker who would need more than 3 minutes It is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that everyone who has a comment, whether they speak or not, enter their statement on Lakewood Speaks at Lakewood Speaks – May 7, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting. Submit comments before 5 pm day of. It would be beneficial to tie your comments to a section of the zoning code. For example, Article 17.2.7.2: Review Criteria states that: Recommendations and decisions regarding site plan applications shall be based on the following criteria: A. Major site plans shall comply with standards outlined in Articles 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 of this Zoning Ordinance. B. The Director shall evaluate how well the proposed modifications contribute to the overall performance of the site and how well the proposed changes meet the standards in Articles 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 of this Zoning Ordinance. Let’s see how well these standards are met: under Article 17.3.1.1: Purpose and Intent This Article describes each zone district established within the City of Lakewood. The purpose of the various districts is to: A. Ensure compatibility of land uses Is this requirement met with a 5-6 story apt complex directly adjacent to the lake? Article 17.3.4.1: Purpose and Intent The mixed-use (M) zone districts are specifically intended to: C. Maintain the integrity and viability of the adjacent residential neighborhoods Is this requirement met with a 5-6 story apt complex adjacent to the 1 and 2-story townhomes at Belmar Commons? Article 17.4.1.3: Determination of Use B., the Director shall consider, among other relevant factors, traffic generation, density of population, and hours of operation of the proposed use as compared to: 3. The goals and policies set forth in the Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan states “Through the site plan review process and design guidelines, ensure that new multifamily, mixed-use, and commercial developments adjacent to single-family neighborhoods are compatible by incorporating appropriate design, scale, height transition, and connectivity to seamlessly integrate with the neighborhood.” Is this requirement met with the 5-6 story apt complex? Page 196 of the Comprehensive Plan reads Lakewood Sustains Guiding Principle Lakewood will be a leader in sustainability principles, practices, and education. Lakewood is committed to the well-being and health of its citizens and environment. The city will reduce its impact on natural systems It is the goal of sustainability to achieve balance between the economy, the natural environment, and social values; however, human society depends on the environment first and foremost in order to achieve social and economic sustainability. In other words, without a healthy environment, a community would be unable to achieve economic success and social well-being. Are we promoting sustainability and a healthy environment by cutting down 65 trees and degrading the environment? Declining bird populations will now have to endure noise pollution from construction, window strikes from 6 stories of apartment units, and reduced habitat from tree removal. Article 17.4.1.4 : City Owned Open-Space and Parks City-owned land which is used or held for open-space or park purposes shall not be permitted to be used for any purpose other than open-space or park purposes. Is the developer staging equipment and/or regrading part of the park adjacent to the site? Article 17.6.5.8, 17.7.7.7: Existing Tree Preservation A. Existing trees with trunks greater than 8-inch caliper, measured 1 foot above grade, within a development shall be preserved to the extent reasonably feasible and will help satisfy the landscaping requirements of this Section. Such trees shall be considered “protected” trees within the meaning of this Section. Streets, buildings, and lot layouts shall be designed to minimize the disturbance to protected trees. B. The Director shall determine through consultation with the City Forester when it is not feasible to preserve and retain protected tree(s) or to transplant them to another on site location. If it is determined that it is not feasible to preserve or transplant protected tree(s), the applicant shall replace such tree(s) according to this section. Replacement trees shall be used to satisfy the tree planting standards of this Section. Has this requirement been met? Was the site plan designed to preserve mature trees? Not if the plan is to remove 65 mature trees. Article 17.13.1.1: Purpose and Intent This Article establishes standards for sustainable development in the City of Lakewood. The purpose of these standards is to ensure that development implements the goals articulated in the community’s adopted plans for resilient and efficient development that is adaptable to infrastructure changes in the face of climate change, minimizes its impact on limited resources, contributes to communitywide greenhouse gas emissions targets, and becomes a positive asset within the community. Does extensive tree removal and consequent habitat removal satisfy sustainability standards? Use one or more of these articles in the zoning code to frame your concerns about the 777 S. Yarrow St development. Belmar Park is NOT an amenity for 777 S. Yarrow St! See you on May 7!