Development

Emory Questions Left Unanswered

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on October 30, 2025Posted in Community, Development, Entrenched Bureaucracy, Jeffco, TransparencyTagged action center, contract, Emory, financial, partners, questions, rush, transparency, zoningNo Comments

The October 27, 2025 City Council meeting demonstrated how determined Council is to approve the Emory sale and Action Center purchase. That date was the first opportunity to approve the multiple transaction after the new zoning was passed – zoning which was required for the new operations. Despite having an injunction in place to stall the vote, Council did everything possible except the actual vote itself. They claimed everything was known, disclosed and proper. They laughed and smiled as if the injunction was a joke. However, despite their claims, below is a list of over 70 lingering questions.

The votes on Emory have been delayed from October 27 to October 29 and now until November 3 while Council desperately tries to vote as soon as possible even while the case is in court and under injunction. The difficulty lies in how to restore trust and enable a public process to answer questions that have been handled behind the scenes for two years.

Finance Complaint Against Referendum Fizzles

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on October 27, 2025Posted in DevelopmentTagged campaign finance, city clerk, complaint, kolkmeier, petition, referendum, spending, yard signs

Hard-working, grassroots volunteers working on a popular referendum were hit with a campaign finance complaint from a political insider. The complaint alleges that money spent on getting a referendum printed needs to be documented through a campaign finance committee. The City Clerk deemed otherwise.

The original complaint was filed on October 20, 2025 by Kip Kolkmeier, former Chair of Lakewood Planning Commission and a vocal supporter of the zoning overhaul. He said that money spent on things like the extremely popular yard signs should be documented for transparency. He gathered pictures of many yard signs as evidence of improper behavior. He did not document that signs were meant to influence City Council votes before the referendum. Kolkmeier no longer lives in Lakewood.

The City Clerk filed the required response on October 23. The determination reads (in part and emphasis added):

“The Clerk further notes that Petitioners previously reached out to his office desiring to register as an issue committee prior to circulating their referendum petitions for signature.

Canstruction Food Event Subverted for Emory Purchase Propaganda

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on October 27, 2025Posted in Community, Development, Jeffco, TransparencyTagged action center, Canstruction, Colorado Gives, done deal, Emory, food bank, Kaiser Permanente, shell game

Lakewood’s shell game to buy Emory for the Action Center has shone a light on deals made before the public has a chance to weigh in. City leaders tell residents they can speak at the public comment period that was months away, and then they use the time before public comment to cement their plans away from public eye. More proof? An upcoming event taking place at Emory Elementary, hosted by Kaiser Permanente to benefit the Action Center. Chances are good that this was originally planned to be a celebration event for the Action Center that has now devolved into an event “with nonprofit partner.”

This is not just a regular Canstruction event. This is special for the Action Center at Emory.

New Zoning Map

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on October 22, 2025Posted in DevelopmentTagged new map, O-2025-30, ordinance, zoning map

The map above shows the amendments made October 13 and published October 21, 2025. See page 5 of the amended ordinance.

The time to collect signatures for a referendum closes 45 days from the publication date of the full ordinance. That means the fourth and final petition has until December 5 to gather enough signatures for this last ordinance to be repealed.

Further details of that meeting can be found at https://lakewoodinformer.com/final-zoning-map-change-passed-but-not-released/

Lakewood Rewriting Zoning Around Race

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on October 20, 2025Posted in Development, TransparencyTagged 1801 Glen Dale, Colorado, DEI, equity, Morse Park, racial covenant, The Dales, zoning

Some Lakewood City Council Members once again framed zoning decisions through the lens of historic racial injustices. During the October 13, 2025 meeting, Councilors returned to the same narrative seen throughout this rezoning process — that Lakewood must address equity and right racial wrongs through land use. What remains missing is evidence of any current racial barrier or any clear problem residents are actually experiencing under the existing zoning.

The August 25, 2025 meeting was even more explicit. Residents heard lengthy references to racism, equity, and climate change, with little connection to practical planning issues such as traffic, infrastructure, or neighborhood character. On October 13, Council singled out Morse Park for a zoning downgrade on the grounds that it once had racial covenants. No evidence was provided that any current residents are engaging in discrimination.

This is not new. A previous decision tied to a different neighborhood refused to fully honor a historic landmark petition unless the applicant accepted public labeling about past racist covenants unrelated to the current property owners.

Which raises the question:

Is Lakewood City Council making de facto reparations without ever saying so, and without consulting the people impacted today?

Referendum Can Be Signed at 820 Simms #11

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on October 18, 2025Posted in Development, Elections, TransparencyTagged 820 Simms, grassroots, petition, referendum, signing, zoning, zoning code

For the many residents asking where and how to sign, there is now an ongoing opportunity to sign Zoning Code Referendum Petitions in a suite located at 820 Simms Street, #11, situated behind the 7-11 building. This venue is open from 10:30 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Saturday.

There are THREE active grassroots referendums to repeal Lakewood’s recent zoning codes. Signers are asked to keep track of which they have signed in order to reduce duplication.

The volunteer efforts are one way that residents are getting engaged at a rapid rate. Nextdoor is also full of chatter. It’s a rare time in nextdoor history where residents can feel safe in criticizing city efforts. Historically, city supporters attack and drown out those with opposing views so that many have turned away from nextdoor – leading to the creation of alternate sites like the Lakewood Informer.

The office location is staffed with volunteers so please be patient with any unexpected closures, although currently there are numerous people helping. Volunteers span different neighborhoods, different political parties, and different reasons for supporting a repeal. This is truly a grassroots effort with room for everyone.

Final Zoning Map Change Passed But Not Released

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on October 18, 2025Posted in Development, TransparencyTagged code, Daniels Garden, ditch water, infrastructure, Kawanee Gardens, Kemo, map, October 13, public comment, zoning

Lakewood City Council approved the final segment of the zoning code overhaul on October 13, 2025. Numerous neighborhoods were changed during the meeting to adopt a lower density zoning than was proposed. Those changes generally reflected high resident turnout with specific requests for their neighborhood. Residents cannot see what the final map looks like because it has not been made available, even though the final ordinance is legally published.

The adopted ordinance, O-2025-30, defines the new zoning map. However, confusion remains over inconsistencies between the map’s legend descriptions and the written code itself. For example, the map legend for R-L-B says “R-L-B – Low-Form Residential B: Traditional suburban housing, mostly single-family homes with potential for accessory dwelling units and duplexes that look housescale.”

Yet the zoning code contains no limit on the number of dwelling units allowed. It only limits the size of the building. The term duplex appears only as part of a general list of housing types—without numerical restriction:

Two More Referendums

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on October 13, 2025Posted in DevelopmentTagged O-2025-29, O-20250-28, Oct 13, referendum, signatures, zoning

Two more referendums were approved to repeal zoning ordinances O-2025-28 and O-2025-29.

Similar to the first referendum, supporters ask for signatures to repeal the ordinance as it was passed. If enough signatures are gathered, the issue will be referred to a ballot vote.

Signatures must be gathered by November 3, 2025 and November 10, respectively.

Opportunities to sign all referendums will be available at the City Council meeting, Monday, October 13, and at the Green Mountain Water and Sanitation District special meeting. Other opportunities are being posted ad hoc on nextdoor.

Your Homework: Zoning Text

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on October 4, 2025Posted in DevelopmentTagged 2025-27, 2025-29, City Council, homework, Lakewood, ordinance, referendum, text, zoning

Questions abound about what exactly changed in the zoning. Although we have written several articles, typically about negative side effects, there is so much more in the newly passed zoning code.

IT IS INCUMBENT UPON YOU TO DO YOUR OWN HOMEWORK!

If you are interested in signing the referendum to repeal zoning, you will be asked if you have read the full code before you sign. After you sign, your name will be checked, and city officials, including City Councilors, will know you signed and may try to get you to recant your signature.

Referendum Petition to Repeal Zoning Approved

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on October 3, 2025Posted in DevelopmentTagged city approval, first zoning change, petition, referendum, repeal, zoning

Lakewood residents have a city-approved petition for a referendum to repeal the first zoning code change. This news offers hope to the increasing number of residents who have raised their voices against the zoning changes the city has made.

Lakewood residents have officially taken the first step toward repealing recent city-approved zoning code changes. A petition for referendum has cleared the city’s approval process, giving residents the right to gather signatures. People signing the petition agree that they want to repeal the zoning changes, as if they were never approved.

To succeed, petitioners must collect at least 3,517 valid signatures by October 30, 2025. Organizers say they are aiming for 5,000 to 6,000 signatures, knowing that the city frequently rejects a portion of those submitted. If successful, Council can either repeal the zoning themselves or refer the measure to a ballot vote.