Lakewood Informer

Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado

Lakewood Informer

Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado

Development

Zoning- What Hasn’t Been Told

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

Guest post from Lenore Herskovitz
Although the City has touted their 2 year effort to produce and inform the public about the updated zoning code, there remains a large number of residents who are unaware of the upcoming special election challenging the zoning changes that were passed by the City Council at the end of last year. Ballots will be mailed out on March 16 but how many people will know why they are receiving one? Why did communication efforts fail? Did the City ever reach out to its residents and ask what would be the most effective way to notify them about policies, meetings, developments that would affect their lives? Perhaps that is something the City should consider doing moving forward.

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Op-Ed: Lakewood’s zoning updates are a necessary step to protect the future of our community

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on Posted in DevelopmentTagged , , , , , , 5 Comments on Op-Ed: Lakewood’s zoning updates are a necessary step to protect the future of our community

Guest post from George Mugerian
Many residents understandably worry about development in their neighborhoods. We value the character of Lakewood. We value stability. But we also have to ask an important question: at what cost do we preserve the status quo?

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Tell The Truth About Upzoning

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

Repost from savebelmarpark.com
The City of Lakewood, Colorado has approved a city-wide upzoning scheme largely in response to the influence of private equity developers and the ‘redress’ movement as described at their website redressmovement.org.

Redress posted an article titled: ‘A Step Closer to Ending Segregation Zoning in Lakewood, CO’

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Lakewood Citizens Demand City Overturn Ordinances Benefiting Wealthy Individuals and Corporations

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

From Save Belmar Park, Inc and People Before Profits
On Monday January 26, Lakewood City Council will again vote on a controversial new zoning scheme enacted by a council majority that was led by dark-money, developer-funded Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem.
This vote—triggered by four historic citizen referendum petitions—will determine whether the Council repeals its radical zoning rewrite or sends it to Lakewood voters for a citywide vote.

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Decision Appears Made – It’s Going to Ballot

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

Even though Lakewood City Council hasn’t made any official decisions, it appears Council has unofficially decided they will send the zoning referendum to the ballot. Issue committees have been made and official campaigns started. Former City Councilor Sophia Mayott-Guerrero is leading the campaign against the citizens’ referendum and is already collecting donations. That committee has announced the referendum is on the ballot. A special election would be scheduled for March.

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Affordable Housing in Colorado Covers Developer Greed

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

By Regina Hopkins, in the Westword

There is a glaring lack of long-term thinking when it comes to neighborhood continuity and planning in Lakewood.

City council’s radical rezoning is a blueprint for rushed, cheap, builder-grade development over thoughtful planning. Mature trees? Bulldozed for convenience. Infrastructure for fire, water, traffic, parks? Afterthoughts, already failing to keep up with current demands.

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Petitioners Win in Zoning Referendum Hearing

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

LLakewood has ruled AGAINST PROTESTS challenging zoning referendum petitions – meaning Lakewood ruled IN FAVOR OF THE REFERENDUM. The protesters said they represented the “rule of law” and stood for democracy.  Then they argued against the democratic right to referendum.  Lakewood and the petitioners cited Colorado Supreme Court case law to uphold the Constitutional right to referendum. Lakewood’s decision means the petitions are sufficient, and City Council must now respond. The first reading of a repeal ordinance is scheduled for 12 January, 2026 Council meeting.

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A Bit Too Late for Concerns, Innit?

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

From Somebody Should Do Something

JeffCo’s Common Clay of the New West prides themselves on yapping about “equity, diversity and affordable housing.’’ Seeing how they are so well versed in the cultures of the world, they should be able to translate the Russian saying of “Когда жареный петух клюнет” – for the rest of us, mere mortals, it says, “When a fried rooster pecks you” or, for those in JeffCo, “once your house (almost, maybe) burns down, then you’ll care.”

In early September of 2025, yet another community in JeffCo got to experience an evacuation notice, in part, due to the development they live in being placed in an area with known fire risk. To add some spice to the situation, in a manner too common to most of Colorado, the roads in and out of the neighborhood are not sufficient to provide viable evacuation routes.

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Legal Support and Views of a Petitioner

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

Defending the referendum requires legal counsel.  Regular residents cannot navigate full legal proceedings alone. Although there can be no issue committee at this time, and therefore no campaign donations, an attorney is stepping forward to assist. 

If you wish to support the effort, donations can be sent directly to:

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City Writes New Procedures for Referendum Hearing

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

Former Lakewood resident Kip Kolkmeier has filed complaints about the referendum signatures on behalf of Joshua Comden and Reverend Ben Hensley. The complaint alleges very technical violations about the referendum petitions while also complaining about the hearing itself. Without documented procedures, the hearing officer is free to use their experience to guide a successful, neutral process. Kolkmeier disagrees and dictated how the complaint process should be handled, including the hearing and even who is allowed to talk to the City Clerk.

The eight bullet points listed in Kolkmeier’s hearing complaint are not suggestions for future hearings. They are demands to be implemented immediately. He uses words such as “shall”, “is” and “must.” This is a complete departure from suggested advice and does not acknowledge various alternatives of holding public hearings.

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