Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado
Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado
Jeffco Schools is not disclosing how much the district will lose on the Emory Elementary deal. And curiously, no one knows when the Board met or voted on selling the closed school.
Lakewood Informer reached out to school officials and could find NOTHING. How is Lakewood selling the property when the purchase has not been completed through Jeffco? Has it been completed and everyone missed it?
The DAIF will hold its annual Denver American Indian Festival on Oct. 11, 2025, at Lakewood United Methodist Church (1390 Brentwood, Lakewood, CO 80214) from 10 am to 5 pm.
The family-friendly free event features music, crafts, food, dance, and interactive workshops. Festival highlights will feature performances by renowned Native musicians/dancers, including national recording artist Shelley Morningsong & Fabian Fontenelle, Seven Falls Indian Dancers, and Azteca Grupo Huitzilopochtli, among others. Authentic fry bread vendors and Native crafters will also be on hand to provide an experience that reflects the diverse culture of Colorado’s many indigenous communities.
The new zoning rewrite drastically changed the very definition of a residential dwelling unit. Residents may be accustomed to using words like single-family, duplex, or even shelter. All that has now gone away. All of them are now considered the same. They are all “residential dwelling.”
That means that any of them, including a homeless shelter, can be your new nextdoor neighbor and there’s nothing to stop it.
The 2012 zoning code broke out 9 categories for uses and permitted them per zone, depending on suitability.
The same table in the 2025 rewrite shows only three categories. The highlighted categories from 2012 have all been compressed into one category, “residential dwelling”.
Councilor Supports Taxpayer Funds for Migrants Recent comments by Isabel Cruz show that Lakewood Council may still support using taxpayer dollars for migrant housing. Lakewood Councilor Isabel Cruz is a Policy Director for the non-profit Colorado Consumer Health Initiative. As a spokesperson for the Initiative [not Lakewood], Cruz defended Medicaid coverage for undocumented immigrants saying, “…providing coverage to undocumented immigrants benefits everyone and keeps costs down.” She made several additional comments in a Denver 7 article titled “Feds investigate Colorado’s spending on health care for undocumented immigrants” According to the article, she said, ““When we help cover people, we help stabilize our health care system and our safety net health care providers, and we also make sure that we keep costs down for everyone,” said Cruz.” The same sentiment could be applied to housing, where Cruz is currently voting on new policies for “affordable housing” through Lakewood’s zoning code. Cruz’s statements were not made regarding official Lakewood policy. However, this is the same mentality displayed over and over again by Council Members and staff when migrant support comes up – all programs in Lakewood are open to migrants. This question is key to understanding why Lakewood is changing zoning and adopting radical housing strategies that have not been implemented citywide anywhere in Colorado. Lakewood leadership is aggressively pursuing funding support for homeless – including migrants. Colorado Engaged has previously explained how Colorado Prop 123 funding “reallocates TABOR refunds to support government-managed, taxpayer-subsidized housing and homelessness initiatives.” The plans for migrants in Lakewood has been shrouded in mystery. Lakewood says they are not a sanctuary city but they act like one by: Lakewood does not coordinate with ICE Lakewood already “lessens deportation fears” to encourage migrants to live in Lakewood in a policy buried in the Strategic Housing Plan, rather than a standalone policy Council has made clear that Lakewood will not ask for identification to receive shelter or services Lakewood Mayor Wendi Strom supported new migrants becoming “proud workers and residents of Colorado” by approving a letter from the Metro Mayors Caucusthat the city charged an outrageous fee to obtain. Council voted in January 2024 to “be a good neighbor.” Councilor Cruz has not returned a request for comment. Like many others, she has an automatic response saying, in part: “If your email requires a personal response, I will do my best to reply promptly but if you don’t hear from me, please feel free to reach back out. Since council is designed as a part-time job and most of us have additional full-time jobs to support ourselves and our families, I appreciate your patience in advance with my response.”
Emory Not Purchased Yet but is Already Scheduled to Sell The sale of Emory has already been scheduled for October 27, the same day Lakewood will authorize buying the current Action Center for more homeless services. There is no mention of when Lakewood will complete the purchase of Emory, but Lakewood must be confident since it is already scheduled for sale. There is no update on the Jeffco website and calls for comment have not been returned. No evidence of a public meeting with Jeffco schools can be found. Lakewood has consistently told residents that the purchase and sale of Emory Elementary was not a “done deal” and that the community would have plenty of opportunity to weigh in. But so far, that hasn’t been the case. While there have been many meetings where the Action Center has explained their plans, there has been no opposing views presented. Resident concerns have been brushed aside. The only real discussion about Lakewood’s homeless policy was during a Council workshop at which no votes were taken and public comment allowed. The sale date of October 27th is the day before the District Court trial involving Lakewood’s alleged violations of the Open Meetings Law. Former Lakewood Councilor and attorney Anita Springsteen filed three lawsuits against improper notice of executive sessions for Emory purchase discussions. Losing Money Jeffco will not disclose the market valuation of Emory, claiming negotiation privilege. However, the discussion from the Action Center presentations suggests: the property is worth around $10 million Lakewood will purchase the building for $4 million. Lakewood will then sell the building to the Action Center for $1 million. If true, that’s a $9 million loss to the taxpayers. Add in the cost for Lakewood to buy the current Action Center property and the cost goes up. Meanwhile, Jeffco has been cutting costs elsewhere — including reducing school resource officer coverage. Residents can’t help but connect these decisions to recent tragedies like the Evergreen school shooting, which happened when the SRO was off duty and a replacement had been “deprioritized”. Biased Presentations The Action Center has sponsored a couple of one-sided presentation meetings. Ward 2 residents expecting a zoning discussion on September 13 were instead met with a surprise Action Center presentation. The Action Center meeting scheduled for September 17 has turned into a Ward 3 meeting. It is scheduled for 5:30 at Emory Elementary. What’s missing is any balanced discussion of: The real taxpayer costs The impact on nearby neighborhoods Program effectiveness Whether these programs can stand financially without ongoing government support Expanding Homeless Services City Manager Kathy Hodgson previewed this direction back in December 2023, saying “… we are talking about a partnership with the Action Center to move them to one of the schools that’s been closed…. then Lakewood would have a presence in the existing two buildings of the Action Center to complete the navigation concept and allow for more housing for our homeless population….“ Since the City Manager made that comment, the Navigation Center has proven to be more expensive than anticipated and has drawn criticism as a magnet for the homeless. Even Governor Jared Polis recently questioned “Housing First” strategies like Lakewood’s. In a September 12 interview with CPR, Polis said Denver’s model hasn’t worked and shouldn’t be emulated. Instead, he pointed to Colorado Springs and Aurora, which emphasize mental health and individualized approaches over housing alone. (See Lakewood Informer news article for a comparison) From CPR interview with Governor Polis, 12 September 2025 Zoning Changes on a Fast Track Lakewood’s City Council is expected to vote on the final zoning changes, including the Emory site, on October 13. The move would “spot change” Emory’s zoning without the typical public hearing process. All of this is scheduled to be finalized before the next election, effectively locking in the decision before residents can have their say at the ballot box. The Bigger Picture Lakewood’s leadership continues to move forward without presenting residents with a full picture of costs, tradeoffs, or alternative models. Governor Polis himself has warned against relying on “Housing First” — yet Lakewood is doubling down on that very approach. The new zoning enables this approach while bypassing normal public hearings on controversial site changes.
Councilor Admits Zoning is a Developer Handout Councilor Sophia Mayott-Guerrero said the new zoning code would be a developer handout as a standalone measure. She said the zoning is needed to get state subsidies for affordable units. The subsidies are what makes housing affordable, not the zoning, as learned in other cities with failed zoning changes. This is exactly what zoning detractors have been saying for months, only to be denied or distracted. Zoning doesn’t provide affordable housing and Lakewood has not brought forward any details for subsidized government housing. Did residents ever agree to government subsidies like Denver? The comments below are from the Lakewood City Council meeting on September 8, 2025 Councilor Mayott-Guerrero, Sept 8, 2025 Mayott-Guerrero also talks about how zoning is an investment. An investment means money down. In this case, Lakewood can “invest” in zoning to get state funds for “affordable housing.” Affordable housing is legally defined and does not include “the missing middle.” Affordable housing means government subsidies. Lakewood has not yet brought forward any city-sponsored affordable housing projects. Mayott-Guerrero suggests that projects will come after she is gone. What does she know that residents do not? When will residents be told what Lakewood is apparently already planning? Rumors that Lakewood is seeking to purchase property on Colfax have been confirmed with City Councilors. However, since negotiations are ongoing, no specific property is mentioned. Lakewood previously discussed sponsoring pallet homes on Colfax during the adoption of the new building code in 2024. Currently, the October 27th meeting is scheduled to discuss the purchase of the Action Center. In December 2023, the City Manager stated her intent to buy the Action Center to have another building for their solution to homelessness.
Second Zoning Ordinance Passes in a Desperate Rush Lakewood City Council adopted zoning sections 1, 2, 4, and 5 in a desperate rush that lasted until 2:30 AM, brushing aside pleas to adjourn and take more time for review to reconvene at a reasonable hour. The final vote followed: About three hours of public comment About three hours of council debate 34 amendments discussed Several denials of substantive changes The zoning vote didn’t even begin until around 11 PM, which is the time council typically adjourns. From that moment on, amendments came in rapid succession, but when anything meaningful surfaced, someone, typically Councilors Low or Mayott-Guerrero, shut discussion down because it was not the time for substance. Although few to begin with, any amendment that could have had an impact was defeated. By the time the ordinance passed at 2:30 AM, bleary-eyed councilors had pushed through a highly anticipated but largely unchanged plan. This vote showed that even though there was rhetoric from some Councilors about taking time and listening to residents, approval was a done deal. A Night of Symbolism, Not Substance The first amendment set the tone for the night. Councilor Sinks proposed a feel-good goal about “working toward homeownership.” It wasn’t binding, just aspirational, and even that failed. Throughout the night, councilors debated minor wording changes while dodging big-picture issues. At one point, Councilor Mayott-Guerrero bluntly asked staff, “So does this do anything?” The answer: “No.” The takeaway: most amendments were political window dressing, not policy shifts. Passage Highlights Council’s Predetermined Path The sheer volume of amendments revealed just how unprepared the code may have been. Many changes corrected errors or reversed recent decisions—like minimum lot size and setback rules that had been approved just weeks earlier. The public was not able to review or comment on any of these amendments. Still, nothing altered the trajectory: higher density, fewer restrictions on development, and a zoning overhaul designed to move forward no matter the objections. Mayor Strom signaled the strategy in an interview, saying “big issues” would be postponed until later to ensure passage. Councilor Low reiterated this unofficial policy, saying that Council has been talking about zoning for months and there shouldn’t be complex amendments at this point. The strategy played out in real time, as council rejected or watered down anything remotely impactful. In other words, and as residents have complained, it’s a “done deal” by the time it gets to public vote. Residents’ Concerns Addressed in Name Only Amendments seemed more aimed at appearances than solutions. For example, several amendments were made to increase transparency. Written justification for discretionary decisions will now be posted online. But while transparency is good, DISCRETION was the issue, not transparency. Residents are concerned about the many areas where decisions are made by one unelected bureaucrat. That core issue remains unresolved. Transparency without accountability is meaningless. In fact, a motion by Councilor Paula Nystrom to grant Council the ability to review Major Site Plans died for lack of a second. No one else on Council took the opportunity to address the core issue of discretion by adding Council review and accountability, even if the concept needed additional discussion. Another example involves waiving city fee for housing projects, which is a sore point for some residents. Instead of rethinking the policy, the council opted to simply post a justification online. A brief victory for the public came when council initially voted to require a special-use permit for pickleball courts in residential areas, only to reverse the decision 10 minutes later. One last example: an amendment calling for a comprehensive report on the effectiveness of the new zoning code was made by Councilor Nystrom. Councilors Rein, Isabel Cruz and others watered it down until it was not comprehensive and could not suggest there was any reason for a report. The worry was that asking for a report implied there might be problems to report on. In other words, the present-day City Council protected itself from anyone finding any problems in the future. A Late-Night Sprint By the end, fatigue was palpable. Most of the public had left by the time Council started deliberating at 11 PM. Council had the option to table the motion at any point, which meant discussion would pick up where they left off, so no repeat would be necessary and there would be no time lost. Council procedures mandate that a decision to continue the meeting start at 11 PM in order to maintain reasonable hours. Despite this, Council started the discussion without a check-in and continued far past normal. Councilor Low used the late hour as a reason to skip deeper discussions. Staff were scrambling for reasonable suggestions when fatigue set in. Discussion was curtailed starting at 12:30 AM with multiple “call the question” votes. Councilor Sinks motioned to adjourn at 1:30 AM. That call was rejected. The majority pushed ahead, determined to pass the ordinance. Councilor Mayott-Guerrero argued that public supporters had been organized for this meeting and it would be “irresponsible” to stop. No one mentioned the grassroots residents who showed up without City Council organizers, who felt Council was irresponsible to continue the meeting so late on items the public couldn’t review. The majority who voted to push on were Strom, Rein, Mayott-Guerrero, Shahrezaei, I. Cruz, and Low in a 6-5 decision. Councilor Rein’s vote was key to moving this forward, even if eventually he voted down the measure when his vote was not critical. The Nature of the Changes Here’s what came out of three hours of amendments: 5 amendments on trees, solar panels, parks, and other sustainability-related items 4 amendments for transparency without accountability 4 amendments rephrasing items resulting in no change 3 amendments that were too substantial to consider 4 amendments that reversed prior decisions 4 times the question was called One of the biggest changes the public couldn’t preview may be the shift to make Lakewood multilingual, or at least bilingual, for physical mailings. This is a big policy
Latest Amendments Below is a summary listing all the amendments discussed on September 8, 2025, to accompany the general meeting description. These are in addition to the amendments found on LakewoodSpeaks, which are also additions to the many changes that were made before. Amendments have been constant. Residents were unable to preview these. Councilor Sinks suggests adding a goal for home ownership. Failed on first try Councilor Ken Cruz made an amendment to protect the tree canopy and increase green resilience. Passed unanimously. Councilor Ken Cruz suggested another amendment to say that the zoning code is not retroactive. Passed unanimously. Councilor Roger Low restated the amendment from Sinks so that it passed unanimously. Councilor Nystrom suggested an amendment to mandate staff create a report detailing affordable housing generated from the zoning. Such “lookbacks” are common but don’t often generate results or change. Nevertheless, Councilor Mayott-Guerrero argued vehemently that staff don’t have time to do this level of review. Councilor Isabel Cruz said Nystrom’s amendment suggests there will be problems that need to be reviewed. Reasons to have a lookback needed to be taken out and reframed so that future Councilors remain neutral. Nystrom’s amendment took 3 votes to pass. Mayott-Guerrero argued that looking for a specific list of things of concern suggests there is something to be concerned about. All hints of concern needed to be deleted before finally passing the amendment to have another ineffective and neutral lookback pass unanimously at 11:25 pm. Councilor K. Cruz made an amendment to have written justification for any waivers granted by the Director. This motion was only for waivers, not for other matters that rely on Director’s discretion. Director Travis Parker says this is already standard practice. Passed unanimously at 11:30 PM. Councilor K. Cruz suggested an amendment to clarify the Director’s ability to grant waivers so that park property can be used for non-park purposes, like fencing. Mayott-Guerrero asked staff bluntly, “so does this do anything?” Answer, “no.” Passed 8-3 at 11:41 pm. Councilor Nystrom made a motion to delay the ability to cut down trees until the development is going to start. But as proposed, the language suggested that existing homeowners would need permits to cut down sick trees, which was a problem in previous versions. Motion fails with only Nystrom voting for it. On second try it passes with only Low against. Nystrom moves another amendment regarding the fact that Lakewood waives fees for certain projects in the name of the public good. Nystrom wants written justification for such decisions posted on the website. Such justification is already made. Passed unanimously. Councilor K. Cruz moves that all public notices be posted on the website and that physically mailed notices be multilingual. Passed unanimously at midnight. Councilor Nystrom made an amendment to include public information on the preplanning application review that after completion. Again, not for any public action, just to make information public. Councilor Shahrezaei had researched this topic and said that similar proposals had been rejected several times before because of the amount of work for Council and staff on answering questions for projects that don’t get completed. Motion failed at 12:17 AM with all of Council voting against it except for Nystrom and K. Cruz. Councilor Nystrom motioned an amendment to grant Council the ability to consider any Major Site Plan within 17 days of the Directors decision for public hearing. This amendment is actionable by the public and Council, not just a transparency item, and it is in place in other cities. The motion failed for lack of a second. On a second try, the motion was seconded and discussed. Councilor Furman said he thinks this may allow Council to make arbitrary decisions. Low says this leads to weaponization of NIMBYism and would chill development. Shahrezaei called the question for the first time that night on this issue. Motion fails again at 12:30 AMwith nays being almost everyone – Strom, LaBure, Rein, K. Cruz, Mayott-Guerrero, Shahrezaei, Sinks, I. Cruz, Low and Furman. Nystrom suggested an amendment to have additional environmental assessments for development that impact parks. Mayott-Guerrero expressed concern for how much work this would be for staff. She says delays could affect government funding and that she is working for government funding. There was no dissenting discussion to show it’s not just a timing issue; this decision prioritized development over the environment. Once the site plan is approved, it is hard, if not impossible, to get a new plan based on environmental considerations. Director Parker says it may not be possible to meet Prop 123 deadlines when having an environmental review. Motion fails at 12:42 AM with only Furman and Nystrom in support. Councilor Sinks made a motion for pickleball courts require a special use permit in residential areas but allowed outright in commercial and light industrial areas. This amendment would keep pickle ball noise away from residential areas. Mayott-Guerrero says that’s not a good idea. Low and Rein needed more information. Motion fails the first time. With modifications to remove express allowances in commercial and light industrial areas, the motion passed 8-3 at 12:58 AM. Nays were LaBure, Mayott-Guerrero, and Low. Councilor Sinks made another motion pickleball and sport court use definition. Low says it is too late in the process and too late at night to consider this. A motion to call the question passes. Motion fails at 1:05 AM 5-6 vote. Amendment 20 negated the first pickleball motion so there was a motion to reconsider. The pickleball court amendment was then repealed at 1:10 AM in a 10-1 vote. Discussion sped up after this point. Councilor Isabel Cruz motioned for plant nurseries to be allowed in R-L-B and R-L-C zones as a special use. There was no discussion. Unanimous approval at 1:12 AM. Councilor K. Cruz made an amendment so that roadside stands can include produce from other properties. The original motion failed. The motion was reworded to have produce from the host property be labeled as such. This made produce
Art+Ag: A Family-Friendly Celebration Where Art Meets Agriculture Fleischer Family Farm (2005 S. Zephyr Ct., Lakewood Co.) in conjunction with the Tenet Podcast presents the 4th annual Art + Ag event on Saturday, September 20, 2025, from 10 am -4 pm. This year showcases a tribute to Hispanic Heritage Month. Founded in 2022 by Todd Pierson, Wes Brown, Paul Fleischer, and Chelsie Fleischer, Art+Ag invites families and community members to experience the vibrant intersection of art and agriculture. This free, unique celebration offers guests the opportunity to explore the inner workings of an urban farm, discover innovative farming methods, learn about sustainable eating practices, and engage with the local food system—all while enjoying fresh, locally grown food and flowers from the farm. Visitors will also have the chance to connect with artists whose work is inspired by the intimate relationship between art and agriculture, creating a dynamic environment where creativity and sustainability meet. Art+Ag encourages hands-on learning, immersive experiences, and meaningful connections for guests of all ages. “Our goal with Art+Ag is to create a space where families and communities can come together to learn, appreciate, and celebrate the intersection of art and sustainable farming,” said Wes Brown, co-founder of Art+Ag. “We believe that by connecting people to their food and the creative process, we can inspire a deeper understanding of how art and agriculture shape our lives.” Artists pay tribute to Hispanic Heritage Month Latinx artist Ken Trujillo—a commercial photographer, an artist, a father, and a Colorado native with roots deeply planted in the soil of the San Luis Valley, was very pragmatic about this year’s lineup of Hispanic artist at the event. “ My family’s story winds through New Mexico and Colorado, beginning with some of the early Spanish settlers in Abiquiu, New Mexico, to my grandfather’s farms in Garcia, Wattenberg, and Henderson, Colorado. The land where my family tilled the earth and made their lives left imprints on my soul that is expressed in my art.” said Trujillo “My art was born from moments of transition: the loss of my father, the end of a 13-year job, and the quiet of an empty nest. These moments ignited the evolution of my fine art and abstract photography. A friend once told me, ‘There is a beautiful way to shoot even the ugliest of things’—words that inspired me to seek beauty in the world around us. I strive to find beauty in the ordinary aspects of life—the simple, the plain, and even the mundane and discarded. I capture fragments of daily life that often go unnoticed, revealing their intrinsic beauty. Standing with ART + AG, I am thrilled to be part of this upcoming event. Dolores Huerta once said, “Honor the hands that harvest your crops.” I want to honor those hands—my father’s hands, my ancestors’ hands. Farming runs in my blood and in my daughters’ blood on both sides. It truly is the backbone of Americana. Being able to celebrate that through my art, my lens, in this setting, is a heartfelt tribute to my family.” Added Trujillo This Year’s Art+Ag Market Latinx artist Ken Trujillo—a commercial photographer, an artist, a father, and a Colorado native with roots deeply planted in the soil of the San Luis Valley, was very pragmatic about this year’s lineup of Hispanic artist at the event. “ My family’s story winds through New Mexico and Colorado, beginning with some of the early Spanish settlers in Abiquiu, New Mexico, to my grandfather’s farms in Garcia, Wattenberg, and Henderson, Colorado. The land where my family tilled the earth and made their lives left imprints on my soul that is expressed in my art.” said Trujillo “My art was born from moments of transition: the loss of my father, the end of a 13-year job, and the quiet of an empty nest. These moments ignited the evolution of my fine art and abstract photography. A friend once told me, ‘There is a beautiful way to shoot even the ugliest of things’—words that inspired me to seek beauty in the world around us. I strive to find beauty in the ordinary aspects of life—the simple, the plain, and even the mundane and discarded. I capture fragments of daily life that often go unnoticed, revealing their intrinsic beauty. Standing with ART + AG, I am thrilled to be part of this upcoming event. Dolores Huerta once said, “Honor the hands that harvest your crops.” I want to honor those hands—my father’s hands, my ancestors’ hands. Farming runs in my blood and in my daughters’ blood on both sides. It truly is the backbone of Americana. Being able to celebrate that through my art, my lens, in this setting, is a heartfelt tribute to my family.” Added Trujillo About The Fleischer Family Farm The Fleischer Family Farm, an urban farm in Lakewood, Colorado, is dedicated to building community through nutrient-rich produce, vibrant flowers, cage-free eggs, honey, and other artisanal foods—all cultivated without pesticides or synthetic chemicals. Through environmentally respectful practices, the Fleischer family strives to provide high-quality farm products while fostering meaningful connections between people and the land. In addition to supplying fresh, local foods, the farm offers year-round educational classes, community events, and a children’s summer camp, giving families hands-on opportunities to explore sustainable agriculture. For up-to-date information, be sure to follow Art+Ag & the Tenet Podcast on Instagram at @artandag303 and @tenetpodcast. Or Contact:Todd Pierson todd@toddpierson.com720-217-6296 www.tenetpodcast.com
Colorado Christian University Ranks #10 for Faith Based Accelerated Nursing Program From registerednursing.org Colorado Christian University’s Faith Based ABSN program ranks #10 on RegisteredNursing.org’s annual list of the best in the United States for 2026. ABSN stands for Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing. As described by the registerednursing.org website: “These spiritual programs integrate compassionate care principles with rigorous nursing curriculum, preparing students to serve communities with both professional excellence and deep personal commitment. Faith-based ABSN programs often emphasize ethical care, cultural sensitivity, and a whole-person approach to healthcare that goes beyond traditional medical training. By combining religious values with advanced nursing education, these programs produce graduates who are not just technically skilled, but also deeply empathetic healthcare professionals dedicated to serving others with genuine compassion. Learn more about our ranking methodology.” Visit the CCU website here Further information from registerednursing.org:
