Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado
Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado
There will be a public hearing on the Whippoorwill development on August 21 with the Planning Commission at 7 pm. This is the development residents have identified multiple problems with, which was previously posted in Lakewood Informer news at Concerns and Comments for Whippoorwill Dr. Lakewood resident organizers are asking for community support at this meeting. Find more information at change.org
with contributing author Joan from Lakewood On August 12, 2024, Lakewood City Council voted to approve a ballot measure that will permanently suspend TABOR limitations for Lakewood. All City Council spoke in favor of the measure except for Council Member Rich Olver, the sole nay vote. There was some Council discussion about whether to include a sunset or not but in the end, the vote was to suspend refunds permanently. The Lakewood City Attorney cited a court case that would allow this permanent suspension. Lakewood’s previous suspension was only temporary. A presentation by the Magellan consultants, who were hired to do a survey of Lakewood residents, claimed that 52 percent of the citizens were in favor of this policy. There were three people that testified in person about this resolution: one in enthusiastic favor and two against. Online comments were almost evenly split. This even split reflects the Magellan findings. On the other hand, 90% of Council supported the resolution. One member of the public questioned the timing of this resolution being voted on the last week before school starts, thinking that was the reason there was not more feedback. Author Joan from Lakewood believes that most citizens feel the Lakewood City Council does not listen to public comment and that after spending $74, 000 it was a baked in vote. From Bob Adams on Nextdoor.com: “On July 12, the Lakewood City Council met in a public meeting to vote on a ballot proposal to allow them to keep and spend all excess funds they over collected with our 2024 property tax billing. By law, these excess funds would normally be refunded to us as required by TABOR. I Listened to the meeting on YouTube.. How could they over collect taxes? The County Assessor did a reappraisal in 2023 as required by State law. Overall, the appraised value of all properties increased by about 37%. This will happen again in 2025. By State law, the City Council is supposed to adjust the mill levy so the overall revenue equals the City budget. Governor Polis also sent a letter asking them to reduce the mill levy. They failed to do so. Instead, they intentionally kept a higher mill levy knowing full well they would collect millions of excess dollars. (about $8 million in 2024)” That post includes a healthy discussion of the issue, along with a similar post by Wendy Shrader, who provided public comments on Monday. More from LakewoodSpeaks.org Argument in favor: “I strongly urge the City Council to approve this resolution because it empowers the voters to decide whether we should retain revenue from existing taxes for the most important city funding priorities.” – Kip Kolkmeier “I support investing in Lakewood, and I support putting it to a vote from all residents.” – Joshua Comden Argument against: “I personally enjoy my rights afforded by Tabor and generally opt to retain limits on revenue, as I think this is an effective method to ensure government thinks creatively and soberly how best to spend the revenue it does have.” – Michael Newman “TABOR is the single best gift we voters have ever given ourselves and future generations.” – John Mohatt The ballot language will be: WITHOUT INCREASING CURRENT TAXES OR ADDING ANY NEW TAX, SHALL THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD, COLORADO, BE AUTHORIZED TO COLLECT, RETAIN AND SPEND THE FULL AMOUNT OF CITY TAXES AND ALL OTHER REVENUE COLLECTED FROM ALL SOURCES IN 2026 AND EACH YEAR THEREAFTER, IN EXCESS OF THE REVENUE AND SPENDING LIMITATIONS IN ARTICLE X, SECTION 20, OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION, AND SHALL SUCH EXCESS REVENUE BE SPENT ONLY AS FOLLOWS: ONE-THIRD FOR PARKS, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE; ONE-THIRD FOR PUBLIC SAFETY-RELATED EQUIPMENT, SERVICES AND/OR PERSONNEL; AND ONE-THIRD FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT OF STREETS, SIDEWALKS, PATHS AND INFRASTRUCTURE. AND SHALL ALL SUCH EXCESS REVENUES BE MAINTAINED AND PRESENTED IN A SEPARATE BUDGET OR ACCOUNT OF THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD, COLORADO, TO PROVIDE FOR OVERSIGHT BY THE CITIZENS OF LAKEWOOD TO ENSURE THE EXCESS FUNDS ARE USED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSES DESCRIBED ABOVE? YES ________ NO ________ Scorecard: Approve Ballot Initiative to Permanently Suspend TABOR Strom: Aye Shahrezaei: Aye Sinks: Aye Mayott-Guerrero: Aye Cruz: Aye Stewart: Aye Low: Aye Olver: Nay Rein: Aye LaBure: Aye Nystrom: Aye
A request initiated by City Councilor Rich Olver has been taken off the schedule, outside of normal Council procedures. Olver requested a study session for the Terumo BCT ethylene oxide emissions in 2023. According to Olver, the study session will no longer be scheduled, after Mayor Strom asked the Ward 1 Councilors if this was something they were interested in pursuing. Apparently, they were not. As a result, the Council approval for a study session has been overruled. This is an irregular procedure. As previously reported in the Lakewood Informer news, Councilman Olver has renewed his request for this study session multiple times, including again recently. Unlike other Council Members whose requests are regularly approved, Olver does not usually get approval so this initiative caught attention as something other councilors would actually listen to. However, when Olver asked about the status, Mayor Strom responded that she checked with Ward 1 Councilors and they didn’t think it was necessary. Comments from Ward 1 Councilors suggest that Council Member Sinks was not consulted. However, neither the Mayor nor any single Councilor have the ability to overturn approval of the full City Council. Originally passed by consensus on June 12, 2023, Shahrezaei and Strom agreed at that point to hold the study session. What changed? At that time, Lakewood’s Mayor was Adam Paul. He did not schedule the session either. The question here is, why do some people’s request get priority timing and some never happen. Regarding the study session, Mayor Strom said, “There are not currently any plans to conduct a study session on this topic. Study Sessions are primarily scheduled based on our goals set in the planning retreat that happens early in the year, this topic was not one that is on that list for 2024. … While this topic has not been discussed in a study session, there have been other conversations occurring as needed based on community input and requests, as you can imagine that’s occurring predominantly in Ward 1. Heightened cancer risk is something that we take seriously, and we’ll continue to monitor the situation and respond accordingly.“ Council Requests for Action do not need to be previously discussed at the annual retreat. For example, City Council just approved a request to modify the Lakewood Advisory Commission. This item was not discussed at the annual retreat but will be heard by the full City Council. Ironically, that discussion was initiated by the Ward 1 Councilors and was approved July 8, 2024, including a hard deadline for results. The concept of not talking about anything unless it was approved at the annual planning retreat is relatively new and seems to applied selectively. Some topics, like public safety, have been denied multiple times. Ward 1 Council Member and Mayor Pro Tem Shahrezaei comments, “I’m in favor of hosting study sessions on topics that interest constituents. I am confident Charley Able and I did a good job keeping Ward 1 constituents updated during the EPA rule making process. Neighbors participated in the multiple EPA Q&A sessions and have been additionally updated on this matter. I have not heard once from a community member asking for Terumo to come in or a general update during a council meeting. These neighbors are informed on the matter already and I believe that because they rallied quite a bit on the topic in 2022.“ “It will be helpful for all of Council to hear that information” Council Member Shahrezaei, June 12, 2023. Ward 1 Council Member Glenda Sinks responds, “Are you familiar with the Open Meetings law that forbids us from discussing business off the record? We follow that law to the nth degree.“ Councilor Sinks identifies the problem exactly. How did this item fall off the agenda completely?
Includes cross-post from https://theridgeseniorliving.com/blog/ Lakewood, Colorado, June 10, 2024 –The Ridge Pinehurst, an Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care rental community in the Denver, CO area owned and operated by The Ridge Senior Living, has been featured in a British television program as one of the “World’s Most Luxurious Retirement Homes.” The 45-minute documentary, which aired in the UK on June 9, showcased senior living communities that redefine luxury and vitality for their residents. The documentary, produced by the independent production company ScreenDog Productions and the first episode of the series, followed several residents of The Ridge Pinehurst in a “day in the life” format, offering viewers a glimpse into the vibrant lifestyle at the community. The Ridge Pinehurst was featured alongside The Palace at Coral Gables in Miami, Florida, and Danny House in Sussex, England. “The Ridge was selected because it is a bona fide luxurious senior living community which feels like a slick, modern, hotel spa with state-of-the-art wellness facilities, beautiful artwork, and surrounded by open countryside and mountain scenery,” said Ed Kellie, Founder and Exec Producer of ScreenDog Productions. “Every retirement home we feature is different, but they all complement each other and are all truly luxurious. The Ridge felt like it would stand out for people particularly interested in wellness, sports, and the great outdoors.” Diane Macheers, Vice President of Corporate Communications for The Ridge Senior Living, expressed pride in the recognition. “It is such an honor to be recognized as one of the world’s most luxurious senior living communities. But what was even more important to us was that the team from London found our residents to be inspiring, fun-loving, and full of vitality. That is the kind of life we want to promote at The Ridge Senior Living, and we believe that came through so completely in the production.” ScreenDog Productions, known for its audacious formats and unique perspectives, has previously produced notable programs such as Channel 4’s recent hit “The Jury: Murder Retrial” and BBC’s “Stacey Dooley: Stalkers.” The documentary premiere was July 19, 2024 and was a grand event. See some pictures from seniors right next door to Lakewood.
The Westword has posted a in-depth look at the history of ketamine use in Colorado, highlighting efforts by Lakewood’s own Anita Springsteen. Springsteen witnessed and video recorded an incident of involuntary ketamine dosing by West Metro Fire, and her video contradicts the official story of an agitated individual. Five years later, she is still fighting and bringing a spotlight to the issue. Five Years After Elijah McClain’s Death, What’s Changed About Colorado’s Use of Chemical Restraint? by Alan PrendergastWestword, Article Highlights: “As the five-year anniversary of the McClain tragedy approaches, Colorado is widely regarded as being in the vanguard of efforts to reform the use of chemical restraint.” “Springsteen filed a complaint with CDPHE about the paramedics’ actions in Axtell’s case. She received a letter stating that the department had investigated the matter thoroughly, including “interviews and meetings with persons with knowledge of the event in question,” and determined there were no grounds for disciplinary sanctions. But that investigation didn’t involve talking to Springsteen, an eyewitness, or viewing her video, which contradicts the paramedic’s account of the incident.” “… delirium was a convenient excuse for police agencies looking to elude liability for in-custody deaths. It also became a ready-made justification for paramedics to bring out the ketamine. “
Cross post from Ramey Johnson It’s important to share what I am seeing and hearing from our community. One popular Colfax business can no longer hang the American flag outside their door. The homeless living nearby take it down and shred or burn it. The employee I spoke with assumes they burn it to stay warm. He often finds foil with burn marks from illegal drugs near their area. Generally, they leave when he asks them to. A small business owner told me, “There is nothing that anyone can do.” He seemed resigned that the situation would not change. He showed me a counterfeit $20 bill and was waiting for the police. Normally, when he asks the homeless to leave, they do, but not always. Their barred glass door has been broken twice. One successful business owner who came from India 17 years ago is still waiting for citizenship. He is proud to be becoming an American citizen legally but frustrated with how long it takes. Pawn shop owners tell me people pawn personal items to pay for rent, food, and gas. He estimates that probably 10% pawn personal items for illegal drugs. A Day Labor employee told me that men come to work but likely spend money on drugs in the evening. A small business owner shared with me that he pays over $24,000 in property taxes (“real estate taxes”). He’s not sure how much longer he can make it. Lastly, the manager of a small business who immigrated from Vietnam when she was 17 told me she “loves to work for America.” She works 14-17 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s clear she loves it here, but she shared that “America is becoming the communist country she fled.” She began to weep. It broke my heart to hear her say that about the country I love. These street stories are clear evidence that progressive public policies at the national, state, and local levels can no longer be ignored. Our eyes don’t lie.
The Planning Commission presented evidence of health and environmental harm from fueling stations and car washes. No evidence from the other side was presented. With only one side represented, it is no surprise that the Planning Commission unanimously recommended to restrict gas stations in Lakewood, while at the same time increasing electric charging stations. Council comments generally reinforced that view and city staff will be drafting new ordinances to implement these recommendations. The Planning Commission discussed the issue at three public meetings. In the presentation, this sounds like all sides were heard. However, inviting comment or being open to comment is not the same as researching or actually hearing the other side. No industry representatives made comment or presentation and no information was brought forth to represent their side. Only one person made comment on LakewoodSpeaks to support the market economy. This led to a one-sided, forgone set of recommendations from the Planning Commission. An example from the presentation of what the Planning Commission found to be a compelling argument: “Within 10 years 80% of all fueling stations will be unprofitable (due to the switch to EV cars), leaving stranded assets that will need environmental remediation” – cited by Planning Commissioner Kip Kolkmeier Does Lakewood have a profit standard for businesses to open? No. Does Lakewood bear any responsibility for environmental costs if remediation is needed? No. Is EV car use on track to eliminate gas cars? No, not without government force. None of that was mentioned. Planning Commission recommends eliminating gas stations in all mixed use zoning, which they claim are designed for pedestrian, cycling and mass transit use. This statement does not align with ordinance but is a move the city seems to encourage, whether explicitly stated or not. Most public policy discussions that encourage walkability do not explicitly say cars will be eliminated (*Originally worded to be sound harsher) Purpose of Mixed-Use Zone: “Provide a well-designed site circulation system with a strongly defined pedestrian and vehicular network, good connections to adjacent land uses and efficient connections to transit stops.” Per Lakewood Zoning Ordinance, Article 7. Planning Commission also recommends increasing electric charging stations, for which there is no business case for proven profitability or need. This argument also proves the misleading nature of “mixed use zoning is for pedestrian, cycles and mass transit.” Lakewood may consider requiring charging stations as a prerequisite to approving future gas stations. This move will introduce additional market distortions with affects that were not studied at all. Gas stations already have the option to add any charging stations they feel have market demand. Lakewood staff will be drafting new ordinances to implement these recommendations, while conducting further research. Lakewood Following Denver Once again, Lakewood is following in Denver’s footsteps. See some of the other side of the argument from Joshua Sharf, Complete Colorado: “Never mind your guns, some Denver City Councilmembers are coming for your gas stations. The Denver Post reports that, concerned by an alleged “sudden proliferation of gas stations,” Councilmembers Amanda Sawyer and Paul Kashmann, among others, have decided that gas stations – apparently uniquely among Denver’s many retail businesses – are taking too much space away from other priorities such as housing. In response to this deadly threat to housing density, they are close to proposing a zoning change precluding new gas stations from being built inside a quarter-mile buffer zone around existing stations.” Read more…
Shared by a Lakewood resident Cross post from CBS Colorado, Karen Morfitt reporting Authorities in Colorado are warning the public not to use the blue USPS out door mailboxes after many reports of theft and a Boulder man was taken into custody.
A Lakewood resident forwarded the following article from Denver7 pointing out that Lakewood’s push for electrification will cause more problems for an electrical grid that is already going down several times a week. Cross-post from Denver7.com, By Jaclyn Allen Xcel Energy customers in west Denver metro area report frequent, longer outages LAKEWOOD, Colo — Just blocks away from the Colorado Mills Shopping Center, a suburban Lakewood neighborhood had three power outages in five days last week, with one lasting almost 24 hours. “This stuff has to get thrown out,” said Pat Warling as she sorted through a freezer full of spoiled food Wednesday. “This summer’s been horrible. It’s been going out at least once a week, and last week was three times.” Next door, Maryann Lamar has been keeping track of the nights she has been left in the dark on her calendar. Read more… Reader Recommended Business: MK) Ranch
Lakewood’s offer to buy Emory Elementary School was turned down by Jefferson County. Lakewood City Manager Kathy Hodgson reported offering in-kind services in return for the school property. City Councilors expressed concern in July meetings at the concept of market-rate pricing but there is nothing the city can do. At the June meeting on the Glennon Heights Elementary School disposition meeting, residents were told that the developer, Cardel Homes, was looking at purchasing multiple school sites for residential use. No word on what kind of residences would be built in an area that doesn’t have a neighborhood school. Narrative Change Confirms False Front The comments from multiple Council Members bemoaning the inability of the city to purchase the school property shows a change in narrative. This change confirms the city was, in fact, trying to buy the property, most likely in concert with the Action Center as previously stated by the City Manager. However, when asked about the purchase in the past, the city narrative from the Manager, Mayor and some Councilors, was that the city “had no direct control over school property.” This was not a denial. It was misdirection that made residents feel ignorant and foolish for asking when it was true. This is proof of lack of transparency from the City Manager and Mayor. The city narrative changed from: No matter what the story, Lakewood has not been transparent since they started working on a plan in 2023. Win-Win This may be a win-win for residents. Since Lakewood cannot purchase the property, Lakewood will not make a deal behind closed doors that residents would not have had adequate time to consider before approval. Likewise the county will not lose money on a private deal for less than market rate. The sale of school property shows why market forces predominate the housing market. Even when an entity, like the school board, got the land and/or building from the developer for free, no one likes to give away an asset for less than market rate. Lakewood did not respond to requests for clarification.