The City of Lakewood is looking for a consultant to write new zoning codes to: Current efforts to density have caused Lakewood to develop problems with traffic, stormwater drainage, parking and more. Existing developments have not been designed for high-density. The city has not offered any solutions to these problems. In fact, parking is such a problem that Lakewood is studying requiring parking permits for residents – paid for by residents – rather than mandating increased parking in development plans. This proposal will intensify that problem and increase the amount of resident-funded parking permits throughout Lakewood. Lakewood appears intent on exacerbating existing problems by allowing more densification to solve another problem… affordable housing. It must be noted that parking, traffic and stormwater management are key functions of the city government, whereas housing is traditionally regarded as a market-based function. There are two citizen-led initiatives in Lakewood news demonstrating that current densification is not in line with the city’s existing ordinance to maintain the existing characteristics of existing neighborhoods: a new development near Belmar Park and on Whippoorwill near Youngfield. City ordinances are a series of laws that rule Lakewood’s development. However, Lakewood staff can interpret these rules through the lens of the city’s Comprehensive Plan. The existing Comprehensive Plan states (pg 3-12): “The City will continue to support the diverse image and character of the community by maintaining the existing characteristics of neighborhoods with existing single-family residential zoning; creating appropriate transitions between commercial, multi-family, and mixed-use development and single-family zoned areas; and encouraging contextually...
Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado
Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado
LAKEWOOD INFORMER
Reference Shelf
Will Lakewood remember problems when finally issuing permit
Support the
Lakewood Informer
Residents Reject City Council Zoning
Latest Articles
- All Posts
- Budget
- Business
- Community
- Crime
- Development
- Elections
- Entrenched Bureaucracy
- Homeless
- Jeffco
- school
- Statewide
- Sustainability
- Transparency
- Vote Tally
- Word Games
Guest Submission from Toni Riggio, sent to City of Lakewood Planning, Engineering, Traffic and Ward 1 members This letter is in response to the Subdivision Notification Letter received by mail by the City of Lakewood on 5/3/24. There is a multi-family development that is proposed at 1515 Whippoorwill Dr (Ward 1) with the Ingress/Egress at Youngfield St, 15h Pl and Youngfield Dr and I am writing in opposition to that access point based on the following reasons: Concerns and Comments for Case# FI23-0016 and S23-0025/1515 Whippoorwill Dr Proposed Ingress/Egress is where 3 streets come together 1- Youngfield Street: is an increasingly busy corridor. Traveling South requires a full stop at the blind curve to see oncoming traffic before turning onto 15th Pl. Traveling North has low visibility as you turn right onto 15th Pl. 2- 15th Place: Per Aldridge Transportation Consultants recent memo in etrakit, is “a steep 10% grade” uphill as you turn in. This street is a no outlet/ not a thru street that serves 13 homes. 3- Youngfield Drive: is currently a narrow dirt road, not a through street with limited width to expand to the required 36’ for Mixed Use zoning. Lakewood has made an exception for 28’ which makes the entirety of the Road a fire lane per Metro West Fire Dept. The neighbors have proposed the Ingress/Egress to be at Colfax Ave for a myriad of safety issues and concerns which are highlighted in this document. The ongoing meetings the neighbors and Applewood Valley Assoc have had with both the developer and the City of Lakewood...
Lakewood has approved construction of Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs) that are up to 1400 square feet large, bigger than the original house in some areas, in an effort to “remove barriers” to affordability. ADUs are sometimes known as “mother-in-law” suites, a separate apartment that can be rented out on your primary residence. Councilor Stewart made the original request to research increasing ADU use in Lakewood, over a year before the motion passed on June 10, 2024. The two main barriers are the concept of single-family zoning (R1 vs R2) and infrastructure costs. By passing these revisions, Lakewood has densified single-family zoning into dual-family zoning, for every property that can fit an additional dwelling unit onto the land. According to research conducted by the Planning Commission, most people say they do not build an ADU after they find out they would need to pay more for additional water and sewer infrastructure. There seems to be a common belief that because there is room on the land, there should be extra room in the pipes, which is not true. Rather than acknowledge that water districts set those infrastructure fees, Planning Commissioner and Chair Kolkmeier suggested doubling the size of an allowable ADU, from 700 sq. ft. to 1400 sq. ft., so that the infrastructure cost would be a lesser percentage. So overall costs would go up in the name of affordability. Custom-built ADUs are already expensive compared to commercial apartment buildings that are mass produced. However, an economic analysis of construction costs...
Maps clipped from Community Crime Map for the month of June, 2024, 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 although exact locations are changed for privacy. Compare to June of 2023 below. Note that comparison is done visually since numbers for “Lakewood” include parts of of Denver, which doubles the number of crimes.
Changes to the zoning code in 2012 and new exemptions from the City of Lakewood are causing Applewood residents to fear for their property, road safety, parking and emergency circumstances. Lakewood will allow a narrow access road through the neighborhood to serve a multi-family, affordable housing development rather than route traffic to Colfax. Residents have organized a neighborhood garage sale for Friday and Saturday, June 28-29, to raise funds for the cause. Please stop by to support them and see the site location for yourself. Applewood for Responsible Development: Oppose Irresponsible Development at Whippoorwill Dr – See the Change.org Petition The property was originally zoned as residential. The roads and stormwater runoff are appropriate for residential use. The city could insist on development that is consistent with the neighborhood and existing roads, as per ordinance. To do that, the city would have to follow it’s own advice from 2014 and route multi-family traffic to Colfax, which is right behind the property. Instead, these residents will be forced to bear adverse affects of development that could easily be mitigated by following existing ordinance. Just like the residents advocating against the Belmar Park development, Applewood residents are organizing and hiring a lawyer. Your financial and moral support Friday and Saturday could make a difference. For more details, see their Change.org petition Garage Sale: June 28-29 at W 15th Place and Youngfield Dr. (Nearest address is 1525 Whippoorwill Dr)
Promoted post from the Fruit Truck FRESH FRUIT FROM THE ORCHARD TO YOUR FAMILY! The Fruit Truck will be in Lakewood on July 13 Summer Fruit 2024: peaches, cherries, blueberries, blackberries, apricots, and pecans. Sears Parking Lot, 10785 W Colfax Ave4:30 pm – 5:00 pm $45 for 20lb box first come first served Cash or check at the truck Dedicated to bringing the freshest and most delicious fruit straight from the orchard to your family. Find out more here
End of Content.
