LAKEWOOD INFORMER

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

Guest Post by Alex Plotkin One of the fundamental jobs that a government has is to ensure that businesses act ethically.  In theory, the government, local, state or federal will pass regulations which keep corporations from exposing thousands of residents to cancer-causing chemicals.  In theory, having learned just how abusive metro districts can be, a government would, maybe, outlaw them? Some cities, such as Longmont and Westminster, have taken such a stand but Lakewood is still working on ways to enable formation of metro districts. Metro Districts are a type of special district especially for developers. It is not a government of the people, by the people for the people, because THERE ARE NO PEOPLE. There is only a developer, making deals with himself to have future people pay increasing amounts of taxes and fees. Not surprisingly, granting governmental immunity and taxing abilities to a developer who is only accountable to himself, has caused problems  (see this district with toxic sludge for a recent example.) On May 6th 2024, Lakewood City Council had a workshop to study a proposed ordinance on Metro Districts in Lakewood.  The ordinance was first proposed in 2021 and it was immediately obvious that it’s more of a “see, we did something for the good of the public”, while allowing the big money they shill for to continue to make profit, at any cost. City Council Members seemed very aware of all the pitfalls of metro districts, asking pertinent questions about how Lakewood could possibly limit...

Cross-post from By Jeffrey A. Roberts, Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition A judge Friday ordered the Lakewood Police Department to release blurred body-worn camera footage of officers shooting and killing a 17-year-old crime suspect in March 2023. The city withheld the video from Scripps News journalist Lori Jane Gliha, contending it was required to do so by the Colorado Childrens Code — which restricts the disclosure of most juvenile records — and privacy provisions in the Law Enforcement Integrity Act, passed by the legislature in 2020 following the killing of George Floyd. But Jefferson County District Court Judge Chantel Contiguglia found that the footage must be released under the four-year-old statute. “I don’t see that there is a choice,” Contiguglia said, ruling from the bench during a morning hearing. “I see that it has to be disclosed with a plain reading of the law.” Read more from CFOIC…

Mayor Strom’s explanation during the May 15th Council meeting demonstrated first-class political spin for why the April 22 meeting was adjourned early. For those active citizens who have shown up to protest at City Council meetings and have been told they “must refrain from audible support”, Mayor Strom and Mayor Pro Tem Shahrezaei issued a slap in the face. They threatened people for clapping between speakers but allowed interruptions to a speaking Councilor. Then they both claimed that security concerns led the Mayor to adjourn the meeting early on April 22, rather than the active heckling that they allowed. The reality is that no safety concerns were cited at the time and there were no efforts to tame the crowd. Instead, there were people interrupting the Councilors they disagreed with. Councilor Shahrezaei made the motion to adjourn the meeting and said “We’re done with you, Councilor Olver.” No matter the explanation offered by Mayor Strom, Strom was not the leader of this drama. Instead, she followed Shahrezaei. Neither of them asked the people who were heckling and questioning Olver to please quiet down. Mayor Strom explains at the beginning of each public comment session that there should be no “audible support” from the public. In the past, one or two people clapping between speakers has been enough for Mayor Strom to threaten to recess the meeting. “We will be recessing if  we continue to have clapping.  Let’s please make sure that we can respect everybody’s ability to listen.” – Mayor Strom, November...

Cross-post from Justin Wingerter, BusinessDen A $60 million blunder along Wadsworth Boulevard that was all but abandoned in January is now a stable, $117 million apartment project and two-thirds complete, its receiver said. Aspen Heights Partners, a Texas developer, broke ground in 2020 on a 352-unit apartment complex at 1225 Wadsworth in Lakewood, with plans to finish it by the end of 2022. Amenities were to include a heated pool, dog park, bike repair shop and golf simulator. That didn’t happen. Instead, millions of dollars in mechanic’s liens piled up and Truist Bank, which loaned $59.9 million to the project, tried suing to get its money back. “Truist has become aware of significant cost overruns, scheduling delays and defects in the course of construction of the project,” the Atlanta-based bank wrote in a lawsuit that it filed in Golden in January. “Additionally, work on the project has come to a standstill due to infighting between the two primary members” of Aspen Heights’ development team. Read more from BusinessDen…