Lakewood Informer

Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado

Lakewood Informer

Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado

picture of office location at 820 Simms #11

Referendum Can Be Signed at 820 Simms #11

For the many residents asking where and how to sign, there is now an ongoing opportunity to sign Zoning Code Referendum Petitions in a suite located at 820 Simms Street, #11, situated behind the 7-11 building.  This venue is open from 10:30 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Saturday.
 
There are THREE active grassroots referendums to repeal Lakewood’s recent zoning codes. Signers are asked to keep track of which they have signed in order to reduce duplication.
 
The volunteer efforts are one way that residents are getting engaged at a rapid rate. Nextdoor is also full of chatter. It’s a rare time in nextdoor history where residents can feel safe in criticizing city efforts. Historically, city supporters attack and drown out those with opposing views so that many have turned away from nextdoor – leading to the creation of alternate sites like the Lakewood Informer.

The office location is staffed with volunteers so please be patient with any unexpected closures, although currently there are numerous people helping. Volunteers span different neighborhoods, different political parties, and different reasons for supporting a repeal. This is truly a grassroots effort with room for everyone.
Sarcastic picture showing the exact opposite of the words "What an amazing example of Density= Affordability: Lakewood approved this in an R-1-6 district right on the boundary with Edgewater almost two years ago. It's two properties (one was vacant), each about 7,200 sf with 50 feet of frontage. Each property was created way back when out of two "lots." Seems that the two properties were re-platted back to the historic lots. Each lot is 25 feet wide and 3,600 sf., just like R-L-C allows. Punchline: the developer who purchased the two lots in 2021 paid $389,000 for the property with a house, and $335,000 for the other., All 4 on sale at an affordable $982,550 EACH. And the potential for a mature tree canopy is inspiring!"

According to Lakewood resident Jim Kinney, “Lakewood City Council has recently passed a 350+ page major rewrite of the City’s Zoning Codes. For many different reasons, residents are dissatisfied with the new Codes, and an effort to gather enough signatures on petitions to result in requiring the City to hold a city-wide Referendum election on the new Zoning Codes is under way.  City Council has called the new Codes bold, many residents are calling the Codes radical and extreme. These differing opinions have been covered by local media, including the Lakewood Informer.”

Volunteers at the 820 Simms #11 office will have current information and other ways to help, if you are interested. Time spent on spreading the word is a critical role right now, so help organizing events and demonstrations is requested.

There is one more zoning ordinance, the map piece, that will need a referendum to repeal. That is planned to occur as soon as possible. This referendum petition will also need to go through City Clerk approval, and thus is not ready yet. 

When ready, it will also be available to sign at the 820 Simms #11 office.

One neighborhood message points out that residents are unhappy because zoning IS NOT a platform candidates ran on.

“How many of you are aware of the actual details, timing, and stated purpose of the Councils push towards a radical rezoning of Lakewood? When the councilors were elected in Ward 2 (Isabel Cruz and Sophia Mayott-Guerrero) did you understand that when they said they were running to make Lakewood better for all, they were going to throw our neighborhood under the bus to try to achieve that?”

For example, you can see the campaign page for Isabel Cruz here, but the fact is, no one ran on radical zoning changes, although some used the words “affordable housing.”

This bait and switch is one reason why residents are coming out to sign the referendum in increasing numbers.

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