Colorado

Unapologetically Chicano

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on September 2, 2025Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art Show, CHAC, chicano, Chicano Humanities & Arts Council, Colorado, Compas Car Club, Good Ol' Time Mobile Bar, Lakewood

Unapologetically Chicano From the Chicano Humanities & Arts Council Art Show Runs September 5th – October 24th, 2025Opening Reception: First Friday, September 5th | 5 PM – 9 PMSecond First Friday Celebration: October 3rd | 5 PM – 9 PM Lakewood, CO – CHAC Gallery @ 40 West proudly presents Unapologetically Chicano, a six-week immersive art experience celebrating the richness, resilience, and unapologetic pride of Chicano culture. The show opens on First Friday, September 5, 2025, with a vibrant receptionfrom 5 PM to 9 PM, kicking off a powerful run that includes two First Friday events and a full spectrum of Chicano creativity. Curated by Rob & Tammy Yancey, this will be their final exhibition of the year, an artistic tribute to Chicano identity that spans generations and styles, from tradition to modern-day expression. Unapologetically Chicano centers the voices and experiences of a culture that continues to thrive on its own terms. From traditional and contemporary Chicano art to music, food, and community connection, this exhibit is a celebration of heritage, resistance, and joy. The opening reception will feature:● A curated gallery of local and regional Chicano artists● Live music and DJs● Authentic food vendors● A special appearance by Los Compas Car Club, rolling through with classic cars● The Good Ol’ Time Mobile Bar, serving up handcrafted spirits for your enjoyment Don’t miss the second First Friday event on October 3rd, offering another chance to connect with the artists. Whether you’re Chicano or Chicana, or an ally eager to learn, this show invites you to experience the beauty and power of a culture that’s never needed permission to exist. Exhibition Dates:September 5th – October 24th, 2025 Venue:CHAC Gallery @ 40 West7060 W. 16th Ave., Lakewood, CO 80214Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for artist spotlights, event updates, andbehind-the-scenes content.This is more than an art show. It’s a movement.Unfiltered. Unrelenting. Unapologetically Chicano.

Kinney: Interview with Mayor Strom

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on August 29, 2025Posted in UncategorizedTagged Colorado, home rule, interview, Jim Kinney, Lakewood, mayor, parking, single family, wealth, Wendi Strom, zoning

Kinney: Interview with Mayor Strom Lakewood Informer contributor Jim Kinney interviewed Mayor Strom on the new zoning changes. The changes are sweeping and, as Kinney points out, they are “bold” and “imaginative”. Just eliminating single-family housing will impact 75%-95% of Lakewood property, and that’s just one provision. Kinney examines the consequences of these changes. Thanks, Jim, for your participation in local news and thank you, Mayor Strom, for your willingness to go on the record with Jim. Bold and Imaginative – Eliminating Single-Family Per State Law Starting the conversation with “why make these changes now?”, Strom answers that the time is right. “We just finished with our Comprehensive Plan process, that was the vision…. The zoning code is the tool.” Kinney says Lakewood’s zoning resolution uses words like “bold” and “imaginative” when he was thinking “slow” and “careful.” Lakewood is currently the only city in the state eliminating single-family throughout the entire city. Strom says Lakewood got an early start because of the comprehensive plan (passed unanimously July 28) and the resolution to change zoning (approved 10-1 by resolution using “bold” and “imaginative” in December, 2024). Strom says, “The elimination of single-family housing is tricky because it wasn’t necessarily actively eliminated, so much as the state eliminated the cap and by virtue of that, the other zone categories were not as accurate.” She continues, “It wasn’t an intentional removal of anything, it was purely ‘How do we address state law.’” Single-Family Housing in Name Only When Kinney asks if eliminating single-family housing will eliminate a wealth-building mechanism, Strom replies that single-family housing is “in name only”. She says this zoning change just matches what people are doing anyway. She then segues into the process for zoning changes, including developing a comprehensive plan and incorporating state law. Strom says that the biggest concern right now is not single-family but limiting the number of people that can live in a home by limiting square footage. Currently, Lakewood allows an 18,000 square foot house in some places. Lakewood is trying to get that number down to 4,000 square feet across Lakewood, rather than per unique neighborhood. The current zoning code does not allow 18,000 sq ft, 30-bedroom homes for MULTIPLE FAMILIES because they were zoned single-family. The 30-bedroom McMansion problem is a creation of the new zoning code. Strom says she doesn’t know if people will want to buy property in Lakewood under the new zoning code yet, but feels addressing the square footage problems puts Lakewood ahead of challenges. Real Estate Effects Kinney notes that realtors have already lost contracts because Lakewood is eliminating single-family. People shopping for homes know that the house next door could now be turned into a multi-family home. Strom was unable to reply directly but said that if other cities decide to eliminate single-family in future, those cities may not consider the 10,000 square foot problem. She says the zones should keep buildings similar in size to what’s there now, if not in usage. The current zoning code and comprehensive plan also claim to maintain neighborhood character. This argument was made and dismissed in the Belmar Park case. What Makes Lakewood Different Than Other Failed Zoning? Kinney asked how Lakewood will be different from all the other cities that failed to produce more housing through zoning. He cites a study by the Urban Institute that examined the results of zoning changes implemented in 1,136 cities over the last seven years. From the Urban Institute As a former City Council Member of the first city to try this said, the study “showed zoning changes across 1,136 cities resulted in less than a 1% increase in [cheap and abundant] housing supply.” Housing supply is the reason for the proposed zoning changes in Lakewood. Strom replies that the zoning changes themselves will not move the needle on “affordable housing”, which is a legal term. She says this will help “attainable housing” or “workforce housing.” NOTE: See “Lakewood Commits to More Housing Under Prop 123” for more information on “affordable housing” and the only defined housing crisis in existence. Home Rule On standing up for home rule, Strom expects cities to lose the home rule cases pending in court. She points out that the Governor has said for over three years that housing is a statewide concern, not a local issue. She also says that Lakewood already incorporated all the high-density elements the state asked for in HB24-1313 so that’s not a consideration. Only the new state parking requirements in HB24-1304 are an issue for Lakewood. As for the parking, she feels Lakewood can sacrifice required parking because banks will ask for it anyway. Strom feels Lakewood is “letting the market decide on parking.” This issue remains confusing because in previous discussion, Strom says the city is accommodating state law by eliminating single-family zones. She references following state law several times in general, but during this discussion on state law, it sounds like Lakewood has decided independently to take action on parking outside of state law, in order to follow state law. No further clarification was possible in the time allowed. When Kinney asked about the funding tied to state law compliance, Strom claimed she did not know any details. Oversight Kinney asks what oversight provisions there are in the code in case staff do not implement as envisioned. Kinney says there are a lot of places in the code where the decision gets made by the Director. Strom replied that there is a limited amount of staff discretion built into the code. The larger decisions already go to the Planning Commission for a public hearing. City Council will not be a part of that oversight, but can change the code when necessary, like when they changed the parkland dedication provision. The explicit duties of each party in the new zoning code are provided below. Note that there are many more discretionary items explicitly defined in each zone section. Public Funding Kinney says that research shows that the biggest

Water district in Lakewood says pipes cannot handle more demand laid out in potential zoning changes

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on August 29, 2025Posted in UncategorizedTagged Colorado, comp plan, Development, GMWSD, Lakewood, mediation, objections, water

Water district in Lakewood says pipes cannot handle more demand laid out in potential zoning changes By Maggie Bryan, denver7.com LAKEWOOD, Colo. — The Green Mountain Water and Sanitation District (GMWSD), which provides water and sewer service to around 48,000 people in Lakewood, said density changes laid out in the City of Lakewood’s new comprehensive plan would put a strain on the district’s pipes. GMWSD sent a letter to the City of Lakewood on August 22 objecting to the city’s plan and requesting mediation to resolve a range of issues the water district said could lead to unexpected fees for residents. The letter requests the city stop proposed zoning changes that could increase density in certain areas until there is a plan for funding and construction to increase water infrastructure. “With the density changes, we don’t know if we’re able to accept a higher demand of water flow, mainly into our sewer system. The pipes are a certain size. You have to plan for storm events and things like that. So you have to have capacity available in the system to accommodate that,” GMWSD Manager Josh Stanley said. “If you exceed that, then you’re backing up into people’s homes, and nobody likes that.” The water district said it objects to certain goals laid out in the comprehensive plan, which was approved unanimously by the Lakewood City Council on July 28. In the letter, the GMWSD said it has concerns about the plan to eliminate some single-family zoning and mix commercial and residential infrastructure. The letter also said the need for new water and sewer lines to support higher density could lead to higher costs for residents. Read the full story here… Disclosure: Karen Morgan, manager of Lakewood Informer, is also the President of the Green Mountain W&S District Board and author of the letter covered in the story above.

Hearing Dates Changed for Zoning

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on August 12, 2025Posted in DevelopmentTagged Colorado, Lakewood, map, neighborhood, ordinance, public hearing, second hearing, zoning code

City Council decided to break up the zoning code into four separate public hearings. There will now be 4 separate ordinances that will have second readings on separate dates. Council expressed the strong desire to have voting completed BEFORE the November elections. These changes are big enough to be an election issue, but City Council is taking that off the table by guaranteeing that residents’ votes will not matter for zoning changes. The new dates for second reading are: The original motion was to delay the second reading and also break up the code into digestible pieces. There was more talk of making the code easier to understand than there was of making changes, but the break-up was mostly agreeable. However, with some Councilors disagreeing with the delay, that was changed to maintain a second reading on the Aug 25 date for the first piece. It is unclear if Council is hearing opposition from residents or whether Council believes people just don’t understand what’s going on. “Education” was mentioned several times. Councilor Low read off many city “touchpoints” that would indicate everyone had been informed enough, and any delay was unjustified. About half the council, including Councilors Mayott-Guerrero and Shahrezaei, argued that people were expecting the second reading on August 25 and may not understand that the dates had changed so that wasn’t an option. In reality, even this first reading was delayed due to pressure against these sweeping changes, so that argument was unconvincing. Several Councilors mentioned that they had to have the final vote before elections. So the final opportunity to vote would be a special meeting November 3. No one seemed willing to let this issue be settled as an election matter or be voted on by new councilors. Deputy City Manager Ben Goldstein said that new maps will be available as of Tuesday, August 12, 2025, on https://www.lakewoodtogether.org/zoningupdates. Until now, there was no map that was clear enough to see individual neighborhoods for people to see how changes would affect them.

Special Zoning Treatment for The Action Center at Emory

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on August 12, 2025Posted in Development, Jeffco, Transparency, Word GamesTagged action center, Colorado, Emory, jeffco, Lakewood, schools, zoning

Lakewood is adding a new word to the dictionary — an innocuous move that covers up a dedicated zoning change for the Emory-Action Center swap while also shutting down future resident protests. Lakewood is planning on adding a new “Community Resource Facility” use to the zoning code to enable an “Amazon” warehouse-type low-income distribution center to operate anywhere in Lakewood. This new use is necessary for changes to the Emory Elementary property that Lakewood proposes to sell or exchange with the Action Center, which will convert it into a “Community Resource Facility”. That swap is not mentioned in the May 19th meeting on the zoning code change, even though the swap is what prompted the change in the first place. To listen to that meeting, one would think that there has just been a glaring oversight for the past 50 years, and no non-profits have been able to operate food pantries. Taken in isolation, residents could be forgiven for thinking that Lakewood didn’t have the ability to allow what is clearly already allowed in multiple places. Therefore, once again, residents must dig deeper to understand what is going on. In this case, allowing high populations of low-income support services in every zone in the city, including those previously reserved for schools. (For background, read Lakewood news at https://lakewoodinformer.com/springsteen-files-injunction-regarding-emory/) Travis Parker, Chief of Planning and Community Development, says Lakewood hasn’t had a request for something like this during his time with Lakewood, which may give residents an idea of the scale of the facility that is envisioned. The Action Center currently operates in a commercial area and sometimes has customers lined up down the block. The new “Facility” will be much larger. Envision the difference between the local retail shop and the Amazon warehouse. Are residents prepared for the warehouse of low-income services anywhere in the city? *Another word game warning: since places like the Action Center and Recovery Works are paid for by donations, Lakewood claims they are different from commercial activities, so they use the word “guests” instead of “customers”. They say this is a “distribution of goods and services” instead of commercial activity. The medium of exchange might be different, but the underlying intent is the same. The new code discriminates against for-profit businesses that are not eligible to operate everywhere in the city. Lakewood is a government, not a charity, and this type of special treatment drives out other commercial businesses who cannot compete with special favors granted by the government. It also discriminates against smaller non-profits that currently operate throughout the city but are not getting financial favors from the city to host a “facility” — like the one envisioned by Lakewood for the Action Center. In a city where small businesses are closing everywhere, why give special treatment to organizations that don’t pay taxes? When a City Council member asked how existing operations were allowed, the answer was that they were in a mixed-use zone, but it was unknown under what technical use definition. Historical precedence seems to be pertinent to the discussion. Is it possible the man in charge doesn’t know how this could have been accomplished in the past? Or is the change specific to something that could be pertinent only to the Emory property swap Councilor Isabel Cruz asked what this change would look like outside of the school disposition process. Her question suggests an understanding that the change is driven specifically by the Action Center swap, even if that is not communicated directly. Councilor I. Cruz asks about smaller non-profits, but they are already allowed under existing rules. This change is necessary only to allow the Action Center’s mega-warehouse tied to land swap. Lakewood is making changes behind the scenes to preempt resident objections. Under current zoning, residents would have a chance to protest the Emory Elementary use change later. Adding this definition makes the change happen now, without specific public notice.

“Rooted In Littleton” Provides Blue Ribbon Example

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on July 20, 2025Posted in Community, Development, Transparency, Word GamesTagged Colorado, densification, densify, denver, desnity, Lakewood, littleton, Rooted in Littleton, survey, zoning

Littleton residents claim to be amateurs in the political sphere but you won’t believe it when you see how they have successfully organized against density-driven zoning changes. Rooted in Littleton got density changes postponed in January and kept fighting to recently gather enough signatures for a petition. Their website reads: “We are passionate about preserving the small-town charm and beauty of Littleton. Our deep roots inform the perspective that good things grow slowly and knee-jerk responses to large social issues don’t produce lasting results. Let’s not let increased density usher in a new era of increased traffic, crime and big city-problems in our little town.” Does that sound familiar? They have many of the same objections to densification as Lakewood residents, such as the attempt to “to erode our home-rule rights with a top-down, one-size-fits-all approach that could strip our community of its uniqueness.” Check out their website for excellent material that could be used as a blueprint for others fighting this issue: Survey Have you ever felt that Lakewood presents data on “housing density and housing shortages in 2024 [that] was insufficient and skewed toward City Council insiders”? That’s what Rooted in Littleton wrote but Lakewood residents have also been making that point for months. The argument really gained traction after the Belmar Park fiasco. (See these articles from savebelmarpark.com: Lakewood’s Housing Affordable Surplus, Lakewood’s 10-year Housing Surplus, Denver Has Enough Housing.) Instead of just complaining about it, Rooted in Littleton organized a survey of their own and provided it for the public. Unsurprisingly, they found that 45% of Littleton residents felt that densification is NOT the best solution The survey they conducted showed that “76% of the survey participants said they want a voice in all major housing legislation, especially as it relates to adding duplexes, triplexes and multiplexes in currently zoned single family residential neighborhoods.” They also found that a majority of people DO NOT believe in the “benefits” of the proposed densification, as shown below: This group is truly inspiring. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard Lakewood residents share the same sentiments that Rooted in Littleton share: Lakewood residents love Lakewood for the existing characteristics. Just like Rooted in Littleton likes their city. Check out their website and spread the word if you know people in Littleton.

How the West Is Being Lost

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on July 19, 2025Posted in Community, Development, SustainabilityTagged bikeability, Colorado, Development, economic development, growth is good, Lakewood, public transit, walkability, west

From Alex at Somebody Should Do Something A note: Originally, the article was published on YourHub at https://yourhub.denverpost.com/blog/2022/09/politics-and-development-in-colorado/296507/ We had hand delivered a copy of of it to Jared Polis, Brittany Pettersen, and Ed Perlmutter at some get-together the progressive thought leaders were having in Lakewood: The “representatives” immediately studied the input from the citizens, and drew up a comprehensive set of policies addressing the input. Just kidding. Polis has doubled down on squashing the local governments’ right to govern (as long as corporate-owned rentals continue to be built), in addition to driving the state to a billion-ish dollar budget shortfall this year, while trying to dog-whistle the public with a bridge to nowhere and that nobody had asked for. Pettersen has been shilling for the real estate industry and Mr. Perlmutter is off to… Not sure what – may or may not have something to do with lobbying. The irony of the latest spat of policies trying to squash the home rule rights of cities and towns around Colorado is that when we had reached out to the governors office in 2018 about the actions of the local governments that were destroying the economic potential of the Rooney Valley, we were told that the governor’s office “does not get involved in local land use decisions.’’ I guess, the times are a changing. On to the origional post. “Mortgage lenders are starting to look at the risks of lending for somewhere that doesn’t have a water supply, as that’s not a good investment. Capital markets are getting wise to this stuff. We are seeing the limits to growth and housing affordability and the impacts of poor-quality decision making of where and how to build. We are paying the price for all that now.” Read https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jul/20/us-fastest-growing-cities-risk-becoming-unlivable-climate-crisis Despite the “growth is good” mantra, we are faced with closing schools, massive fires within the city limits, rising crime, polluted air, lackluster public transit system, and a slew of other problems, such as the dying Colorado River. To see where we could be heading next, look at the work by a group of MIT scientists called “Limits to Growth.” Numerous city council members and other representatives in Colorado have continuously ignored the citizens’ pleas and suggestions when it comes to development. Instead they cater to the providers of the largest campaign donations, constantly using diversion tactics such as “affordable housing”. Yet, nobody has provided an explanation as to how the high-priced rentals, rising crime, more traffic, lack of true city planning and economic development, along with thousands of dollars (per unit, per year) in metro district fees, are affordable. Affordable housing and other political dog whistles have become doublespeak for privatizing the profits for those who donate the most to the “representatives”, while socializing the costs the citizens have to pay in the form of taxes, fees and their time to: Additionally, millions are spent on city and county unelected bureaucrats (think planning, zoning, legal, “economic development”, and the managers’ offices) who, instead of working for the citizens, spend their time pushing through projects which further contribute to the stress on the already-crumbling infrastructure, limited water resources and do not create localized, well-paying jobs. Perhaps, if the money was not wasted on those proactively working against the public, the public would be more open to lifting some of the TABOR limits to pay for things the public actually needs. In Lakewood and Jefferson County, such failures are unfolding in real time. The majority on the city council and others have ensured that Lakewood has made next to no progress in the areas of: They have corrupted the democratic process, pandering to the one-sided narrative, which is already resulting in financial and ecological impacts on the city and the county. A sea of houses with exorbitant metro district fees and high-density rentals is being built to bolster big money profits, instead of doing actual business development and city planning. Thousands have to drive across the Metro for better paying jobs, while the city has been proactively destroying a local business corridor and making excuses as to why barely any local high-tech/software jobs have been brought to the city in the last decade, especially when compared to other cities in Colorado. The dog whistle of “public transit” has not helped as RTD and Colorado are decades behind Boston and New York in public transit and additional decades behind most cities in Europe and other parts of the world. A trip on a well-planned and well-built-out public transit system should be financially and temporally better than using a car, which is not the case with RTD. We are also constantly reminded how growth is good for us and how we need to conserve water. What good is conservation if, instead of retaining the conserved amounts for real economic development and the day when there is a severe drought or to ensure healthy waterways, that water is, instead, used for more unbridled growth? https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/feds-declare-first-colorado-river-shortage-order-water-cuts-2022-n1276934 https://phys.org/news/2022-06-colorado-river-reservoirs-western-states.html You may think that “your” candidate will fix it. There is no “your” candidate. There are those who take large campaign contributions, and a few people who will be pushed out in the next election if they dare to truly stand up for people’s interests. Have a look at who donates to whom; do not presume that those who talk about affordability, fiscal responsibility or climate change intend to address them. The public has already lost in a lot of areas, and what’s left is slipping away rapidly. The degrading quality of life in Colorado along with the ongoing collapse of the Colorado River Basin and Colorado forests is only the beginning. One can only hope that very soon the younger generations will realize what the politicians (and bureaucrats) of all stripes have done to them and will start holding them responsible. Perhaps, that’s what you can do – start campaigns to enact reforms to hold mayors, council people, city staff, and state legislators liable for blatant pandering to those who donate the most to their

Zoning Fact Sheet Summary

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on July 17, 2025Posted in DevelopmentTagged Accountability, Colorado, Lakewood, resident concerns, summarize, summary, zoning code1 Comment

Below is a one-page summary of zoning code changes and concerns from Lakewood residents. Lakewood Informer authors have posted multiple pages of content and more will be coming but this is a starting point to communicate with neighbors. Feel free to share and help people understand the issues. The fact that there is more to say than can fit on one page is a great indication that the changes are overly complex for a single vote by City Council. It’s very hard for residents to understand all the ways this will affect our neighborhoods, especially with no trials and everything changing at once. Much like the last zoning change which the city promised would solve problems and make things wonderful. In real life, the changes sparked backlash that last to this day. To this day, the city is not correcting those problems, just moving forward with bigger, denser growth. Other articles for more information: For a quick handout, the page below is available:

Warriors of Palabra Art Exhibition gives voice to the experiences of youth in Juvenile Justice System

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on July 17, 2025Posted in CommunityTagged Art Show, Brentwood, CHAC, Colorado, Genesis Gallery, Lakewood, Warriors of Palabra

From CHAC Chicano Humanities & Arts Council Genesis Gallery (1390 Brentwood, Lakewood Co. 80214) is honored to announce their latest art exhibition Warriors of Palabra, opening July 18th, running through Aug.18th. This unique show addresses the challenges youth face when navigating the juvenile justice, educational, and mental health systems. Hosted by Huitzilin Warriors, a program under the Denver Healing Generations, it utilizes art to advocate for transformative change in the community. Curator Brenda Vargas invited 10 emerging “Raza” artists to help tell the stories of 10 local youth. The exhibition features each youth’s photo and personal story, alongside a creative portrait crafted by their paired artist, inspired by the youth’s individual journey and experiences. Featured artists include: Guillermo Ruiz, Gabriel Lopez, Santiago Padilla-Jaramillo, Tayz Enriquez-Bañuelos, Diego Flores-Arroyo, Victoria Loosearrow, Brenda Vargas, Mario Santacruz, Aalycia Rodriguez, and Leenz Rivera. “It is our responsibility to uplift the stories of our youth,” said Vargas. “This show is so special because it’s a collaboration of youths’ storytelling of their lives with the artistry of local artists from Denver/Greeley. Our young people have so much fire, and it’s our duty to fan those flames and keep the movement going.” “This show is especially dear to our hearts,” said Brenda Gurule, executive director of the Chicano Humanities Arts Council. “The Genesis Gallery at Lakewood United Methodist Church (LUMC) is a public space where a plethora of artists and non-profits are housed. It is our pleasure to support the gallery and the Huitzilin Warriors in their efforts to bring this powerful exhibition to the gallery for a month.” The show previously was on display for just one day in early June, and will be traveling to Chicago in Sept, noted pastor Ben Hensley of LUMC. “This is a huge honor for the Genesis Gallery to host this exhibition. We are thrilled to give the community here in the Metro area another chance to see it before it moves on to another venue.” Sponsors of the show include the Colorado Folk Arts Council, CHAC, LUMC, DAIF, and the Community Acts Fund. An artist reception will take place as part of the 40 West Arts District. First Friday celebration on August 1st, from 5-8 pm at Genesis Gallery. Gallery Hours are Monday-Thursday 9 am-1 pm and Saturday 11 am-3 pm Free and open to the public. For more information, contact. Genesis Gallery (303) 237-7768 info@lumc.net

First Reading on Zoning Code Pushed

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on July 11, 2025Posted in UncategorizedTagged affordable housing, Colorado, First Reading, Ken Cruz, Lakewood, news, outreach, rezoning, roundtable, zoning code

Councilor Ken Cruz announced that the first reading of the proposed zoning code has been pushed from July 28 to August 11. From Councilor Ken Cruz’s newsletter: “Lakewood Zoning Code Timeline Extended A Real Opportunity to Engage “The City of Lakewood is extending its zoning code update timeline to allow for deeper review and stronger community engagement. 🔹 Final Draft Release: Monday, July 14🔹 First Reading at City Council: August 11🔹 Public Hearing (Second Reading): August 25 “This update isn’t just about timing, it’s about trust. With this additional time, we have a real chance to dig in, ask questions, and have meaningful conversations before any votes are cast. “💬 In the coming weeks, I’ll be hosting a series of roundtable conversations here in Ward 3. These won’t be presentations or lectures. They’ll be real, two-way conversations grounded in the actual text of the proposed zoning code and the realities of housing and land use in Lakewood.” As of the last public meeting on zoning, City Manager Hodgson argued that the meeting schedule was full so keeping to the July 28 first reading made the most sense. Council agreed. However, as of the Lakewood Informer Community Potluck on June 26, the new redlined draft was still not available. At that time, inquiries to the city revealed the redline was due out the first week of July. The new redline was not produced the first week of July but was also pushed back to coincide with the new first reading date. Residents will have a month to review the document before first reading. The roundtable discussions by Councilor Ken Cruz is a new format by a Council Member. Some other Councilors have expressed the opinion that their constituents overwhelmingly support affordable housing solutions, and therefore they assume that means any zoning code changes will be accepted.