roundtable

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.