Development

Toxic Legacy: Uncovering the Chemical Contamination at the Denver Federal Center – Part 2: Blight or Oversight? The Bend, the LRA, and Lakewood’s Shortcut

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on April 20, 2025Posted in Development, TransparencyTagged City Council, Colorado, Colorado Revised Statute, Denver Federal Center, Lakewood, Lakewood Reinvestment Authority, The Bend, urban renewal

By Karen Gordey “Transparency isn’t optional when taxpayer dollars and contaminated land are involved.” A New Name, A Familiar Pattern Most Lakewood residents haven’t heard of “The Bend.” That’s because it was previously known in city discussions as the 6th & Union, 4th & Union, or simply part of the Denver Federal Center redevelopment. To longtime residents of Lakewood, it is known as the Horseshoe Property. It quietly rebranded, and with it came an expedited process that skirted public scrutiny. I attended a West Metro Fire Protection District Board meeting on January 21, 2025, out of concern for wildfire readiness. What I stumbled into instead was a vote on tax increment financing (TIFs) for a development I’d never heard of—The Bend—on land I knew all too well. As a result of hearing this, I went out to the Lakewood website to refresh my memory on the Lakewood Reinvestment Authority (LRA). From the Lakewood website: “The fundamental mission of the Lakewood Reinvestment Authority (LRA) is to encourage private reinvestment within targeted areas of Lakewood. The LRA has been created by citizens to enhance the City’s ability to preserve and restore the vitality and quality of life in the community.” So let’s first look at how the Lakewood Reinvestment Authority (LRA) process is supposed to work. (Below is a bullet point version. However if you are interested in seeing the full presentation it is on Lakewood Speaks and you can search for the LRA meeting from March 4, 2024.) Lakewood’s Reinvestment Authority (LRA) process, aligned with Colorado state law, outlines a clear and deliberate path for redevelopment: What Actually Happened with The Bend Sidebar: Past Precedents Lakewood has a documented pattern of fast-tracking redevelopment by combining steps for blight designation and plan approval. For example, consider these past projects: Developer Negotiating TIFs? At the January 21, 2025 West Metro Fire Department Board of Directors meeting, officials explained that they were approached, not by the City but rather by the developer regarding a new urban renewal agreement for the near 6th Avenue and Simms/Union. This land lies within West Metro’s boundaries, but not currently in their response area. The meeting minutes show active negotiations over TIF revenue shares, which should raise eyebrows because the developer has no role in negotiating government taxes. This raises a critical question. Was the developer acting as an agent of Lakewood? Was the developer acting on behalf of a presumed new metropolitan district? Just weeks later, at the February 18 meeting, the Fire Department approved the TIF Sharing Agreement with the City of Lakewood for the Bend project, again detailing the revenue splits. While both of these documents can be found on the West Metro Fire Department website, both meeting minutes have been downloaded and can be found here on our google drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1O0eNIOLdCo833C0xGKrvvRAeH9sUeVez Here’s the problem: under the Colorado Urban Renewal statute https://colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_31-25-107 developers are not authorized to negotiate Tax Increment Financing (TIF) agreements. That duty lies exclusively with the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) in this case, the Lakewood Reinvestment Authority (LRA) or the City itself, acting in that capacity. The minutes of West Metro make no mention of negotiating directly with Lakewood. Under the statute section (9.5)(a), the taxing agreements must be worked out with the appropriate entities before the plan is approved but there is no new metropolitan district approved, unless one was promised behind closed doors. Even if a new metro district was granted, there should be a meeting and A VOTE of that Board of Directors, with conflict of interest disclosures filed. In this case, the property owners and developers will likely be the only board members so they will act as their own government. They will negotiate deals as a government that will enrich their personal property in a direct conflict of interest. They will be able to do this legally if Lakewood City Council approves their service plan in May. Why It Matters The LRA has extraordinary powers: it can borrow money, sue and be sued, condemn property, and distribute public financing to developers. When oversight is minimized or skipped, or in this case handed over to the developer; transparency, accountability, and public trust suffer. And when that’s happening on top of a Superfund site, it’s not just a process problem, it’s a public health issue and fiscal irresponsibility. Article 3 will dive into the specifics of what’s in the blight report/conditions survey, the gap analysis, what the city has currently approved for this property, and the lawsuit filed by Lincoln Properties against the Green Mountain Water Board. Please Note, the author did send an email on April 7th to the Mayor and City Council requesting to talk about this project. No one has yet to respond. Important Upcoming dates: April 21st at 7 pm – Virtual Study Session with City Council and the Lakewood Reinvestment Authority (LRA) May 8th at 6:30 pm – Screening of the movie “Half Life of Memory, Rockleys Event Center 8555 W Colfax Ave, Lakewood, CO 80215. This event is free! May 12th at 7 pm – City Council Meeting, 400 S. Allison Parkway, Lakewood, CO, 80226. 7pm Public Hearing for the 1.) Creation of Urban Renewal District 2.) Creation of Metro District 3.) Approval of parkland dedication, including improvements in-lieu of a site greater than 15 acres.

2 + 2 = … Or doing math the developer boot-licker’s way

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on April 18, 2025Posted in DevelopmentTagged 6th Ave, Colorado, Development, economic development, Lakewood, stormwater, The Bend, traffic study, Union

Alex at Somebody Should Do Something posted a lengthy set of articles regarding The Bend development with specific attention to traffic and economic development. Summary: Highlights from Alex at Somebody Should Do Something Part 1 “Environmental injury is often the very definition of irreparable harm — often permanent or at least of long duration,” Arguello wrote. In the latest installment of the “how can a self-proclaimed progressive city council enrich a developer to the detriment of the environment and the community’s well-being”, City of Lakewood is allowing a developer to push forward with a development which will significantly increase traffic on a major thoroughfare, further strain our environment, potentially expose the future residents to toxic hazards AND, again, bring no meaningful economic development to the city. Royal Lakewood Land Partners has made a submission for a development called “The Bend”, situated on the NW corner of the Federal Center, close to the intersection of the 4th Avenue and Union Boulevard, and, just a hop and a skip away from the off and the on-ramp from the 6th Avenue. To add the insult to the many more injuries to come, as shown in the 2007 Master Plan, the site was originally slated for Office Development – a perfect potential use, considering the proximity of the LightRail tracks and the dire need for this city to stoke actual economic development. As usually is the case, the math does not add up. The developer is using the tactic of “here is a traffic study… but it’s only for a part of the development, but we won’t even tell you how many poor souls we want to stuff in to these chicken coops. Then they talk about how this will “hardly” affect traffic, etc. By the time the locals realize just how badly it will have screwed them, the city council and the bureaucrats, who had enabled this environmental and economic disaster, will have moved on to something else, such as being a State Representative, where they continue to shill for the developer profit (ahem, Rebecca Stewart). So, lets see if 2 + 2 equals 4, or, maybe, 17, or maybe a dumpster fire for decades to come. Who knows. The math is very political-contribution-size-dependent these days. Lets look at some of the documents in the submission provided by the developer. 01 – The Bend Minor Subdivision Plat – Traffic Study_2024-10-10 There are only details show for the Southern part of the plat – what about the Northern part of the plat? This is where the math gets hazy, quick. A tactic of piece-mealing the development plans is frequently used (just as is the case with the development near Belmar) to, lets say, omit, the actual impact of the additional car-travel-per-day numbers on the area surrounding the development. Not only will this adversely impact the surrounding area, but also add to the already high total of vehicles having to travel out of Lakewood, since Lakewood has failed to attract localized, high-tech, well-paying employment. Read the rest about environmental and drainage problems at Somebody Should Do Something Part 2 Lakewood (and Colorado at large) are not exactly known for keeping up with building up infrastructure needed to support the additional thousands of people they keep stuffing here. Nor are they known for making the developers pay their fair share for the traffic created, parks overloaded, or the schools needed. However, Lakewood is well known for enabling Metro Districts and the potential resident abuse that comes with them. Of course, there will be a Metro District. Following are some of the snippets from the Metro-District-related documents submitted by the developer for The Bend “The population of the District at build-out is estimated to be approximately 3,350 people, based on a projected number of 2,000 multifamily units and 100,000 square feet of commercial, and a population estimate of 1.5 persons per multifamily unit and 3.5 employees per square foot of commercial property.” So, HOW MANY UNITS WILL THERE BE? And just as was the case with the Red Rocks Ranch, the development might potentially work out as a net negative to the county and the city? The Bend @ Lakewood MD Service Plan Application Memorandum 4875-7617-6597 4 .DOCX “The existing service in the area to be served by the proposed project is inadequate for present and projected needs. There is currently no other jurisdiction or entity, including the City, that considers it feasible or practical to provide the Development with the water, sanitation, street, storm sewer, or other improvements and services described in the Service Plan necessary to serve the anticipated Development. Current services are inadequate, and it is necessary for the District to be organized to provide such Public Improvements and services for the benefit of its future inhabitants.” In fact, there IS sanitation service and fire service and storm-water service. These are all covered by existing city and special districts in which the property is located. However, there is no taxpayer funding for development, and that is what the metro district will provide. And of course, any service provided would have to follow the rules in place, rather than creating their own rules, right? For example – lets look at the Rules and Regulations of one of the nearest Water and Sanitation Districts, Green Mountain Water and Sanitation. Read the rest of Part 2 at Somebody Should Do Something

Toxic Legacy: Uncovering the Chemical Contamination at the Denver Federal Center – Part 1: Beneath the Surface of War, Waste, and What Remains

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on April 18, 2025Posted in Development, SustainabilityTagged brownfield, CERCLA, Denver Federal Center, environmental, munitions, superfund, The Bend, Toxic

By Karen Gordey Tucked between Lakewood’s bustling shopping centers and its picturesque parks lies the Denver Federal Center (DFC), a 670-acre campus home to over 25 federal agencies. To most passersby, it’s a secure and efficient government hub. But beneath its streets, buildings, and manicured lawns lies a chemical past that many residents have never been told. What Is a Superfund Site? A Superfund site is a polluted location in the United States that requires a long-term response to clean up hazardous material contaminations. These sites are designated under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), a federal law enacted in 1980. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for identifying these sites and overseeing cleanup efforts to protect public health and the environment. The designation of a Superfund site is reserved for the most severely contaminated properties The DFC earned its Superfund designation in the 1980s due to decades of industrial and military use that left behind a toxic stew of solvents, petroleum products, heavy metals, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These contaminants infiltrated the soil and groundwater, some migrating offsite and threatening surrounding communities. What is a Brownfield Site? Brownfield sites are often used for urban renewal projects around the country. The Denver Federal Center is NOT a brownfield site. A brownfield site are often industrial or commercial properties (for example, gas stations, dry cleaners, warehouses) where low to moderate contamination from a hazardous substance pollutant or contaminant may exist. A Wartime Footprint with Lasting Impact Originally established as the Denver Ordnance Plant during World War II, the DFC was a key player in America’s wartime production. The facility once employed over 22,000 workers and churned out more than 6,000 cartridges per day. But the speed and scale of production came with environmental consequences. Manufacturing and testing munitions involved a host of hazardous chemicals. Following the war, the General Services Administration (GSA) took over the site, transitioning it into a campus for multiple federal agencies. Unfortunately, waste disposal practices of the era were primitive by today’s standards. Wastes—including solvents, heavy metals, and PCBs—were buried in landfills scattered across the campus. One particularly damaging leak occurred near Building 52, where an underground storage tank released 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA), a solvent used in asphalt testing. The resulting groundwater plume migrated beyond the property’s boundaries, contaminating nearby wells. Cleanup Efforts: Too Little, Too Late? The scope of contamination eventually triggered federal intervention. By the late 1980s, extensive remediation was underway. Crews removed over 775,000 tons of waste and more than 340,000 tons of contaminated soil, particularly from heavily affected areas like Downing Reservoir. While these efforts were substantial, the contamination’s reach and the complexity of groundwater remediation pose lingering concerns. The Denver Federal Center was removed from the Superfund list in 2012 due to clean up measures being concluded. However, if development is going to be done more testing may be needed. A water permit issued September 1,2022 and expires August 31, 2027. This allows the DFC to discharge into the McIntyre Gulch entering Lakewood Gulch, which is a tributary to the South Platte River. There are 8 outflow monitoring points between the DFC and the South Platte River. The permit does transfer with a sale of the property. A condition of this permit is to notify the EPA in writing as soon as possible of any planned physical alterations or additions to the permitted facility. Has this been done? What happens when the ground is disturbed? Are these chemicals going to go into the water? What about the wind? How much is this going to cost the Lakewood citizens? Per the chemistry case study from 1/23/2001, the DFC has a permeable reactive barrier that is a funnel-and-gate system with 4 reactive gates. Performance of 2 of the gates has been difficult to assess due to trichloroethylene (TCE) and dichloroethylene (DCE) contamination. In fact there were originally 26 different chemicals found at the DFC of which 12 are known carcinogens (cancer causing). Has the developer, city, water board tested for these 26 chemicals? (This link has a list of the 26 chemicals: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1O0eNIOLdCo833C0xGKrvvRAeH9sUeVez ) In the next installment, we’ll shift our attention to the City of Lakewood’s role—specifically the Planning Commission and the Lakewood Reinvestment Authority (LRA)—to explore how land use decisions and redevelopment incentives intersect with environmental concerns at the Denver Federal Center. As public agencies move forward with projects like “The Bend,” it’s critical to examine the transparency, accountability, and long-term implications of these planning processes. Because when contamination meets redevelopment, what you don’t know can hurt you—and the cost of looking the other way may be too high. Please Note, the author did send an email on April 7th to the Mayor and City Council requesting to talk about this project. No one has yet to respond. Important Upcoming dates: April 21st at 7pm – Virtual Study Session with City Council and the Lakewood Reinvestment Authority (LRA) May 8th at 6:30 pm – Screening of the movie “Half Life of Memory, Rockleys Event Center 8555 W Colfax Ave, Lakewood, CO 80215 May 12th at 7 pm – City Council Meeting, 400 S. Allison Parkway, Lakewood, CO, 80226. 7pm Public Hearing for the 1.) Creation of Urban Renewal District 2.) Creation of Metro District 3.) Approval of parkland dedication packing including improvements in-lieu of a site greater than 15 acres.

1221 Wadsworth Update

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on April 11, 2025Posted in DevelopmentTagged 1221 Wadsworth, Development, lakewood news, transit

Update from Council Member Isabel Cruz to Lenore Herskovitz The construction at 1221 – 1225 Wadsworth remains an eyesore that residents constantly question. Councilor Isabel Cruz was kind enough to provide a detailed update to resident Lenore Herskovitz, rather than just referring her to the city website, which has not been updated since October 2024. Update: The new contractor has submitted their forensic report to the City Building Department for review. Three building inspectors completed an initial inspection of the project this week. Based on the reports provided to the City and the information observed during the inspection the building is in better condition than was expected. However, major parts of the fire sprinkler system must be removed and reinstalled, all of the doors and the windows must be removed and replaced, and the wrapping on the exterior of the building must be removed and replaced. The new contractor has agreed to submit and follow a construction waste and demolition plan (not required at the time of the initial approval) which needs to be submitted and approved. In addition, the new contractor still needs to submit new collateral prior to full start up. The contractor is already active in the building but the general public will not notice a significant change in construction activity for 30 to 60 days. I expect a meeting with the contractorn next week to discuss Wadsworth lane closures needed to begin working on the east side of the building. I believe that site security is still being maintained. The contractor has also indicated to me that they may not be able to use the parking area on the school property directly across 12th Ave, in which case they are trying to secure other options. On a side note I requested that the contractor install a sign or banner visible on Wadsworth to signal work has resumed. They have indicated that they are willing to do that as full scale work resumes. Sincerely, Isabel Cruz

Lakewood greenlights Kairoi to introduce invasive plants to BelmarPark

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on March 31, 2025Posted in Development, Entrenched BureaucracyTagged Belmar Park, demolition, erosion control, invasive, Yarrow St

Photo by Regina Hopkins From Savebelmarpark.com In case you are wondering, the Irongate Complex at 777 S Yarrow Street has been converted to rubble by the demolition crew. Large piles of concrete rubble await removal. Moving on to the topic of the day, a portion of Belmar Park is designated for grading on the developer’s grading plan. We estimate the area of the park to be graded amounts to thousands of square feet assuming the grading plan mentioned does not change. However, Lakewood’s Planning Department states the opposite: “The proposed development of this property does not involve or include any parkland…” Obviously, any area of the park destroyed by heavy equipment activities related to the Kairoi market-priced housing project will have to be fully restored to original or better condition, right? Wrong again. According to the Erosion Control Report submitted to Lakewood by Kairoi’s civil engineers, only 70% of a restored area needs to be restored with ‘vegetation visible’ according to p.22. There is no requirement that the park be fully restored to original or better condition! Let’s say someone crashed into your parked car and does significant damage. After body shop repairs, only 70% of the damage is repaired. Are you OK with that? If you are, apply for a job at the City of Lakewood where that level of completion is apparently acceptable when it comes to requiring developers to do the right thing. Once an area has been graded, the developer will usually attempt to restore the area. Read the entire newsletter…

Site Plan for the Ex-Superfund Landfill

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on March 24, 2025Posted in Budget, Development, Entrenched Bureaucracy, SustainabilityTagged Fed Center, landfill, Lincoln Properties, site plan, The Bend

Thanks to a Lakewood Informer reader and local resident, the site plan for The Bend has been revealed! Contrary to previous reporting, plans have indeed been laid but when discussed in public meetings, those plans were “punted” till later. The north half was not a focus for the City because the planning department granted the developer a phased development status since remediation plans have not been set. Our reader supplied a full list of instructions to access this information online, which were not provided with Lakewood’s CORA response. To view the plans, the public must register with the eTRAKiT site and login. The address associated with the project is 11601 W 2nd Pl. In eTRAKiT, search for the following project numbers: The master plan reveals the area north of 4th Ave that is currently labeled “do not disturb” will eventually have more residential housing than the south end, totaling about 2000, rather than 2000 only on the south end. There is currently no public plan for remediation or start times while the developer, Lincoln Properties, works to secure the pieces necessary to get a metropolitan district approved. The metro district will be used as a funding mechanism, rather than a service mechanism, and nothing can proceed without funding. The difference between a funding mechanism and service mechanism is important because metropolitan districts are granted government privileges based on providing public services. To get any kind of infrastructure built on the landfill, the site will need remediation. The safety of the future residents would dictate that full site remediation be completed before building. It’s possible the profits from the south side will be used to fund the north side, or be used to repay developer investment before moving on to the more costly north side. A bank or private investors might demand remediation first since the success and cost of remediation will dictate overall project success. Federal grants are available to assist, which in this case is only right since the federal government caused the contamination. State grants are also available, many of which are pass-through for federal funds. Much of the rest of the funding will come through Lakewood’s Urban Renewal financing and metro district bonds. With Lakewood-approved, government-backed guarantees through metro districts, the developer can privatize the benefits while socializing the risks. The benefit to the public will be the ability to live on this revitalized land. In this case, there is no public living there and asking for a democratic vote on public services. Those future residents are depending on the city to represent their interests. There is no direct representation for taxation.

Kentner on Mandy Connell for Belmar

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on March 21, 2025Posted in DevelopmentTagged belmar, Kentner, Lakewood, Mandy Connell, news

From Mandy Connell’s blog WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN GOVERNMENT WON’T LISTEN? That is the situation that many Lakewood residents find themselves in when it comes to the conflict over green space vs. development. This time it’s Belmar Park, where developers want to build right up the boundaries and pay dispensation money instead of actually honoring green space that is required. I’ve got Cathy Kentner with Save Belmar Park on at 1 to chat about it. Find out more about their cause by clicking here. Lakewood’s Cathy Kentner did a great job of explaining how this goes beyond growth arguments and into honoring plans to maintain community standards. Thank you Cathy and Mandy for highlighting this issue! Listen to the interview here

New zoning rules propose to take Lakewood back to “bedroom” community concept

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on March 20, 2025Posted in Development, Entrenched Bureaucracy, Word GamesTagged affordable housing, bedroom community, comprehensive plan, mixed use, population density, zoning code

Repost from Dave Weichman On top of everything else going on these days, the Lakewood establishment is planning to change the city’s comprehensive plan and zoning codes to allow for more population density and cheaper housing. As usual there is way too much devil in the details to wrap one’s head around. However, there is one area that gives me a deja vu. Back when I was on City Council (in 2012) there was a major change in zoning. One of the innovations was the concept of “mixed-use” zones. We on Council bought into the idea there could be buildings with multiple uses. The example we were sold on was a vision where the first floor of the building could have commercial uses like restaurants or shops. The second floor could be offices for businesses. The third and fourth floors could be apartments or condos for residential use. Therefore there could be three different types of uses within the same building. This would reduce the need for traveling to different zones for a range of uses – i.e. one could work, shop, play and live all within a single building. So city zoning was changed to create “mixed-use” zones that would allow for several different types of uses within the same structure. However, when it came time to actually build this type of zoning ALL these buildings were 100% housing. Commercial uses and offices remained located in other parts of the metro area. The City argued mixed-use did not mean there actually had to be more than one use going on in a building but rather there was a range of possible uses to choose from. According to this line of reasoning, the builder could choose to either build all housing, or all commercial or all offices. When voters complained about this bait and switch tactic, there was an effort to require that mixed-use buildings actually have more than one use going on. There was a major City Council effort led by Ward 4’s David Skilling to change the zoning rules for properties in Mixed-Use Employment (MU-E) districts. Mr. Skilling was able to pass an ordinance that changed MU-E zones to prohibit more than 50% of the building being used for housing. However, since developers never had any intention of building mixed use projects but rather were just interested in finding a way to build housing in zones previously limited to commercial or office use, not a single project was eventually build using this model. After these zoning rules went into effect, developers with properties zoned as MU-Employment came back to the city and requested permission to re-zone these properties into a category that would allow them to build 100% housing. Fast forward to 2025. The current proposed “reform” of the City’s zoning codes seeks to just get rid of the 50% limit on housing in MU-E zones. That way developers could continue to just focus on building more housing. As for commercial and office uses, the proposed zoning would go back to the old scheme of making Lakewood the “bedroom” community for metro Denver. So this new zoning is essentially a GOING BACK to the glory days of multi-family residential housing and riding the train into Denver for work or shopping.

No Permits For Kairoi Demolition?

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on March 19, 2025Posted in DevelopmentTagged belmar, Colorado, demolition, Irongate, kairoi, Lakewood, permits, Yarrow

From savebelmarpark.com Update 3/19/25: Permits were straightened out (very quickly) and demolition on track Greetings Supporters of Save Belmar Park, This is an update on the attempted demolition of the Irongate Campus we told you about yesterday. The top image is 777 S Yarrow Street in Lakewood, CO after 24 hours of illegal demolition. We now know that Kairoi Residential had moved forward with the attempted illegal demolition without obtaining proper permits. Kairoi Residential attempted to illegally demolish the Irongate Office Campus at 777 S Yarrow Street. Local activists intervened and the city ultimately had to shut down the illegal project. So please consider this. If you happen to be in the construction business, obtaining permits is standard operating procedure. At least for any business that intends to obey the law. Even if you want an electrician to install a circuit in a residence, you need a permit. The idea a company that has been involved in the construction industry in Colorado and other states for many years does not know how to properly permit the demolition phase of a project raises some questions. Especially considering that their own civil engineers at Kimley-Horn prepared a large document titled: “EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL REPORT” that included great detail on the topic: “SEQUENCE OF CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES” The first listed responsibility in the Kimly-Horn document is: “The city does not authorize any work to be performed until the City Grading, Erosion, and Sediment Control Permit has been issued.” Did Kairoi bother to obtain a grading permit? NO. Did they plan to intentionally proceed with this illegal major demolition project? Given these facts, it seems quite possible that their bad behavior was intentional. But it also could be that they are so incompetent, they really do not know what they are doing in the first place including not knowing about the permitting process? Because the Planning Department certainly seems that incompetent. The Planning Department even proclaims today on their website that: “Demolition of the existing building has begun under a demolition permit issued by the city.” Obviously, either the City Of Lakewood has no clue about properly permitting a project or they conspired with the developer to intentionally approve an illegal demolition project. Which is it? And we live in a city that is more likely to arrest citizens for clapping at a city council meeting than they are to slap a fine on Kairoi. And a city where they city attorney tells city council they cannot discuss a proposed ordinance because they are only ‘administrative officers’ and are not even allowed to talk about it. Basically, a city with more clowns than the circus. To be diplomatic about it. Why would any well-run city want such a rag tag developer doing anything within the city limits? Stay tuned and thanks for listening, Steve View original email here

People catching onto the “affordable housing” scam

By Lakewood News from KarenPosted on March 16, 2025Posted in DevelopmentTagged affordable housing, boulder, Colorado, denver post, high-density, Lakewood, suburban, transit-oriented

A pair of articles in the Denver Post show that Colorado residents are catching onto the fact that “affordable housing” isn’t the universal panacea that is being promised. New housing is not affordable, unless it’s government-backed, while higher densities are killing the very reason that people enjoyed their city in the first place. Pro-development progressives in Boulder won’t solve the housing crisis “Building a lot more housing won’t reduce prices because there’s an unlimited supply of people nationwide who’ll pay whatever it takes to live here. Boulder is a unique blend of access to culture and nature in a small city. There are plenty of people who want to move here and have the means to do so.” This sentiment also applies to Lakewood, revealing the lie to all the promises that more housing will solve problems. Denser housing vs. the ’burbs “While Colorado lawmakers require upzoning and offer incentives in their push for denser housing concentrated at Regional Transportation District bus and train hubs, thousands of metro Denver residents like the Wellners are migrating to suburbs. They give multiple reasons for their moves: affordability, elbow room, quietness, safety and parks — things that transit-oriented development (TOD) often lacks.” Many people moved to Lakewood for exactly this reason – wanting elbow room and safety. But Lakewood aspires to become more like urban Denver, in the name of affordability. Meanwhile, there are plenty of people who will pay “whatever it takes to live here.” Lakewood is planning on changing the zoning code to increase density even more. The Planning Director is already out talking about the change. It was baked into the results of the latest comprehensive plan, whether residents wanted it or not. Those people who do not want increased densification have until the new code is adopted to object.