LAKEWOOD, Colo. — Lakewood’s planning commission approved the site plan for a proposed apartment complex next to Belmar Park, even as many neighbors continue to take a stand against it.
More than 100 of those neighbors came to Wednesday night’s planning commission meeting to speak out against the plan, with about 60 signing up for a public comment period that surpassed two hours.
Neighbors have spent the past year going back and forth with city leaders over balancing the need for new housing developments while protecting open space.
Read our previous coverage below:
- Likely 'illegal' Lakewood ordinance goes into effect Saturday
- Lakewood family looking to rebuild home told they must give up part of property under new ordinance
- Lakewood repeals, replaces citizen ordinance meant to protect open spaces
- Developer of controversial Belmar Park apartment project sues City of Lakewood over citizen-led ordinance
The proposed apartment building, which includes roughly 400 units, butts up against Belmar Park, a popular recreation area. The site used to house a smaller office building.
Neighbors say the building is too big and doesn’t fit the neighborhood or the site, and they worry hundreds of people living there will hurt the park’s wildlife populations and habitats as well as its amenities, while bringing more crowds and traffic to a quiet area.
During the meeting, Travis Parker, Lakewood’s chief of sustainability and community development, said that while frustration is understandable and maybe justified, this proposal fits the letter of the law.
“The fact that when staff or the planning commission approves a project, it’s not a judgment call on the quality of the project, but a legal review for compliance with the existing zoning rights,” Parker said.
That did not stop a vocal contingent of residents and park-goers who expressed their concern.
“Whatever decision is made tonight, the city will be sued again,” one woman said to commissioners during public comment. “Why not, for a change, be on the right side of history and negotiate with the developer for a smaller, less intrusive project?”
Last year, a citizen-led effort led Lakewood to pass an ordinance requiring developers to dedicate some of their land to the city as protected open space when building something, while removing an option to pay a fee instead.
But that ordinance led the complex developer to sue the city. Lakewood then repealed the new ordinance, saying it caused major issues for other property owners, like people wanting to renovate their homes.
The ongoing friction underscores the debate between the need for more housing versus how it should look and where it should go.
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