In July, voters in Lakewood approved a one percent per annum cap on residential unit construction.  Now, a proposed ballot measure aiming to require counties along the Front Range to follow suit is one step closer to appearing on Colorado’s 2020 ballot.
Continue Reading Front Range-Wide Residential Growth Cap One Step Closer to Colorado’s 2020 Ballot

There’s no denying that Denver, along with much of the rest of the county, has recovered from the 2008 recession and continues to ride a strong period of economic growth. For those of us in the real estate industry, counting the number of cranes visible from our office windows and the number of neighbors opposed

On July 8, 2019, Denver’s City Council approved sweeping changes to the approval process and standards for large development projects.  The Amendment to the Denver Zoning Code replaces the General Development Plan (GDP) process and standards with new Large Development Review (LDR) and Infrastructure Master Plan (IMP) processes and standards.

An approved LDR will now be required for projects in excess of 5 acres, prior to proceeding with an IMP, site development plan, rezoning, subdivision, or other project approvals.  Existing GDPs may also be impacted, as discussed below.  Developers evaluating larger sites and landowners within existing GDPs in Denver should be aware of the new LDR and IMP processes and familiarize themselves with the Code Amendment.
Continue Reading Denver Replaces General Development Plan Process and Standards for Large Projects

This post was authored by Alexandra Haggarty.  Alex is a summer clerk at Otten Johnson, and a rising 3L at the University of Colorado Law School.

This post is an update on three earlier posts about a citizen initiative to limit residential growth in Lakewood, Colorado.

With a near 53 percent majority, voters in the City of Lakewood approved Ballot Question 200, capping growth of residential unit construction by one percent annually and requiring city council approval of projects with forty or more units.  The city joins Boulder and neighboring Golden in responding to Colorado’s population growth by capping development.

Proponents of the initiative argue that it will preserve Lakewood’s culture and environment.  Specifically, the initiative was pitched as a way to preserve open space, protect single-family development, ensure that infrastructure and services are not overburdened, and curb alleged problems of unmanaged growth, such as crime and urban decay.
Continue Reading Lakewood Voters Pass Strategic Growth Initiative