An ballot measure that would threaten the future of downtown Lakewood and prohibit innovative redevelopments like Belmar may be in the hands of city voters this fall. I'll have a lot more to say about this misguided proposal going forward, but Lakewood Mayor Adam Paul is out today with an op-ed in the Denver Post warning citizens of the harm that could be done if this ordinance were to pass.
In it, he warns correctly that the initiative could put a stop to the redevelopment of blighted sections of Colfax Ave, increase traffic congestion by forcing workers to live further from their jobs, and make innovative developments like Belmar impossible-- all while driving up property taxes and rents.
Yes, I want to see growth managed, and no, I don't like the idea construction that's out of scale with an existing neighborhood, but it's possible to have smart growth without trapping Lakewood permanently in the 1950's. A blanket limit on all growth is just the wrong approach.
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