Lakewood council restores fee-in-lieu option, exempts fully affordable projects and requires transparency after months of debate

Lakewood Mayor Wendy Strom and the City Council adopted an emergency ordinance on Feb. 24 revising Chapter 14.16 of the Lakewood Municipal Code to restore the city’s fee-in-lieu option for park and open-space dedication, exempt fully affordable residential developments, require publication of the rationale when staff accepts fees instead of land, and set up a limited appeal process for projects that pay 100% fee in lieu. The ordinance passed on third reading by an 8-0 vote.

The ordinance replaces the version the council adopted in December and was the focus of an extended public hearing and robust debate at the Feb. 24 regular meeting. The measure restores the city’s prior process so developers can pay a fee in lieu of dedicating land, adds an explicit annual review of the fee schedule, and includes language to encourage land dedication where practicable.

The issue drew more than 30 in-person speakers and more than 150 written comments on Lakewood Speaks, with arguments split between residents and conservation advocates urging land dedication and developers and housing advocates warning that strict land-dedication requirements would stall affordable housing.

Kathy Kettner, a Ward 1 resident and a lead petitioner for the Save Open Space effort, told the council that the initiative arose from years of concern about projects built without…