Lakewood council pauses rewrite of parkland-dedication rules after hours-long debate; third reading set for Feb. 24

Lakewood City Council on Monday night opened an extended public hearing and lines of debate over a city-led rewrite of its park- and open-space dedication code, debating how — and whether — the city should require developers to provide land, pay fees in lieu, or build alternative public spaces when new housing is added.

The council moved a revised staff draft into the record after multiple amendments, then voted 9-0 to table the ordinance for a third reading on Feb. 24 so the public can review the changes before final action.

The draft being debated would replace Chapter 14.16 of the Lakewood Municipal Code, a code section that specifies how much land or money developers must provide for parks and how the city can spend collected fees. Council and staff said the discussion grew urgent after a citizen-led ordinance approved last fall produced unforeseen effects — staff reported 102 development projects that have been placed on hold since that initiative took effect Dec. 7.

Council members and staff emphasized two goals that shaped the debate: preserving and expanding parks where the community is underserved, and avoiding rules that would freeze development and make housing projects infeasible. Community Resources Director Tracy Whelan said the city already uses some park-fee funds to buy land and build neighborhood and community parks in areas of need, and staff drew on a 2023 study by Norris Design when drafting the new…