Lakewood council adopts major zoning rewrite with bird‑safe, parking and nonconformity changes

The Lakewood City Council on Aug. 25 adopted a comprehensive update to the city’s zoning code covering articles 6 through 14, approving ordinance O2025‑27 as amended by an 8‑3 vote after a lengthy public hearing and more than a dozen amendments.

The rewrite changes citywide rules on design, parking, parking lot landscaping, historic preservation, tree fees and sustainability standards, and adds provisions for “slot” homes, loading and visitor parking, electric‑vehicle charging, and an updated enhanced development menu. Planning staff framed the action as part of a multi‑month process that will continue with additional sections and a companion map later this year.

City planning staff described the sections adopted Monday as the general articles that apply citywide. Travis Parker, chief of sustainability and community development, told council the changes include new bird‑safe rules near parks, minimum lot widths to limit narrow “slot‑home” configurations, a shift to square‑foot parking metrics for residential uses, and updates to landscaping and historic preservation rules. "These are general articles that cover, you know, the whole city," Parker said during the presentation.

Why it matters: Supporters said the rewrite will produce more housing types — duplexes, triplexes and cottage clusters — needed to address affordability and climate goals. Opponents cautioned that some changes give broad discretion to the planning director and…