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Lakewood council breaks proposed citywide zoning rewrite into four hearings, sets new schedule
Summary
After weeks of public meetings, the Lakewood City Council voted to split a proposed citywide zoning ordinance into four separate ordinances and set a staggered public-hearing schedule to give residents more time to review maps and code language.
The Lakewood City Council voted to divide a single, citywide zoning ordinance (O2025-27) into four separate ordinances and set staggered public-hearing dates, a move council members said is intended to make the overhaul easier for residents to understand and comment on.
Council members approved an amendment to separate the code update into: text amendments for Articles 6–14 (public hearing moved to Aug. 25, 2025), Articles 1, 2, 4 and 5 (Sept. 8, 2025), Article 3 (Sept. 22, 2025) and the zoning map (Oct. 13, 2025). The motion passed 10–1, with Councilor Nystrom voting no.
Councilors said they heard repeated requests from residents for clearer maps, Spanish-language materials and interactive tools. “Break it up into 3 parts plus the map so that we are able to have conversations around the pieces of this zoning so that it is a more digestible conversation,” Councilor Furman said when she moved the amendment. Several councilors and staff also urged that the city publish larger, legible maps and provide translated summaries before hearings.
City planning staff said Article 3 will introduce form-based zone districts and is likely to draw the most public comment; the item was isolated from the rest of the code for that reason. Staff and council discussed three specific map products residents requested: enlarged maps, a comparative current-vs-proposed overlay, and an overlay of RTD (transit) lines with proposed zoning. Staff told council enlarged maps would be posted “tomorrow” and large-format maps would be made available for council review.
Council members debated whether the second-reading process should start Aug. 25 or be delayed to allow additional translation and outreach. After discussion they agreed to the earlier schedule while directing staff to continue outreach, including accessible translations and additional public meetings and materials on LakewoodTogether.org.
The council emphasized the need to keep the community informed about which hearings cover which parts of the code so residents know whether their comments will be germane at each hearing. Legal and staff advisers confirmed council could schedule staggered effective dates or motion language to avoid having provisions take legal effect before the map is updated, if council so chooses.
The split ordinance approach changes the timeline for second- and potential third-readings; councilors said the schedule leaves room for a third-reading continuation if needed and for staff to post maps and explanatory materials ahead of the hearings.
Councilors and staff repeatedly told residents they remain open to additional community sessions and said interactive, bilingual materials would be posted to the city’s engagement hub. The amendment to separate O2025-27 into four ordinances was approved 10–1.
