Lakewood council tables overhaul of parkland-dedication rules after hours-long public debate

Lakewood City Council on Monday extensively revised and then tabled a proposed ordinance that would repeal and replace Chapter 14.16 of the Lakewood Municipal Code on park and open-space dedication. The council voted 9-0 to send the item back for a third reading on Feb. 24 after nearly four hours of public comment and council discussion.

The proposal under consideration would change when and how developers must dedicate land or pay fees in lieu for parkland, and would add clearer options for "improvements in lieu" such as plazas, trail segments and other public amenities. Council members and staff also inserted new language during the meeting to allow dedications or improvements that improve pedestrian connectivity to parks.

The debate grew from a citizen-led ordinance that the council had adopted into law late last year and that has since halted many projects. City staff told the council that, as of the afternoon of Feb. 10, 102 residential projects were on hold because of uncertainty about the parkland rules. The council cited that backlog and concerns raised by residents, developers and housing advocates while revising the staff draft during the meeting.

Why it matters: The ordinance affects housing development and public open space across Lakewood. Public commenters said the earlier citizen-led measure was intended to protect neighborhoods and parks; developers and affordable-housing advocates said it made many projects infeasible and chilled investment in workforce housing.

Councilors repeatedly said the city must balance competing priorities: protecting mature trees and neighborhood character in places such as Belmar Park and avoiding legal vulnerability, while also preserving the capacity for affordable and workforce housing projects. Council members amended multiple sections of the staff draft on the dais, adding explicit references to trail segments and to allowing improvements in lieu to remain in private ownership if open to public use.

Community Resources Director Tracy Whelan told council the city has used fee-in-lieu proceeds historically to assemble parkland in areas with demonstrated need and that about 192 acres of parkland have been added since 2018, with 80 acres categorized as neighborhood or community parks. Council members asked staff for a clearer accounting of funds and for a redline of the ordinance showing the amendments made in the meeting.

Public comment was lengthy and sharply divided. Dozens of residents, nonprofit housing developers, planners and business representatives spoke. Supporters of the citizen-led change said it would preserve tree canopy, habitat and existing park character, and urged tougher limits on developers buying their way out of land dedication. Opponents said the measure blocked badly needed housing, particularly affordable housing, and cited projects that were paused or withdrawn after the ordinance went into effect.

Council action and next steps: On a procedural vote the council voted 9-0 to replace the published first-reading ordinance with the staff's revised draft and then later voted 9-0 to table the updated draft to Feb. 24 to allow the public time to review the revisions and for council to consider additional changes. City staff said a redline showing the amendments will be provided to council and posted to the meeting materials before the next hearing.

Quotations: "Because of the speed and the nature we have gone through this month, we will...be doing a third reading," Mayor Staud (reported as Mayor Straub in the record) said during the meeting. Community Resources Director Tracy Whelan said the city will prioritize acquiring parkland in neighborhoods identified as underserved and noted prior acquisitions such as Wright Park and two-creeks park efforts.

What council asked staff to do: provide a redline of amendments made at the meeting, post the updated packet materials to LakewoodSpeaks, and return for a third reading on Feb. 24. The council also asked for a clearer report on fee-in-lieu fund balances and where funds have been spent.