Westminster council approves Uplands Filing 2 ODP with Plan B after neighborhood changes, 6‑1

Westminster City Council on Nov. 24, 2025 approved the remanded Official Development Plan (ODP) for Uplands Filing 2, Block 2 (PAB2), adopting the developer’s revised Plan B and authorizing a subsequent technical review and limited conveyance of city land for a fire turnaround. The motion passed on a roll‑call vote of 6‑1; Councilor Ireland voted no.

Staff had recommended denial, saying neither of the applicant’s two response options fully met the 17 review criteria in Section 11‑5‑15 of the Westminster Municipal Code. “Staff recommends that the City Council hold a public hearing and deny the ODP,” Principal Planner Jacob Casa told council, citing concerns about grading, lot configuration and long‑term maintenance burdens from an alleyway and utility runs.

The applicant’s team, represented by land‑use consultant Marcus Parker, presented Plan B as a compromise reached through neighborhood engagement. “We believe this really reflects the sentiment from the neighborhood,” Parker said, describing changes that remove the through‑connection to W. 82nd Avenue, reduce the height allowance on Lot 13, relocate one lot, and add guest parking and a hammerhead turnaround. Planning Commission had recommended approval of Plan B and conditioned it on returning to technical review to incorporate the changes.

Neighbors who spoke at the public hearing expressed strong views on both sides. Ed Brodlewicke, speaking for residents along W. 82nd Avenue, urged approval of Plan B because it “eliminates the through connection, replaces it with a proper hammerhead turnaround for service and emergency vehicles, and adds additional parking.” Several other residents, including Christina and Esther Mattson, asked council to protect the western view corridor and said some houses on the hill could still obstruct panoramic mountain views.

Council discussion addressed tradeoffs between lot count, grading and long‑term neighborhood impacts. Staff explained the site’s existing slope and why achieving 26 units required grading, walkout configurations and, in one option, an alley: “The only way to reduce those grades would be to reduce unit count,” Casa said during Q&A.

After the ODP vote the council authorized the City Manager to convey between 3,504 and 4,000 square feet of publicly owned land to the developer to construct the hammerhead turnaround. Staff said an appraisal would set the fair market price and that approval of the sale requires council action; the land conveyance motion also passed 6‑1.

What happens next: Council’s approval sends the ODP back for technical plan review to incorporate the Plan B modifications and final engineering. The land sale will require an appraisal and administrative steps; staff indicated the conveyance amount would be determined based on fair market value and the City Manager’s action follows council authorization.

Key facts: the approved plan covers 26 single‑family lots; staff and the developer emphasized it will provide the 104 required parking spaces on site plus additional on‑street and guest parking; Plan B severs the 82nd Avenue connection and adds a hammerhead turnaround that will require roughly 3,500–4,000 sq ft of city land to be sold back to the developer; the ODP moves to technical review for final engineering.

Council vote (documented roll call): Yes — Mayor Nancy McNally, Mayor Pro Tem Nirmala, Councilor Carmelia, Councilor DeMott, Councilor Iozzi (or as recorded); No — Councilor Ireland. (Transcript roll call recorded on Nov. 24, 2025.)