Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Street Ends Encroachments topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lakewood Planning Commission forwards engineering code updates after residents warn against selling lake street ends
Summary
The Planning Commission unanimously approved Resolution 2026-01 forwarding proposed engineering standards and code amendments to City Council. Residents urged officials to preserve public access to lake street ends and raised concerns that encroachments could be effectively "grandfathered in." Staff said the amendments clarify enforcement and that street vacations or sales remain a separate City Council decision.
The Lakewood Planning Commission voted on Jan. 21 to forward Planning Commission Resolution 2026-01 to the City Council, recommending updates to the city's engineering standards manual and related sections of the Lakewood Municipal Code.
During public comment, resident John Burns urged the commission to preserve public access to street ends that abut the city's lakes, warning that any sale or permanent loss of access would be a "travesty." "I am an advocate for keeping the public access to the street ends that abut the lakes of Lakewood open to the public," Burns said, adding that he believed the proposed policy "reduces the city's capability to site encroachers" and would effectively "grandfather in those encroachments." Another resident, Cameron Copa Chap, said protecting lake-end access is a question of equity for people who lack cars, strollers and convenient access.
Staff responding to the public comment said the proposed amendments focus on reorganizing and clarifying engineering standards and right-of-way rules. Assistant Planning and Public Works Director Silva told commissioners the revisions "have not been weakened" and that "it is still illegal for objects or activities to occur within the right-of-way without express permission from the City of Lakewood." Silva emphasized that the legislative process for street vacations or real estate transactions is separate and would require City Council review and public hearings.
Commission discussion centered on preserving street ends for future public use and ensuring careful, case-by-case decisions. Commissioner Comolmes moved to approve the planning commission resolution and Commissioner Larson seconded the motion. The commission approved the resolution by voice vote and forwarded it to City Council for consideration.
The resolution as presented formalizes the commission's recommendations concerning updates to the Engineering Standards Manual and amendments to Lakewood Municipal Code Titles 12 and 13 and related chapters; it does not itself authorize the sale or vacation of city real property, which would require a separate council-led street vacation process and public notice. Staff noted that resolving individual encroachments often depends on property surveys and historical permitting records and that the proposed code changes do not decide specific encroachment outcomes.
Next steps: the Planning Commission has forwarded Resolution 2026-01 to the City Council for deliberation; any proposal to vacate or sell street-end property would be handled through the state-authorized street-vacation process and the Council's public hearing procedure.
