Continuance Ordinance O-2019-12 - To rezone land located at 3113 South Wadsworth Boulevard, Lakewood, CO 80227, County of Jefferson, State of Colorado

Here I am attaching the published records about the historic Schnell Farm compiled from materials found by me and my neighbor Karen Eberhardt from Ward 5. The documents included are excerpts from books and publications such as "76 Centennial Stories of Lakewood", "Lakewood-Colorado, An Illustrated Biography", "The Lakewood Historian", "Early Lakewood", and the official registration form and photos from National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places. I think these articles are very helpful to let us better understand the unparalleled historical and cultural significance of the Schnell Farm to our city.

Borrowing the words from my neighbor - "I find it rather ironic that we’re celebrating Lakewood’s 50th anniversary this year while a developer is planning to destroy a lovely little piece of Lakewood’s history. How very sad!"

As Lakewood residents, we were expecting compiled evidences like these from the city's Historic Preservation Commission! Unfortunately, they are only willing to give official comments and evaluations about the Schnell Farm after the structures are torn down, which is a direct violation of the City Zoning Ordinance Article 11 S17.11.2.5!

Here I am attaching the published records about the historic Schnell Farm compiled from materials found by me and my neighbor Karen Eberhardt from Ward 5. The documents included are excerpts from books and publications such as "76 Centennial Stories of Lakewood", "Lakewood-Colorado, An Illustrated Biography", "The Lakewood Historian", "Early Lakewood", and the official registration form and photos from National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places. I think these articles are very helpful to let us better understand the unparalleled historical and cultural significance of the Schnell Farm to our city.

Borrowing the words from my neighbor - "I find it rather ironic that we’re celebrating Lakewood’s 50th anniversary this year while a developer is planning to destroy a lovely little piece of Lakewood’s history. How very sad!"

As Lakewood residents, we were expecting compiled evidences like these from the city's Historic Preservation Commission! Unfortunately, they are only willing to give official comments and evaluations about the Schnell Farm after the structures are torn down, which is a direct violation of the City Zoning Ordinance Article 11 S17.11.2.5!

This is in regards to Richmond Homes wanting to put 91 homes on the Bear Creek Green Belt

What study has been done regarding adding so many new students to the local schools? If they plan to add 91 homes, lets do some assumptions, that each house has 2 children (I'm making up numbers). That is 182 students that will influx into the schools. The property tax does not offset the cost of each student. So even if we spread them across 3 schools, that's 60 new kids put into classes that are already too full with not enough money. I don't think that's fair to the teachers or students. At least if people move into existing homes the additional students are added slowly and at an absorbable rate.

What do the habitat studies look like? How will this impact our wildlife? Have any studies even been done?

There is a reason Lakewood residents voted to control growth and this is a prime example. Just because something can be built doesn't mean it should. Our open space is precious and increasingly, it's disappearing because of too much building. If you haven't been on Wadsworth in that area, let me tell you...traffic is already an issue there and to add additional traffic is not only dangerous but irresponsible.

Richmond is in it to make money, they don't care about our community or the impact. They want to build the houses, get their cash and leave. They are not the ones left to deal with the ramifications of what they do. Nor the mess they leave behind. This space is beautiful and loved and should not be destroyed by adding more buildings.

R: Co 0-2019-12, I am opposed to rezoning. Would like to suggest the a partnership could be created between the City and the Investors in the Schnell Farm Living Preserve private investors to buy the property from the Schnell's.
A City source of funds could be derived by reselling 30 acres of the less attractive 60 vacant acres located east of intersection of Morrison road and Wadsworth Blvd.
The Schnell sight is unique and would be aesthetic , living, refreshing asset for our mom's, dad's and children.

I live at Silver Valley at Bear Creek and enjoy the Bear Creek Greenbelt the way it is. New zoning and development for the land located at 3113 South Wadsworth Boulevard would change our way of life here and create more density which we do not need. We have enough density with the development at the nearby former Green Gables Golf Course. In addition this land should be preserved in it's current state for future generations. The history of this land is too important to be turned into another development site. I do not support rezoning this area. Please leave it the way it is.

Thank you.

Disgraceful and shameful. 100% against this housing greed. The video is also nothing more than development propaganda.

In the video titled "CC STAFF PRESENTATION RZ 18 002 & VA 18 001" on this O-2019-12 LakewoodSpeaks webpage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3uKsq9OFKA&feature=youtu.be&t=628, the staff mentioned that six outside agencies were asked. Those six agencies, according to the Jun 10th meeting packet, include: Century Link, Comcast Cable, Bear Creek Water & Sanitation District, Jefferson County Schools, Lakewood Police Department, West Metro Fire Protection District, Xcel Energy, and Property Owners within 500 feet. My questions are:

1) Why is Lakewood Police Department considered an "outside agency"?
2) What criteria were used to determine what agencies to ask? And why only those six, why not more?

I disagree with the rezoning, and I have three questions for the city:

1) What kind of growth does Lakewood want? (a) Short-sighted and burdening, or (b) long-term and sustainable.

2) When and where can we find the formal comments on the site destruction as well as the formal evaluations on the historic significance of Schnell Farm made by the city’s Historic Preservation Commission? - City Code Article 11 Article 11 S17.11.2.5 defines the powers and duties of the Historic Preservation Commission: "G. Increase public awareness of the value of historic, architectural, and cultural preservation. H. Evaluate and comment on proposals or decisions made regarding structures, sites and districts which reflect outstanding elements of the City’s cultural, artistic, social, economic, political, architectural, and historic or other heritage."

3) The video titled "190808 Schnell Farms Presentation" that is shown here on this O-2019-12 LakewoodSpeaks page mentions an Aug 12th Neighborhood meeting. However, the video was only published to the Lakewood public on Aug 16th according to YouTube's video metadata https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXtibe632uk&feature=youtu.be&t=195. This means that the Lakewood public was NOT appropriately notified about the Neighborhood meeting, except for those individuals who had previously contacted the developer. My question for the City Attorney is whether this constitutes a Procedural Due Process violation or not. Also, does this video now have enough credibility to still be used in the packet for decision making?