Residential Dwelling Unit Allocations

On July 2, 2019, Lakewood voters said yes to the question, “Shall the City of Lakewood limit residential growth to no more than one (1) percent per year by implementing a permit allocation system for new dwelling units, and by requiring City Council approval of allocations for projects of forty (40) or more units?” But since this law went in to effect on July 12, 2019, the City of Lakewood has not limited growth to 1% and the recommendation in the packet would have you once again amend resolution 2020-8 and would keep growth at nearly 2%.

Resolution 2020-8, a compromise allowing many projects to proceed without allocations, reduced allocations by 280 to account for an expected 840 units receiving permits without allocations. In reality, and due mostly to building permits issued on blighted properties, 1,056 units were issued permits without allocations (see spreadsheet provided by Public Works) and at least an additional 202 (White Fence Farm) will be allowed in 2021.

Therefore, a compromise is for 2021 allocations to be figured as stated in resolution 2020-8 as amended 11/23/2020:
1% (701) minus the reduction stated in resolution 2020-8 (280 ATC + 101 WFF = 381) for a total of 320 allocations available in 2021.

Staff recommendation of 480 allocations is based on what council “could have” done a year ago and therefore would require once again amending resolution 2020-8 or asks council to use allocations which clearly expired at the end of 2020 (14.27.040.D)*

Should council decide to re-consider resolution 2020-8, then council could consider further reducing available allocations by 605 units - a number that represents 4 large projects** that were issued building permits in December of 2019 – units that were never discussed last January and were not included in the original “authority to continue”. But a much simpler solution, and a compromise, is to do what is stated in resolution 2020-8 as amended 11/23/2020.

* 14.27.040.D. Period of Validity. Allocations are only valid and can be used only from the date of issue through the last day of the allocation period for which they are issued, at which time they expire, unless a part of an approved banking plan.

** 1205 Benton St. (59 units-issued permit 12/19/19)
1605 Sheridan (200 units-issued permit 12/20/19)
5495 W 10th Ave (5-story with 7-story garage, 281 units-issued permit 12/20/19)
6190 W 13th (65 units permitted 12/31/19 with note that “Grading permit must be issued prior to any construction work starting”)

This is a last minute comment because this topic was not included on this site over the weekend. Going forward please keep in mind the necessity of staying within the 1% growth limitations set up in the SGI. There have been many attempts to circumvent this including but not limited to unnecessary blight designations. Many of you repeat at Council meetings the importance of following the will of the people. Words are meaningless without actions that support them.