Former Mayor Adam Paul discouraged acquisition of 777 South Yarrow Street as public parkland which is now the site of the proposed huge apartment complex!
Westword magazine reported on January 24, 2024 that Irongate Offices LLC contacted Lakewood and offered the property for sale to the city. But Lakewood did not purchase the property. It was eventually purchased by a Texas developer to build hundreds of luxury rental apartments.
Former Mayor Adam Paul expressed to Westword his opposition to the city purchasing the property based on his view of ‘equity’.
However, ‘equity’, while it may be a politically popular term, is not a criteria Lakewood has designated in the Municipal Code for parkland selection.
So what? Isn’t ‘equity’ always a good thing? Well, consider this.
Since Lakewood did not purchase 777 S Yarrow, the city may end up with more inventory of expensive market priced luxury rental housing instead.
Our prediction is that if the project is built, most people who need housing will not be able to afford the rent. How’s that for ‘equity’?
NOTE: For some reason, Westword ‘clarified’ their original reporting and substituted a phrase in one sentence to mention instead a discussion between Mayor Paul and city staffers.
However, Westword has not published a retraction or errata notice for the original reporting that Mayor Paul stated Irongate checked with the city.
With or without the ‘clarification’, Mayor Paul was a solid opponent to purchasing 777 S Yarrow according to Westword.
Quoting from the ‘clarified’ January 24, 2024 article by Westword:
When Adam Paul was mayor of Lakewood, he discussed with city staffers the possibility of buying the property should it become available, recalls Paul, who joined Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s administration last fall after he was term-limited out of office.
“Realizing that there’s a lot of other parts of our city that don’t have a lot of parkland, especially in some of our lower-income areas, it was really an equity thing for me,” he says. “Is that a highest and best use, for us to purchase that — or to go and really look at pursuing more park and open space land in other parts of the city that may not have a huge park already?” end of quote
By not pursuing a purchase, did Lakewood ignore their own parkland criteria?
Because 777 S Yarrow Street is immediately adjacent to Belmar Park which fulfills one of the key criteria.
Lakewood’s Municipal Code Actually Prioritizes Acquiring Parkland Adjacent to Existing Parkland
“Lakewood Municipal Code 14.16.050 – Criteria for land eligible for park and open space use.
The following criteria will normally apply in determining what type and nature of land will meet the requirement for dedication:
A. Land that is accessible from two separate locations by standard maintenance vehicles or from one location with a minimum 50-foot frontage;
B. Land or water bodies contiguous to other acceptable parkland or existing parkland;
C. Usable land within the 100-year floodway fringe that would not be inundated in a five-year storm; and
D. Special areas of natural, historical or cultural significance.”
Consistent with the Municipal Code criteria, the city has proactively “been acquiring land along Bear Creek since 1974 to preserve the flood plain, protect wildlife habitat and provide recreational opportunities to the Lakewood Community” according to the Staff Memo published to the Mayor and City Council.
Another example of this policy can be found in this video: “Recommended adding space to existing park sites when possible.” Acquisition of 1080 Wads – YouTube
In light of Lakewood’s Municipal Code requirements and long-standing history of proactively acquiring additional parkland adjacent to existing parkland, it seems contrary to the Municipal Code criteria not to have considered the 777 S Yarrow property.
777 S Yarrow is a perfect fit with legally established Municipal Code criteria!
Why did Lakewood not pursue the property?
Lakewood has been proactively acquiring open space and parkland for years.
Regardless of whether or not Irongate contacted the city, why wouldn’t Lakewood reach out to Irongate and pursue a purchase of the property based on their own Municipal Code criteria and the fact 777 S Yarrow was a perfect fit?
According to Westword, Mayor Paul was instead talking to city staffers and recommending a different path based on ‘equity’ rather than following the years long precedent that is also consistent with the Municipal Code guidelines.
What about Mayor Paul’s notion of purchasing parkland in low-income neighborhoods in service to ‘equity’? How is that going?
Former City Council member Anita Springsteen has stated she is aware of
Only one small purchase of park land in a low-income neighborhood
during her entire 4 years on council from 2019-2023.
Councilor Springsteen provided this list of park purchases-
Park Acquisitions 2019 – 2023 in Lakewood:
2911 S. Wadsworth Blvd., park expansion acquired 6/12/23 (Ward 5)
11050 W. 20th Ave on 9/25/23
2951 SOUTH WADSWORTH BOULEVARD, Acquired 4/11/22 (Ward 5)
2965 SOUTH KIPLING STREET, Acquired 4/11/22 (Ward 5)
14601 WEST HAMPDEN AVENUE, Acquired 4/11/22 (Ward 5)
AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY FROM QUANTOVATIONS, L.L.C., FOR OPEN SPACE AND PARK PURPOSES, INCLUDING ACCEPTANCE OF A DEED THEREFOR Acquired 2/22/21 – This is the Bear Creek Greenbelt at 9555 W. Cornell Ave. (Ward 5)
REAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE 16200 BLOCK OF W BAYAUD DRIVE, Acquired 10/10/22 (Green Mountain area in Ward 5)
DECLARING THE INTENDED USE OF A PARCEL OF LAND HELD BY THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD TO BE FOR OPEN SPACE OR PUBLIC PARK PURPOSES 11/23/20
Only low-income neighborhood acquisition – AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY FROM ROGER GUZMAN, FOR OPEN SPACE AND PARK PURPOSES, INCLUDING ACCEPTANCE OF A DEED THEREFOR, Acquired 7/12/21
1080 Wadsworth Blvd. Car wash – only .59 acres (Next to Two Creeks Park) zoned MRU
“Recommended adding space to existing park sites when possible.” Acquisition of 1080 Wads – YouTube
Golf Course Irrigation – EXPRESSING THE INTENT OF THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD, COLORADO, TO ENTER INTO FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS IN THE APPROXIMATE AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF $6,700,000 TO FINANCE GOLF COURSE IRRIGATION REPLACEMENT AND DEFEASE AN EXISTING LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENT , Approved 2/10/20
Grants/Intergovernmental Agreements:
APPROVING AN APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDS FROM THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO WRIGHT PARK AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT UPON GRANT AWARD 12/12/22
APPROVING AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND WILDLIFE FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BEAR CREEK TRAIL AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SAID AGREEMENT 6/28/21
