The Lakewood Planning Commission is anticipated to approve a Special Use Permit for the Navigation Center on June 3, 2026. Lakewood staff have already made a presentation in favor of the permit. There are no neutral reports or equal opportunities for opposing viewpoints. While public comment is allowed, the way Lakewood interprets the Planning Commission rules means evidence needs to be presented AT THIS HEARING.
Every public comment that was made in previous City Council meetings is meaningless unless repeated at the hearing. Testimony at the hearing that shows problems with the special use could result in the permit being denied.
Zoning Code Requirements
Special Use Permits are discussed in section 17.2.4 of the zoning code. According to the code, the Commission SHALL approve any application that meets the criteria below. No other reasons will be a factor in this decision.
17.2.4.2: Review Criteria– Recommendations and decisions regarding special use permit applications shall be based on the following review criteria. An application for a special use permit shall be approved if it is demonstrated that:
-The proposed special use is consistent with the applicable supplemental standards set forth in Article 4 of this Zoning Ordinance; and
-The proposed special use is consistent with the applicable dimensional and development standards set forth in Article 5 of this Zoning Ordinance; and
-The proposed special use is consistent with the applicable design standards set forth in Articles 6 and 7 of this Zoning Ordinance; and
-The proposed special use is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and other adopted City plans; and
The proposed special use will not substantially impair the appropriate use or development of adjacent property
Evidence Required
According to the last criterion, the applicant must show that the special use “will not substantially impair the appropriate use or development of adjacent property.”
City staff have already decided that neighbors and businesses will not be substantially harmed by the Navigation Center. The city shows no evidence beyond this statement.
However, a city staff summary of the neighborhood meeting included evidence that contradicted their conclusion. According to the staff report, neighborhood business and residents saw “an inability to continue operations” and “decreasing property values”.
Excerpt from staff report for the June 3 meeting.
Permit Could Be Denied With Evidence At Hearing
Because Lakewood has been operating a shelter here in one form or another for years, residents can plainly see the effect it will have on the neighborhood. There have been many problems, despite city claims that safety would not decline and that the shelter would not attract more homeless to the area, all of which has happened.
If the neighbors and businesses that have spoken in previous City Council meetings attend the hearing and present evidence of harm, the Planning Commission can deny the permit, because the property would not meet all the necessary criteria. Without testimony, city staff conclusions, even without evidence, will prevail.
Note: Lakewood Informer submitted a public records request for service calls to 8000 W Colfax. The request was never fulfilled. Emails to the system were bounced. Phone calls were not returned.
Lakewood and the Jefferson County School District are once again demonstrating how to exploit loopholes to unofficially campaign for a ballot issue.
The Jeffco School District Superintendent received time on the Lakewood City Council agenda to give a presentation that included why Jeffco Schools will need to more revenue, probably as a mill levy override on the ballot. The school district currently has a $60 million deficit. There were no other points of view presented, just the school district saying they’d need more money.
Presenting one side of a ballot issue is generally viewed as campaigning or advocacy. However, despite all appearances, this does not count as campaigning because Jeffco Schools will not formally put this issue on the ballot until August. After that, it will be illegal to use government funds to campaign.
In stark contrast, opposition voices will not have much time to rally after the official decision in August. Since the school district has been unofficially campaigning in favor of more revenue for over a year, the time lag is a big disadvantage to any other voices.
Likewise, people with alternatives for the school district will never be given time on the agenda to speak.
The Jeffco Schools presentation did not pertain to city business. Jeffco Schools did not make a similar presentation on school closures, before or after they happened, which has been devastating to neighborhoods throughout Lakewood.
Why is Revenue Needed
Alternative points of view have been voiced at meetings and social media, although much of this does not make it into district materials.
For example, a report by Jamie Perkins shows that, “In just the last 5 years, teacher count has dropped by 344, but admin personnel has gone up by 49. And in the last 10 years, the general administration category of the budget has more than doubled.”
Perkins breaks down expenses in easy-to-read graphs that are available for voters to review.
Alternative Solutions
There have also been many solutions offered by the public that fail to make it into any official, neutral pro/con list. One alternative solution was offered by the site Somebody Should Do Something which said the following:
“If, say, you actually targeted Communications, HR, and Strategy specifically, you could likely hit a 15% reduction (roughly $9 million) without touching a single principal or counselor.
“Communications: By cutting the PR team, social media managers, and “community engagement” staff, you save on salaries and expensive “brand” consulting fees.
“Strategy/Innovation: These offices often manage “long-term initiatives” that many see as red tape. Cutting them stops the “initiative fatigue” teachers often complain about.
“HR: While you need someone to process payroll and health insurance, you can cut the “recruitment marketing” and “talent development” layers.”
Losing Money on Municipalities
Lakewood benefited from Jeffco Schools money mismanagement when Lakewood bought Emory Elementary School at a drastically discounted price. Jeffco Schools have now engaged with other cities to go through the same municipal process with no guarantee they will make any more money than they did with Emory.
Credit Union of Colorado Foundation is proud to announce the 2026 winners of its annual college scholarship program. The Foundation awarded 15 students with annual scholarships totaling $110,000 in tuition assistance for the 2026/2027 school year. Lakewood winner, Gemma McIntyre, will use the scholarship to help pay for her education at Colorado Mesa University.
“We are honored to support students across Colorado as they pursue their educational and career goals,” says Phil Smith, board chair of the Credit Union of Colorado Foundation and president and CEO of Credit Union of Colorado. “This year’s scholarship recipients have demonstrated exceptional dedication, perseverance, and potential. Through our continued investment in education, we are proud to help empower the next generation of leaders, professionals, and community changemakers.”
Scholarship eligibility was extended to students who are Colorado residents enrolled in, or scheduled to enter, an accredited college or university as an undergraduate taking at least 12 credit hours per semester. Candidates were required to maintain a minimum 3.5 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale in high school or during the previous 12 months as a college undergraduate. Students were also required to submit an essay that explained their financial need for this scholarship assistance.
Many groups advocated for densification in 2026 at both local and state level. This list below can be used to identify key players in future campaigns.
There are different reasons for why each group wanted densification, including market manipulation theories and environmental grounds. It is unclear whether these groups know all the facts that Lakewood residents learned about how bad densification is for the environment, such as decreasing quality of life and increasing traffic problems. Research is needed to determine if these groups shared all the facts with their members or whether the group might be similar to a shell company.
Many cities came out against state densification bills, including the Colorado Municipal League as well as the American Planners Association. In favor were the same realtor and developer groups that spoke out in Lakewood. Many banking groups were watching as well. Follow the money.
Increased Housing Advocates (Bankers not included)
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