Littleton Independent 030322

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Week of March 3, 2022

ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COLORADO

A publication of

LittletonIndependent.net

VOLUME 133 | ISSUE 32

Resident sues city over Aspen Grove timeline Suit disputes city election guidelines BY ROBERT TANN RTANN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The rocky saga of Littleton’s Aspen Grove shopping center, and a proposal to rezone it for housing, continues to reach new heights.

On Feb. 23, a Littleton resident who lives just north of the mall filed a lawsuit against the city for its proposal to hold a referendum election on Aspen Grove’s rezoning on Nov. 8. The move comes a month after thousands of Littleton residents petitioned to revoke the city council’s decision to move ahead with a new mixed-use

zoning ordinance that would have allowed the shopping center’s owner to build up to 2,000 new housing units. It forced council members to punt the decision to a citywide vote, which they said they would coordinate with Arapahoe County for the midterm elections on Nov. 8, rather than hosting a special election earlier. But Linda Knufinke, a

23-year resident of the Wolhurst Landing neighborhood who helped lead the petition and who filed the lawsuit, said an election in November was too far away and claimed it violated state guidelines and the city’s own charter. “The November ballot may be clogged with issues,” Knufinke said as a key reason for why she wants

City seeks to aid in Littleton Village’s woes Facing vacant land and a sinkhole, city staff see need to address longstanding issues BY ROBERT TANN RTANN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Proposed as a walkable, vibrant community in 2014, the Littleton Village development stands today as an isolated assortment of housing surrounded by mostly vacant land and a growing sinkhole. After representatives of the Littleton Village metro district came to the city for help last year, city staff signaled during a Feb. 22 city council meeting a need for more attention on the metro development. “The people that bought into Littleton Village … they were told that a certain kind of commercial development was to occur, and it hasn’t and I don’t doubt that they’re very disappointed if not angry about it,” said City Manager Mark Relph. SEE VILLAGE, P10

an election sooner. “We’ve heard from the people who signed the petition that they wanted a special election.” A clash over state and city election guidelines The petition that Knufinke and others signed calls for the rezoning to be referred to the “registered electors of the City of Littleton at a SEE LAWSUIT, P8

Protection order issued against man who allegedly threatened death to superintendent 48-year-old Byron Clayton of Thornton due back in court next month BY ROBERT TANN RTANN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Former Littleton Mayor Phil Cernanec, now the president of Littleton Village’s residential district board, stands beside a growing sinkhole in the middle of the FILE PHOTO BY DAVID GILBERT sprawling development last year.

INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 20

A Thornton man accused of making a death threat to the superintendent of Littleton Public Schools was issued a protection order by Littleton Judge Ethan Feldman during a court appearance Feb. 23. The order restrains Byron Clayton, 48, from being in contact with Superintendent Brian Ewert as well as any and all LPS staff. It also prevents him from being on LPS property. Clayton was charged with a citation by Littleton police officers Jan. 26 for harassment by phone or computer, including SEE THREATS, P19

RISE OF THE MONARCHS

Scientists hopeful butterflies making a comeback P14


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