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Week of January 13, 2022
ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
SouthPlatteIndependent.net
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12 | CALENDAR: PAGE 15 | SPORTS: PAGE 16
Marshall Fire devastation hits home for metro cities In Littleton and Englewood, renewed conversation about wildfire safety
SEE FIRE, P18
BY ROBERT TANN RTANN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
planning. The virus’s spread has led to several city departments pivoting to virtual-only services, including city council, which held a virtual meeting Jan. 5 and will continue to do so for at least one more meeting, according to Relph. Along with COVID, the city is also seeing unusually high vacancies across its departments, something Relph attributed to pandemic
A decision by Littleton City Council to redevelop the Aspen Grove shopping center for new housing could ultimately fall to the city’s voters after residents successfully petitioned to hold a referendum on the project. The shopping center, located in south Littleton, was slated for major overhaul after council narrowly voted 4-3 in November to approve plans from its owner, the Gerrity Group, to rezone the site for mixeduse development, proposing up to 2,000 new housing units alongside existing commercial space. Prior to council’s vote, the proposal sparked outcry from community members who packed the council chamber for a multi-hour marathon night of public comment during an Oct. 5 meeting. Many took to the podium to speak out against the rezoning, citing concerns over more traffic from new housing as well as increased building heights and possible environmental impacts to nearby open spaces. Now residents have made their most forceful rebuke yet with a petition that will force council to either rescind the plans or put it to a city-wide vote. Petitioners submitted 4,207 signatures, according to Littleton City Attorney Reid Betzing, with
SEE COVID, P7
SEE ASPEN GROVE, P31
Denver metro area communities are evaluating their wildfire preparation. The masSHUTTERSTOCK sive destruction of the Marshall Fire demonstrates the need.
Littleton city staff sees rise in coronavirus cases Council, various departments pivot online to prevent spread BY ROBERT TANN RTANN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
As Colorado sees record-high coronavirus cases spurred by the highly contagious Omicron variant, about 5% of staff for the City
PRSRT - STD ECRWSS US POSTAGE PAID LITTLETON, CO PERMIT #70 EDDM POSTAL PATRON
Petition could lead to referendum on Aspen Grove Campaign highlights contention over plans to add high-density housing
BY ROBERT TANN RTANN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
As Boulder County continues to reel from the unprecedented destruction of the Marshall Fire, densely populated cities across the metro area see the devastation of Superior, Louisville and other unincorporated parts of the county as a sobering reminder that their communities could face similar tragedy. “There is a big lesson for us,” said Mark Relph, city manager for the City of Littleton, which has a population of about 50,000. “It is going to be in our future, it’s inevitable. So we better be prepared for that.”
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of Littleton is currently infected and in quarantine, according to City Manager Mark Relph. “We have a concern here, I certainly do, just about the continuous operation of the City of Littleton,” Relph told city council during a Jan. 5 meeting. In an interview with Colorado Community Media, Relph said that the 5% of staff in quarantine accounts for about 20 people across various departments including police, public works, building and
JUST THE HIGH POINTS Exploring the highest elevations in Metro Denver
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