Littleton 9-12-2013
September 12, 2013 75 cents
Arapahoe County, Colorado • Volume 125, Issue 8
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourlittletonnews.com
Broadstone proposal voted down Apartment complex is rejected 6-1 despite attempts to compromise By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@ourcoloradonews.com After nearly a year of wrangling among neighbors, city staff, the property owner and development team, Littleton City Council finally shot down the controversial Broadstone at Littleton Station apartment complex.
“The message that we must get out there is that the right project will be approved,” Councilor Jerry Valdes said before the 2 a.m. Sept. 4 vote. “But not all of them will be approved, and not all of them will be denied.” The final vote, which was 6-1, was supposed to happen a month ago. But council sent the proposal back to the planning board, which had already unanimously recommended denial, after development company Alliance Residential made lastminute changes to scale down the size and density of the building. The company originally planned 325 units in six stories. After several revisions, it ended up with 225 in five.
It was a last-ditch effort to appease a large group of unhappy citizens, many of them neighbors of the site on the southeast corner of Littleton Boulevard and Bemis Street. The plan did a little better on its second go-round with the board, garnering a yes vote from chair Randy Duzan. On Sept. 4, Councilor Jim Taylor cast the only vote to spare Broadstone its ultimate demise. In his final term, Taylor represents the district that includes downtown. He felt the 225-unit, high-end apartment complex would create economic opportunity and jobs, noting currently empty Main Street storefronts.
“Having a younger generation move in will cause a buying spree,” he said. The Historic Downtown Littleton Merchants agreed, submitting a letter in support of the project. “The rezoning of this property from commercial to residential will promote the economic development and growth of downtown Littleton as pedestrian connectivity increases between the restaurants, retail merchants and the light-rail station,” they wrote. Most of the six councilors who voted against the project said the concerns and Broadstone continues on Page 7
City council pursues ban on retail pot Stahlman says he’s reconsidered; final action set for Sept. 17 By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@ourcoloradonews.com
Sadie jumps out as far as possible as she and owner Sandra Youngman practice for future dock dog competitions. Sadie got to make several jumps during the Sept. 7 Doggie Plunge at Pirates Cove Family Aquatic Park in Englewood. Photos by Tom Munds
Hundreds of dogs take the plunge Canines dive into waters of Pirates Cove By Tom Munds
tmunds@ourcoloradonews.com The deep big-dog barks and the higher-pitched woofs of smaller dogs blended as canines of a wide variety of sizes, colors and breeds took over Pirates Cove Family Aquatic Park for the Sept. 7 Freedom Festival and Doggie Plunge. This is the sixth year for the Freedom Service Dogs-sponsored fundraising events. Organizers expected about 1,000 canine visitors because, on Sept. 7, all the waters were open to the canines to chase balls and just splash around. However, the lap pool was set aside for dock-dog practice. Owners took turns throwing a target item far out in the pool then releasing the dog to take off down the runway and jump out into the pool as far as possible. The day’s activities also include the Freedom Festival in Belleview Park. Pet product vendors created a midway of canopies. There was a canopy urging adoption of shelter dogs, a vendor selling a variety of treats and a vendor displaying examples of pet portraits. The festival also included demonstrations, a pet beauty contest and a dog ice-cream-eating contest. Freedom Service Dogs organizers are already making plans for next year’s event. POSTAL ADDRESS
Heather Ratynski said her dog Kahnay wears goggles because the dog has eye problems. Kahnay took turns jumping for distance at the Sept. 7 Doggie Plunge.
LITTLETON INDEPENDENT (ISSN 1058-7837) (USPS 315-780) OFFICE: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Englewood, Colorado, the Littleton Independent is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display advertising: Thurs. 11 a.m. Legal advertising: Thurs. 11 a.m. Classified advertising: Mon. 12 p.m.
Littleton City Council took a sharp turn on pot about 2:30 a.m. on Sept. 4, abruptly changing course from deciding whether to allow retail marijuana sales to deciding on an outright ban. After the seven-hour meeting that saw the fall of the Broadstone apartment proposal, council had one last task as the crowded chamber emptied — hearing on first reading a proposed ordinance that would have allowed the city’s four existing medical-marijuana dispensaries to sell to the general public. However, Mayor Debbie Brinkman introduced an amendment to switch the language from allowing retail sales to banning them. “I don’t think increasing access and making it a part of our community is really what we intend Littleton to be,” said Brinkman. Mayor Pro Tem Bruce Stahlman and councilors Jim Taylor, Jerry Valdes Brinkman and Peggy Cole indicated support for the original language during an Aug. 27 study session. But Stahlman reversed course on first reading, saying he wasn’t aware Littleton would be the only south-metro city to allow it, although it came up during the study session. “We’re surrounded by communities that have said no,” said Councilor Bruce Beckman at the time. “I’m not sure that Littleton wants to stand out when the whole south-metro area has said no.” “Frankly, that’s causing me to reconsider the whole thing,” Stahlman said Sept. 4. Cole, Taylor and Valdes pressed to start the process over since the ordinance was
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Pot continues on Page 7
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