A new rule coming for vacant properties, Samantha Selvage speaks and more at the Lakewood City Council meeting

BY JO DAVIS JDAVIS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Samantha Selvage asks for the council’s help e July 10 Lakewood City Council meeting saw a familiar face in the public comment portion of the meeting. e Je co Transcript reported on Samantha Selvage embarking on her own investigation into the death of her mother. Her mother, Angela Selvage, was hit by a vehicle on the night of May 28 in Lakewood and left on the road. She later died of her injuries. Samantha came in from her home in Arizona in early June and started looking into her mom’s death.

Samantha’s comments at the council meeting were aimed at the Lakewood police revealing more about her decision to do her own investigation.

“I’m calling because I need you guys’ help with the Lakewood PD,” Selvage said after a quick introduction. She followed up a list of allegations against LPD, including destruction of personal property, dismissing her family, ignoring evidence and denying that her mother was a victim.

Selvage described her mother’s hardships, and her voice broke as she spoke of her mother. Selvage also accused detectives of going on vacation for two weeks and forcing her family to wait. She said the family had evidence for the detectives to consider now.

Mayor Paul gave Selvage information on reaching himself and council members for help.

“We’ll see what else we can gure out for you,” he said.

A new rule coming for vacant properties e city of Lakewood is looking to tighten up the number of rundown and vacant properties in the city with a new rule. e new ordinance was read to the council that requires vacant property owners to register their properties. In doing so, the property owner would have to comply with the following regulations:

• A registration fee will be charged twice a year with a scaled increase each year the property is vacant. e fee increase would be based on the number of “service responses” to the property, according to the proposed ordinance. e council will vote on the ordinance at the July 24, 2023, council meeting. For more information on the proposed ordinance, please see Lakewood Speaks, Item 7.

• A list of current maintenance, nuisance and zoning codes.

• Required maintenance inspections of the property twice a month.

• Additional maintenance requirements are at the discretion of the Director of the Planning Department.

Violations of the code, depending on said violation could result in “criminal and administrative enforcement actions,” according to the proposed ordinance.

Also in the meeting:

• Adding walking space to the city. e city read a proposed ordinance that was the city’s intent to purchase land along W. 20th Ave, west of Nelson St. to Quail Street Park. e ordinance would allow the city room to negotiate the sale of the necessary land with property owners in the area. e sidewalk is also a part of a stormwater management project as well. e funds for the land acquisitions is already allocated from TABOR funds and Stormwater Management Utility Funds. For more information, see Item 8 on Lakewood Speaks. • Dennis Mateski of Lakewood was appointed to the Board of Appeals. Mateski was appointed to a three-year term that began in April, to end on March 31, 2026. is is an appointment that the council has been working on for a few months. For more information, see Item 6 on Lakewood Speaks.

You can read and watch the council meeting at Lakewood Speaks or the Lakewood Colorado YouTube Channel.

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