Sentinel Lakewood
Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 89, Issue 17
November 29, 2012
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourlakewoodnews.com
Council to rework zoning Urban agriculture,
accessory units reviewed By Clarke Reader
creader@ourcoloradonews.com Lakewood City Council gave staff direction on mother-in-law houses, urban agriculture and notification areas — all part of updating its zoning ordinance — during the Nov. 19 study session. These three issues have been some of the most discussed and debated during the new rezoning process, and the public hearing and final reading of the ordinance will be during the Dec. 10 meeting. For accessory dwelling units, or motherin-law houses, council could approve the current proposal in the new zoning ordinance, which allows attached and detached units on lots of 7,500 square-feet and larger. Or, council could choose to prohibit units entirely or allow attached and limit detached to lots of 9,000 square-feet and larger. While council members Ramey Johnson, Ward 1, and Pete Roybal, Ward 3, were in favor of prohibiting the units entirely, all other council members — with the exception of Dave Wiechman, Ward 4, who was not in attendance — were in favor of the units. So staff was directed to change the proposal to allow attached and limit detached to lots of 9,000 square-feet and larger. “I’m fine with the existing proposal (which would allow for detached at 7,500 square feet), but I think 9,000 is a good compromise,” said Ward 5 councilman Tom Quinn. “I would definitely not support prohibiting them.” With urban agriculture area, the focus was on allowing residents to own goats and chickens. There has been a lot of community concern about regulation and enforcement of rules regarding these animals, as well as how keeping them would affect neighbors. Under the city’s zoning ordinance, owning these animals is already permitted, but the new zoning would allow for people to own them in smaller lots, and in duplex lots — with a special use permit. Council agreed to go forward with the new zoning. Council also discussed notification for special use permits and major variances, and the area of notification for zoning actions, where notification is required. The zoning ordinance now in place does not differentiate between the two areas, and requires notification for residents 500 feet from the property going through the change, and 1,000 feet for neighborhood organizations, like home owners organizations. In the area of notification for special use permits and major variances, council decided to amend the proposed change to notifying residents within 300 feet of the property and a quarter-mile for neighborhood organizations. With the notification for zoning actions, council amended the proposed change to notify residents within 500 feet and a halfmile for neighborhood organizations. “In general we want to increase the number of people who are notified, but also want to take advantage of new methods of sharing information like e-mails,” said Mayor Bob Murphy. Council meetings begin at 7 p.m. and are in City Council Chambers, 480 S. Allison Parkway.
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Heather Lafferty, CEO and executive director of Habitat for Humanity, left, claps as Stephany Booth and her children receive their key from Habitat helper Mike Criner, right, during a home celebration and dedication at street addresses of 1549-1569 Chase Street Saturday. Photos by Andy Carpenean
Yasmine Ziane, above left, blows up bangers for family members during West Metro Denver Habitat for Humanity’s 500th home celebration and dedication of new Bridgewood West Townhomes Saturday. Melanie Brown, at right, and her dog Henry watch a Habitat for Humanity home celebration and dedication through a picket fence at 1549-1569 Chase St.
Celebrating 500th home New home gives family a second chance at freedom By Clarke Reader
creader@ourcoloradonews.com Habitat for Humanity celebrated the completion of its 500th home Nov. 17 in Lakewood. Habitat for Humanity has been building in the Denver Metro area since 1979, and the organization is working on six homes in Lakewood. The 500th home is at West 16th Avenue and Chase Street, and the milestone was celebrated with a dedication and block party for all the volunteers and neighbors who have been working on these projects. “We’re so excited to be celebrating with the community,” said Heather Lafferty, Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver’s executive director and CEO. “We’re so fortunate to have such a generous community that understands that everyone needs a home.” Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver
builds homes around the city, going as far west as Evergreen, east to Aurora, south into Douglas County and as far north as Brighton. Habitat home owners purchase the homes with 0 interest mortgages and pay monthly payments based on 25 percent of their gross monthly income. In the organization’s first 10 years, it built 12 homes, but really began picking up the pace, according to Lafferty. She said that Habitat celebrated the completion of its 200th home in 2003, and 400th in 2010. All the progress that has been made, and especially the speed of it, she credits to the volunteers. “Four days a week we have volunteers on construction sites, and they do everything from start to finish,” Lafferty said. “Without them, we wouldn’t be able to make these homes, and make them affordable.” Stephany Booth, who will be moving into the 500th home with her three children, is also extremely grateful to the volunteers. “All the people we’ve worked with have been amazing,” she said. “I love how at the construction site they treat everyone the same, and give everyone jobs to do, whether you’re a man or woman.”
Booth, 36, went through a divorce that forced her to live with her three children, ages 5, 9 and 17, in a family member’s home, where they’ve been cramped and not had much space. “A couple of my friends kept telling me about this but I thought. ‘This just doesn’t happen in real life — people don’t just get homes built for them,’’” she said. “But I learned more about it and discovered that I fit almost everything they needed.” After an application in June 2011, a process that left her on “pins and needles,” her application was accepted, and construction started in July of this year. “When you break ground, it all of a sudden becomes real,” she said. The three-bedroom, two-bathroom house will allow her and her children to have their own rooms for the first time in years, as well as some closet space, which means they can get most of their possessions out of storage. “This whole process and helping to build my own home has been an incredible selfesteem and confidence builder,” she said. “To me, having this home means freedom.” For more information on the work Habitat does, visit www.habitatmetrodenver.org.