It’s D-Day for Westminster on 2040 Comprehensive Plan

It has been a year and a half since Westminster’s proposed 2040 Comprehensive Land Use Plan has been awaiting formal adoption by city council. Sta had it ready in the fall of 2021 before the fateful change in control of the majority of the council. It’s pretty safe to say that the prior council led by then Mayor Anita Seitz and crew would have eked out the adoption of the plan as submitted by sta .

Cross Currents

However, Mayor Nancy McNally and Councilors Bruce Baker, Obi Ezeadi and Sarah Nurmela bumped o the incumbents. is formed a 5-2 voting city council for the most part on decisions, with Ezeadi and Nurmela being in the minority. However, more recently several decisions have been made on a 6-1 vote with Councilor Baker being the “lone ranger.” e lan has had a thorough review by city council and is ready for prime time.

During this 18 month delay, the “new” city council gave sta direction on changes to the plan as well as sta making some of their own recommended changes based on the lay of the land.

March 13 is supposed day to adopt the plan e Planning Commission has reviewed and recommended approval of the Plan to city council with one notable amendment: It would call for a senior living complex on land represented by Bill Kearney. e site would be close to the recently con- demned site for Westminster’s new water treatment plant.

So, the stage is set for council’s formal adoption of the plan, which overall calls for less density than the current plan.

However, neither the sta nor the city council have touched the New Downtown area or the commuter rail station area. ese are the two areas heavy with existing allowed apartment land use designations. Both council and sta certainly had the opportunity to adjust and reduce the density overall or modify selected parcels to be something di erent than apartments.

For example, apartment density could be swapped out for townhomes. Now, the decision-point is down to the wire. e existing allowed additional apartment units at the New Downtown of approximately 1,500 units has been the 800 pound gorilla in the room all along.

But alas, no one showed any determination or initative to make changes.

Citizen feedback from 2021 election campaign

It seems the current city council has forgotten the feedback from citizens during the campaign leading up to the November, 2021 city election. ere was and still is a clear message from the voters that they do not want more apartment complexes being built nor clustered together. ey have had enough along with the increased tra c, longer grocery lines, noise and air pollution etc. etc. So, what has happened to city council’s memory?

Some say the council is afraid to go against the sta ’s recommendation. Why didn’t sta take the initiative to o er changes?