A critical eye needed on legislature’s frenzy of bills

more social programs, tenant rights, criminal bills and a lot more. Just so you know, I favor some of those bills.

CROSS CURRENTS

Th e Democratic Party trifecta is living up to the expectation that a plethora of “progressive” bills would be presented and pushed through this session of our state legislature. ey have the votes in both legislative houses along with a willing governor. Remember, this is the “o -year” when none of them are up for re-election. Next year, when they must run for o ce, they will be far more diligent in the selection of which bills to introduce and promote without “rocking the boat” so much.

So, it is a “go man go” frenzy of abortion bills, gun control bills,

Now, they are proposing legislation which would usurp land use and zoning matters from elected city councils and boards of county commissioners under the banner of providing more a ordable housing. is is quite the hustle.

For whatever reason, our state legislators and the governor think they know more about land use matters than those municipal folks who have managed land use for decades upon decades. ey seem to think that by mandating auxiliary dwelling units (ADU’s) in homeowners’ backyards and allowing duplexes (paired-homes), tri-plexes and apartment developments adjacent to major transit corridors that the a ordable housing problem in Colorado will be solved.

If such legislation is passed by the state legislature, it would be a bold, politically charged action which would clearly be fought by municipal interests across the state. It would challenge the legal status and power of home rule cities which all of the larger cities and Denver suburbs work under. It would compromise comprehensive land use planning which cities do.

Most recently, Westminster and Northglenn adopted updated plans to re ect changing times which would be impacted.

Stream lining building regulations has merit

Another component of the Democrats proposal would be to streamline building regulations. While the devil is in the detail, I believe this issue de nitely needs to be tackled.

I would prefer each local elected governing body do this detailed