The Lakewood City Council’s Monday meeting stretched into early Tuesday morning as councilmembers considered various amendments to a proposed planning document that aims to add more affordable housing to the city.

The council, joined by Planning Director Travis Parker, reviewed four sections of a 400-page planning document covering residential, commercial and mixed-use site design standards, parking and historic preservation, and heard feedback from residents on the proposed changes.

The meeting lasted nearly eight hours and ended after 2 a.m. Tuesday.

Monday’s meeting covered second readings of Articles 1, 2, 4 and 5, including the city’s purpose in planning, procedures and appeals, use standards and development standards.

An amendment was approved 11-0 to add a section under the city’s purpose and intent to say, “To provide a wide variety of housing types and costs to meet the current and future needs of the residents, including those struggling to pay rent, and those working toward home ownership.”

Overall, the proposed planning document looks to increase affordable housing within the city by reconfiguring the use of single-family zoning, allowing for multi-family homes to be built in those areas.

Changes to the zoning mostly fall in line with new state law requirements, like House Bill 24-1152, which requires Colorado cities to allow 500- to 750-square-foot accessory dwelling units wherever single-family homes are allowed.

While that specific section of the document is not set for a second reading until Sept. 22, it was the discussion point of all public speakers at the meeting.

“Nobody is coming to bulldoze your single-family home, or keeping you from living in the home you already own. These changes are emphatically not about forcing high-density on anyone,” Glenn Newell said, adding that while the zoning code may not be perfect, he has faith it will be handled correctly by the city.

“I have my house, but a lot of people don’t have that same opportunity because of the housing prices as they are. I think the zoning code changes have been thoughtfully put together,” Mike Papantonakis said. “One family or one person who might be now living on the streets might now be able to buy or rent in some of those areas. That’s important.”

But some people are upset about the possibility of adding more multi-family dwellings to the city, especially after the Green Mountain Water and Sanitation District asked the city to pause its potential zoning changes due to potential strains on existing district pipes.

“Decades of water conservation efforts have led to a hardened system — there is very little room to eliminate watering one yard and repurpose that water for multiple toilets and showers instead,” GMWSD President Karen Morgan said in a letter. 

“We do not want the city to look like Denver. How come you are the only city that bowed down to pressure?” Cheryl Ramirez asked at Monday’s meeting. “Does Lakewood have a plan for where they’re going to get their water when it runs out? Why are you rushing through this plan like a bulldozer?”

The initial draft hit councilmembers’ desks in February. The council has hopes of taking a final vote on the planning document before the City Council election on Nov. 4.