Article Contributed on: 5/4/2009 10:55:51 AM
Lakewood City Council will consider an ordinance May 11 to rezone properties along West Colfax Avenue to encourage development that combines living, shopping and working.
The Colfax Mixed Use zone district allows a broad mix of commercial and residential uses and encourages pedestrian-friendly building and site design, said
Rob Smetana, principal planner for the city of Lakewood.
"Colfax has been a focus of the city for a long time, and this is another step in a long-term effort to bring Colfax to a vibrant street," Smetana said.
The idea to rezone properties along Colfax came out of the West Colfax Action Plan, adopted by city council in December 2005. The plan offers broad idea on how to revitalize Colfax, and one of the key steps outlined in the document was to update article 19 of the city's zoning ordinance, also known as the West Colfax Avenue Overlay District, Smetana said.
In July 2007, a focus group of city council and planning commission members, Colfax Avenue business owners, neighborhood representatives and citizens was formed to review the existing overlay district. The group met for about a year and a half to create the new CMU zoning.
The rezoning would not affect the property or business owners' day-to-day operations, but provides opportunities should the owners decide to redevelop in the future, Smetana said.
The new zone district would affect West Colfax from Sheridan to Simms, except the areas zoned transit mixed use near future light rail stations.
"The purpose is to create a sense of vibrancy on Colfax Avenue," said Lakewood Mayor
Bob Murphy during the April 6 city council study session. "We understand that changes are going to occur with light rail coming ... what we are doing is putting all the tools in place to make sure we are ready when those changes and that investment comes.
"This is a step that will allows people to live and work on Colfax Avenue," Murphy continued. "You can't have that vibrant, active street if you don't have people living and working there."