2 + 2 = … Part 2
Or doing math the anti-economic-development way. Part 2.
This is a continuation of the “2 + 2 = …”. Part 1 can be found here.
Lakewood (and Colorado at large) are not exactly known for keeping up with building up infrastructure needed to support the additional thousands of people they keep stuffing here. Nor are they known for making the developers pay their fair share for the traffic created, parks overloaded, or the schools needed. However, Lakewood is well known for enabling Metro Districts and the potential resident abuse that comes with them.
Of course, there will be a Metro District. Following are some of the snippets from the Metro-District-related documents submitted by the developer for the The Bend.
“The population of the District at build-out is estimated to be approximately 3,350 people, based on a projected number of 2,000 multifamily units and 100,000 square feet of commercial, and a population estimate of 1.5 persons per multifamily unit and 3.5 employees per square foot of commercial property.”
So, HOW MANY UNITS WILL THERE BE? And just as was the case with the Red Rocks Ranch, the development might potentially work out as a net negative to the county and the city?
The Bend @ Lakewood MD Service Plan Application Memorandum 4875-7617-6597 4 .DOCX
“The existing service in the area to be served by the proposed project is inadequate for present and projected needs. There is currently no other jurisdiction or entity, including the City, that considers it feasible or practical to provide the Development with the water, sanitation, street, storm sewer, or other improvements and services described in the Service Plan necessary to serve the anticipated Development. Current services are inadequate, and it is necessary for the District to be organized to provide such Public Improvements and services for the benefit of its future inhabitants.”
In fact, there IS sanitation service and fire service and storm-water service. These are all covered by existing city and special districts in which the property is located. However, there is no taxpayer funding for development, and that is what the metro district will provide.
And of course, any service provided would have to follow the rules in place, rather than creating their own rules, right? For example - lets look at the Rules and Regulations of one of the nearest Water and Sanitation Districts, Green Mountain Water and Sanitation.
“5.5 Requirements for New Service. New Local Facilities (including Water Main or Sewer Main extensions) may not be approved and new customers may not be added, unless the District has established that there is adequate capacity in existing Water Mains or Sewer Mains and District Facilities to handle the proposed expansion and new customers. When sewer collection mains are identified to be at flow depth during peak flow of 70% of the internal pipe diameter (i.e., d/D = 0.70, ratio flow depth to internal pipe diameter), the District shall initiate further study and determine the best mechanism to alleviate the 0.7 d/D exceedance, where d = flow depth, D = pip ID. All Local Facilities (including Water Mains and Sewer Mains) shall be constructed at projected ultimate capacity requirements assuming full development of all naturally tributary or non-tributary land at the densities reasonably expected under zoning in effect at the time of construction. If the District determines that existing capacity in the Water Mains or Sewer Mains and District Facilities is inadequate, then the District may plan and implement improvement programs as necessary to provide the required capacity increases. In this case, funds for such capacity increase projects will be derived from one of the following alternate sources:
5.5.1 If the property zoning has not changed since the existing Water Mains or Sewer Mains and District Facilities were planned (so that no increased loads are expected due to the subject development), the District may provide funds for the cost associated with the increased capacity.
5.5.2 If the subject property has been rezoned, and the new zoning permits a new use which would generate greater capacity than originally planned, the Developer shall be responsible for the cost associated with the increased capacity. If development is proposed upstream of the collection line segments in concern, and an improvement is determined to be required, the developer will be required to participate in a cost-sharing agreement for the determined improvement.”
03 - The Bend - Illustrative Site Plan
Finally shows the whole layout. What an amazing site this could’ve been for an office location, but, alas, who needs actual economic development? Oh, wait, it was originally slated to be a development which could have generated hundreds of localized, well-paying jobs:
But who needs economic development? Not Lakewood.
More traffic. Fewer high-paying jobs. Dirtier air. Less water. Overcrowded and rundown parks. Closing schools (in part due to Colorado’s “leaders” having made it untenable for people to be able to afford to live here, never-mind start a family). No museums. No functional public transit. Ever decreasing bikeability rating. More and more taxpayer funds spent on anything, but what actually benefits the taxpayers. Thousands more to be turned in to rent slaves. Affordable housing, indeed.