Improving Sustainable Development Standards
City Council recently adopted amendments to the Lakewood Zoning Ordinance to update and expand sustainable development standards so new development in the coming years reflects our community’s adopted Comprehensive Plan and Sustainability Plan goals. Watch the public hearing and learn more about the new standards at LakewoodSpeaks.org.
The guiding principle for these standards is the expectation that upcoming new development should minimize unwanted impacts on the community while also contributing its share to the collective effort to conserve our natural resources, minimize pollution, and support the community’s vision for a vibrant and sustainable city.
The new standards will go into effect on August 1, 2022. Please visit Lakewood.org/Planning for resources, guides, forms, and additional information about sustainable development in Lakewood.
This project page will no longer be updated, but a summary of the adopted standards is shown below, and a PDF of the archived page is available in the Important Documents section to the right.
City Council recently adopted amendments to the Lakewood Zoning Ordinance to update and expand sustainable development standards so new development in the coming years reflects our community’s adopted Comprehensive Plan and Sustainability Plan goals. Watch the public hearing and learn more about the new standards at LakewoodSpeaks.org.
The guiding principle for these standards is the expectation that upcoming new development should minimize unwanted impacts on the community while also contributing its share to the collective effort to conserve our natural resources, minimize pollution, and support the community’s vision for a vibrant and sustainable city.
The new standards will go into effect on August 1, 2022. Please visit Lakewood.org/Planning for resources, guides, forms, and additional information about sustainable development in Lakewood.
This project page will no longer be updated, but a summary of the adopted standards is shown below, and a PDF of the archived page is available in the Important Documents section to the right.
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Project Background
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkIn 2015, the Lakewood community established a vision for a sustainably built environment in the adopted Comprehensive Plan and Sustainability Plan. To help implement that vision, several standards for new development have been adopted in recent years:
- 2018 amendments to the Building Code
- Solar-ready and electric vehicle-ready construction requirements
- Construction and demolition waste recycling requirements
- 2019 amendments to the Zoning Ordinance
- Electric vehicle parking standards
- Enhanced Development Menu
Over the last two years, city staff has been tracking the impact and progress of the adopted standards and evaluating opportunities to improve them. Together with a recommendation from the Lakewood Advisory Commission and direction from City Council to explore additional requirements that reduce the impact of new development, these updates have been proposed as a holistic, more complete approach to achieve the community's goals for sustainable development.
- 2018 amendments to the Building Code
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Proposed Updates (Click here for expanded view)
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe proposed updates build upon the existing sustainable design standards that City Council adopted in 2019. They will expand the scope of Article 13 of the Zoning Ordinance to create a holistic program for sustainable development throughout the city, including three key elements:
- Enhanced Development Menu (EDM): Expand the existing EDM, a point-based menu of options intended to minimize impact and promote specific benefits that advance the city's adopted sustainability and community goals.
- Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Program (GHGMP): Create a new greenhouse gas mitigation program designed to ensure that new development aligns with the community's climate goals and commitments and prevents excess emissions. This builds upon the Lakewood Advisory Commission's report to City Council in early 2021 recommending a Renewable Energy Mitigation Program.
- Construction & Demolition Waste Recycling (C&D): Add supplemental standards to reduce the volume of debris generated and sent to landfills and increase compliance with the city's existing construction and demolition waste recycling requirements.
A fourth piece of the program, Benchmarking, is envisioned to be implemented at some point in the future to ensure ongoing long-term compliance of existing buildings with city emissions and conservation goals, but is not a part of the proposed updates at this time.
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Enhanced Development Menu - Applicability and Points (Click here for expanded view)
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe Enhanced Development Menu currently applies only to large-scale developments over 20,000 square feet in size. However, even smaller developments also have impacts to the surrounding area and add up over time as more and more small properties redevelop. The proposed updates to the EDM pertaining to the applicability and point requirements would ensure that the community receives benefits from development of all sizes, yet not impose a heavy burden on small-scale projects.
- Expands applicability and updates the point structure to more accurately relate to the size of development.
- Single-family detached and attached homes would be exempt, except for new residential subdivisions requiring Major Site Plan review.
- There would be considerations for affordable housing by excluding the square footage of affordable units from the development size for the purposes of determining how many EDM points are required.
- A new fee-in-lieu of compliance with the standard would be offered for required points over 50 at a rate of $4,000 per point. The fees would be used to support projects advancing sustainability in the built environment through the Climate Protection & Sustainability Program.
- New items added to the EDM options to allow for greater variety, flexibility, and ability to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Many of the new updates would help implement other city goals, such as enhanced streetscape design.
- Expands applicability and updates the point structure to more accurately relate to the size of development.
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Enhanced Development Menu - Menu Options (Click here for expanded view)
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe Enhanced Development Menu (EDM) is designed to be flexible and context-specific, allowing for a wide variety of items to be implemented within a development site that promote city goals. Examples of these items range from using renewable energy sources to providing local food access and public art.
The majority of existing menu options would remain:
- Green Building Certification
- Energy Efficient Outdoor Lighting
- Renewable Energy
- Recycling & Compost
- Outdoor Water Conservation
- Urban Heat Island Reduction
- Bike Amenities
- EV Charging
- Social Connection Amenities
- On-site Food Production
- Public Art
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Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Program (Click here for expanded view)
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe new proposed Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Program (GHGMP) evolved from the Lakewood Advisory Commission's Renewable Energy Mitigation Program recommendations to City Council in early 2021, and it is intended to ensure upcoming new development aligns with the city's air quality and pollution commitments. The program consists of a performance standard (maximum allowed emissions), mitigation opportunities to reduce a proposed project's estimated emissions, and a fee-in-lieu of compliance option where the estimated emissions exceed the performance standard.
The proposed updates to the Zoning Ordinance to establish the GHGMP would include:
- Broad applicability to all new construction of single-family and multi-family residential developments, and non-residential construction, as well as major alterations/additions requiring Major Site Plan review for multi-family and non-residential developments.
- This would not apply to alterations or additions to existing single-family dwelling units, such as room additions, detached garages, accessory dwelling units, or basement finishes.
- A performance standard for greenhouse gas emissions to align new development with the community’s climate goals and commitments.
- The performance standard for residential developments would be calculated based on the target emissions per person, while the performance standard for non-residential and commercial developments would be calculated based on the target emissions per square foot.
- A methodology to calculate estimated CO2 emissions for a proposed development using publicly available and credible data sources, including Denver Regional Council of Governments, Xcel Energy, Environmental Insights Explorer, the Energy Information Administration, and the city's 2018 GHG inventory.
- Estimates for residential developments would include emissions from energy, transportation and waste, while estimates for non-residential developments would be based on emissions from energy and waste.
- Opportunities to mitigate emissions exceeding the performance standard, including but not limited to, incorporating renewable energy for electricity and space conditioning needs, improving building efficiency, installing electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and providing waste diversion services.
- Many mitigation opportunities would overlap with the Enhanced Development Menu and could count toward both programs, creating a further incentive for sustainable development.
- A fee-in-lieu of compliance for any emissions above the performance standard that have not been addressed through approved mitigation measures. The amount of the fee would follow state and federal guidance for the Social Cost of Carbon (SCC), currently $76 per metric ton of CO2 emissions. The fees would be used to support projects reducing communitywide emissions through the Climate Protection & Sustainability Program.
- Broad applicability to all new construction of single-family and multi-family residential developments, and non-residential construction, as well as major alterations/additions requiring Major Site Plan review for multi-family and non-residential developments.
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Construction and Demolition Waste Recycling
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe proposed Construction & Demolition Waste Recycling Supplemental Standards are intended to increase compliance with the existing requirements in the building code. There is no proposed change to the existing standards in the building code, which apply to all demolition projects and all construction projects greater than 2,500 square feet. The standards require recycling of concrete, asphalt, metal, untreated wood, cardboard, and interior fixtures/salvageable items. The proposed supplemental standards would include:
- Ability to collect a deposit on any project required to comply with construction and demolition standards in the building code.
- Requirements for a comprehensive waste management plan (CWMP) and ongoing material tracking for projects to be reviewed under the EDM. Specific requirements of the CWMP would include:
- Designating a single on-site waste manager.
- Projecting types and volumes of waste materials likely generated.
- Identifying haulers and disposal and recycling facilities for all materials hauled from the site.
- Planning for on-site waste stream separation.
- Training plan for employees and subcontractors.
- Final reporting requirements including material specific waste receipts.
- A deposit to be paid prior to issuance of building or demolition permit in the amount of $1 per square foot (minimum $2,500 – maximum $100,000).
- Deposits to be refunded in full upon successful compliance with waste management plan and reporting requirements.
- Deposits to be partially refunded or forfeited for non-compliance with waste management plan or incomplete reporting.
Who's Listening
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Senior Sustainability Planner
CL -
Sustainability Manager
JW
Public Meetings
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June 27 2022
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June 13 2022
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May 02 2022
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January 05 2022
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December 15 2021
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November 17 2021
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October 13 2021
Project Timeline
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2018
Improving Sustainable Development Standards has finished this stageCouncil approves sustainable building code requirements.
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2019
Improving Sustainable Development Standards has finished this stageCouncil approves changes including the Enhanced Development Menu to the Zoning Ordinance.
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February-March 2021
Improving Sustainable Development Standards has finished this stageFollowing a presentation from the Lakewood Advisory Commission about a sustainable building program on Feb. 8, City Council asked staff to explore the issue further.
After monitoring the results from the Enhanced Development Menu, staff presented preliminary ideas for updates for the menu to Planning Commission on March 17.
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April-September 2021
Improving Sustainable Development Standards has finished this stageStaff reviews best practices in sustainable development standards to create a framework for additional sustainable development standards.
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January 2022
Improving Sustainable Development Standards has finished this stagePlanning Commission recommended approval of the proposed amendments following a public hearing on Jan. 5.
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May 2022
Improving Sustainable Development Standards has finished this stagePlanning Commission recommendations for sustainable development updates to be presented to City Council.
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June 2022
Improving Sustainable Development Standards has finished this stageCity Council adopted the new Article 13 following a public hearing on the proposed changes.
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Summer - Fall 2022
Improving Sustainable Development Standards is currently at this stageCreation of resource guides to help applicants navigate the new standards. Starting implementation and tracking.
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August 1, 2022
this is an upcoming stage for Improving Sustainable Development StandardsThe new sustainable development standards go into effect as part of the regular project review process for new development. All formal cases submitted on or after August 1 will be subject to the new requirements.