If you plan to build, add units, split a lot, or sell a property with redevelopment potential in Lakewood, the city’s updated parkland dedication rules can affect your timing and costs. It is a lot to track when you are juggling permits and budgets. This guide breaks the changes down in plain English so you can estimate impacts, avoid surprises, and move forward with confidence. Let’s dive in.
What changed in 2025
City Council adopted a new parkland dedication ordinance on February 24, 2025 that replaced the late‑2024 citizen ordinance and restored a workable framework. The new code sets a community and neighborhood parkland standard of 5.5 acres per 1,000 residents, keeps a fee‑in‑lieu option, adds improvements‑in‑lieu, and requires more transparency. You can read the full text in Ordinance O‑2025‑07. The City’s summary page also highlights annual reporting and the latest published fee reference on the Parkland Dedication page.
Who is affected in Lakewood
The rule applies to any development that contains residential uses, and the requirement is based on expected population from the project. Routine maintenance, renovations, or replacing a single‑family home with another single‑family home usually does not trigger a new requirement because there is no net increase in anticipated residents. It typically applies when you add dwelling units, change unit types, or replat land to increase residential capacity. Developments that provide 100% of units as affordable housing are exempt, as outlined in Ordinance O‑2025‑07.
How the calculation works
The formula is straightforward: required parkland acres equals anticipated population multiplied by 5.5 acres divided by 1,000. Anticipated population is calculated using unit counts and population factors by housing type: single‑family detached 2.55, multi‑family attached 1.68, and senior housing 1.20, per Ordinance O‑2025‑07.
- Ordinance example: 100 multi‑family units produce 168 people (100 × 1.68). Required parkland is 168 × 5.5 ÷ 1,000, which equals 0.924 acres.
- Small project estimate: one new detached home equals 2.55 people. Required parkland is 2.55 × 5.5 ÷ 1,000, which is about 0.014 acres (about 611 square feet).
If the City accepts a fee instead of land, you convert the acreage to dollars using the current per‑acre fee. The City’s web summary cited a June 2024 figure of $432,727 per acre for reference, and the ordinance requires an annual review of that amount. Always verify the current fee on the Parkland Dedication page before budgeting.
Ways to meet the requirement
Land dedication
The City prefers land where it is practical. Eligible land typically needs to be accessible for maintenance, contiguous with other parkland where possible, and usable for public recreation. Certain areas do not count, such as required private open space, stormwater detention, rights‑of‑way, or hazardous sites, as described in Ordinance O‑2025‑07.
Fee in lieu
The Director of Community Resources may accept a fee instead of land dedication. The fee per acre is established by the City and reviewed annually, and the amount paid is based on the fee in effect at formal project submittal. In some cases the Director may delay collection until building permit issuance. See Ordinance O‑2025‑07 for details.
Improvements in lieu
You may be able to build public open‑space improvements on or near your project instead of dedicating land or paying the full fee. Examples include plazas, play spaces, dog parks, community gardens, and trail segments. In some cases, these areas can remain privately owned if they are open to public use and covered by a recorded parkland dedication agreement that outlines maintenance, insurance, and access. That agreement is recorded with Jefferson County and runs with the land, per Ordinance O‑2025‑07.
Oversight, petitions, and transparency
If the Director proposes to accept 100% fee‑in‑lieu for a project projected to house 50 or more residents, the determination must be published. Property owners and adult residents within 500 feet have 30 days to circulate a petition. If 20% sign, the Board of Adjustment holds a quasi‑judicial hearing to review the decision. The City also commits to publish annual reports on how fees are used, as noted on the Parkland Dedication page and in Ordinance O‑2025‑07.
Transaction impacts for buyers and sellers
If parkland or improvements remain privately owned with public access, the City requires a recorded parkland dedication agreement. This document sets maintenance and liability expectations and is part of the property’s chain of title. As a buyer, review recorded documents and factor ongoing obligations into ownership costs. As a seller, understand how a proposed or recorded agreement can affect marketability and pricing.
If you are selling a property that could be replatted or intensified, developers will price the parkland requirement into their offers. If you are remodeling without adding units, this rule usually does not apply, but it is smart to confirm with staff early if permits will change unit count or type. The applicability and timing are explained in Ordinance O‑2025‑07.
What to do next: a simple checklist
- Confirm whether your project adds units or changes unit type. If yes, you likely have a parkland dedication requirement.
- Run a quick estimate: units × population factor × 5.5 ÷ 1,000. Use this to frame early budgets.
- Verify the current fee‑in‑lieu rate on the City’s Parkland Dedication page and note the fee in effect at formal submittal.
- Meet with Community Resources staff in pre‑application to discuss land, fee, improvements‑in‑lieu, and payment timing.
- If a private yet publicly accessible park or plaza is proposed, review draft dedication agreements and recorded documents since they run with the land.
- If you are a nearby owner and the City posts a 100% fee‑in‑lieu decision for a large project, watch the 30‑day petition window and 20% signature threshold outlined in Ordinance O‑2025‑07.
Planning a move or a project tied to these updates? Get practical, local guidance that aligns with your goals. Reach out to Lydia’s Home Team for a consultative plan to buy, sell, or prepare your property strategy in Lakewood.
FAQs
Do the 2025 parkland rules apply to replacing my single‑family home?
- Usually no if there is no net increase in anticipated residents, since the requirement is population‑based, but confirm with City staff as described in Ordinance O‑2025‑07.
How is the fee‑in‑lieu amount set in Lakewood?
- The City reviews and publishes a per‑acre fee, and you pay the fee in effect at formal project submittal; verify the current rate on the Parkland Dedication page.
What counts as improvements‑in‑lieu instead of land?
- Examples include plazas, play spaces, dog parks, community gardens, and trail segments, subject to City approval per Ordinance O‑2025‑07.
Can neighbors challenge a 100% fee‑in‑lieu decision on a large project?
- Yes, for projects projected to house 50 or more residents; a 20% petition within 500 feet filed within 30 days triggers a Board of Adjustment hearing, as detailed in Ordinance O‑2025‑07.
What if a park or plaza stays in private ownership?
- The City requires a recorded parkland dedication agreement that covers maintenance, insurance, and public access, and it runs with the land according to Ordinance O‑2025‑07.
