An edition of the Littleton Independent
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 21, 2024
VOLUME 23 | ISSUE 51
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Organizations fill gap for cold-weather shelter needs HAAT Force, Movement 5280 serve the south metro’s unhoused with shelter, services during winter weather BY ELISABETH SLAY ESLAY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
rendering of the conceptual design of “Building C” of the proposed multifamily residential development that would be located at 16 W. Dry Creek COURTESY CITY OF LITTLETON Circle in Littleton.
Dry Creek Circle apartments closer to reality Proposed multifamily complex stirs up resistance in neighborhood near Broadway and West Fremont Avenue BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUITYMEDIA.COM
A proposed 173-unit apartment complex in southeast Littleton is receiving pushback from neighbors who are concerned the development would cause traffic problems, drainage challenges and unwanted shade in their neighborhood. The potential development, proposed by Vista Residential Partners, would sit on a 5.6-acre site at 16 W. Dry Creek Circle, which is located south of West Fremont Avenue, east of the High Line Canal and west of South Broadway. During a meeting on Nov. 18, the city’s planning commission brought the development one step closer to reality by recommending a change to the site’s land use designation. In a 5-2 vote, the commission stated that the site, which is currently designated for suburban com-
mercial uses, would be better suited for suburban residential uses. “Suburban commercial … is an area of land use that has been less viable since COVID,” Littleton senior planner Teri Whitmore said. “The housing need in the community is at a high level, especially providing a mix of affordability, different income levels (and) different densities for persons that are at different stages of their life.” The planning commission also approved the conceptual master development plan with a 5-2 vote. If the land use change is approved by the city council, the developers will move to the next step of the development process, which is creating a detailed site plan to submit for administrative approval by city staff. Currently, the site is mostly vacant with two single-family homes that would be razed to develop the new complex, city staff said. The developers have proposed buildings that are four to five stories tall, with a maximum height of 60 feet, according to a presentation at the planning commission meeting. The complex would offer a variety of apartment unit types across three buildings. Nine of the units would be affordable based on area median income data,
VOICES: 12 | LIFE: 14 | CALENDAR: 17
as required by the city’s inclusionary housing ordinance. In addition to the apartments, the site would include a landscaped courtyard, an amenity space with a pool, an additional landscaped residential lot to the north for utility and pedestrian access to the neighborhood, a 221-space surface parking lot and 37 tuck-under private garages, according to city documents. During the public comment portion of the meeting, many neighbors expressed concern about the height of the buildings. “Four- and five-story buildings are not compatible with the heights and scales of the existing one- and two-story buildings, especially since the parcel is elevated from the street,” said resident Lynn Christensen. Some residents just north of the site, with backyards backing up to it, say there is a significant elevation difference between their homes and the land where the property would be built. They are worried the buildings will feel taller than they actually are once that difference is taken into account. “The skyline will disappear, shade will come,” one neighbor said. SEE DRY CREEK, P6
As winter’s harsh conditions increase in the Denver metro area, two vital organizations — HAAT Force and Movement 5280 — are stepping up to provide shelter and other services to those experiencing homelessness. HAAT Force, which is an acronym for Homelessness Awareness and Action Task Force, is an Englewood-based nonprofit that serves as a severe weather shelter and provides resources for people in the south metro area who are unhoused. Movement 5280 is also based in Englewood, and it focuses on providing support for the Denver metro area’s at-risk and unhoused youth and young adults. With the recent closure of the Severe Weather Shelter Network, these groups are filling the critical gap in services by offering motel vouchers, emergency shelter and essential support for individuals facing life-threatening weather. Sienna McGrath, executive director of HAAT, said in previous winter seasons the nonprofit has offered shelter to “the most vulnerable members of the unhoused community,” including those with disabilities, families with children, people with pets or service animals, those who are transgender and gender nonconforming and older adults age 65 and older. “However, with the closure of Severe Weather Shelter Network (SWSN), which previously provided congregate shelter for able-bodied individuals, HAAT Force has worked tirelessly to secure funding and expand our capacity,” McGrath said. “This season, we are providing shelter to former SWSN clients in addition to our existing populations.” Community Director for Movement 5280, Jamie Grove said the closure of the Severe Weather Shelter Network has also led the organization to expand its services. SEE SHELTER, P10
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