Week of April 6, 2023
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DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
ParkerChronicle.net
INSIDE: CALENDAR: PAGE 11 | VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | SPORTS: PAGE 22
VOLUME 21 | ISSUE 19
South metro leaders oppose Polis’, Democrats’ housing bill Would strip local control BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
As Gov. Jared Polis works to find a solution to the lack of affordable and attainable housing in Colorado, local
leaders are voicing concerns over the sweeping legislation proposed through the state Legislature known as SB23-213. The bill would preempt a great deal of local control over land use by setting state mandates for greater housing density and reduced parking requirements.
Nearly a week after Polis and Democratic lawmakers unveiled the land use bill to address the growing housing crisis, Arapahoe County Commissioner Carrie Warren-Gully said the biggest issue is taking away local power. “Arapahoe County is a reflection of the good that is happening in
our state,” she said. “We have come together to look at our successes and take on our challenges. I have some concerns on how this one-size-fitsall approach is going to work.” Warren-Gully said with 13 cities and towns in Arapahoe County, SEE HOUSING, P8
Council reviews community needs Housing, land use discussed BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
could rise by around 40% to 50% on average, one of the county’s elected leaders says. “If you had a tax bill last year that was $6,000, next year in 2024 you’ll pay $9,000 unless the legislature does something to control
Consulting group, Progressive Urban Management Associates (PUMA) provided a “halftime update” to the council on the status of Parker’s Economic Playbook, otherwise known as the Parker Economic Development Strategic Plan. PUMA is a Denver-based real estate economics and planning firm with 30 years of experience and works with 300 communities across 37 states, including the Parker P3 Strategic Plan. “We’ve gone through a pretty extensive phase of what we call ‘discovery’, so we’ve been talking to a lot of community members in the business community and beyond,” said Brad Segal, president of PUMA. As part of the process, a community survey was sent to residents in February. With the survey closing at the end of March, the results will show how the community feels about the town’s quality of life, retail,
SEE TAXES, P6
SEE COUNCIL, P7
A view of Lone Tree homes from Bluffs Regional Park and Trail on Oct. 21, 2022.
PHOTO BY TAYLER SHAW
County leaders, residents worry about property taxes Many wait for Polis’ plan BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Some Colorado homeowners reaped the benefits of skyrocketing home prices in recent years, selling
homes for much more than they paid to buy them. But for those who stay put, there’s a drawback: When home prices rise, so do families’ property tax bills. And this May, property owners in Douglas County could be in for a shock. Property values — as determined for tax purposes —
T BEFSTHE O T S E B
2023
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