Week of April 27, 2023
FREE
DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
ParkerChronicle.net
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 22
VOLUME 21 | ISSUE 22
Plan for Douglas County zoning rule change sees backlash Residents fear apartments BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Some voices in a heated group of residents described a proposed change to property development policy in Douglas County as threatening to the very fabric of the county and its culture. But county staff portrayed the potential change as minor edits that would clarify confusing language. Taking place against the backdrop
of proposed changes in development policy from Gov. Jared Polis and Democratic state lawmakers aimed at addressing the state’s housing crisis by increasing residential density, the discussion on the local Douglas County language change saw one resident mention the governor during comments that framed the proposal in political terms. “It’s not a secret that leftists have intentionally targeted county government in a way of pushing an agenda,” said Mark Green, who is from the Parker area. “The founding blocks of socialism is
the removal of property rights,” Green added. He spoke at a meeting of the group of Douglas County residents who advise the county’s elected leaders on development as the group considered whether to edit the criteria that developers need to meet to make changes to “planned developments,” properties in a special type of zoning that only applies to certain areas. (Zoning is a local government’s rules for what can be built where.) After hearing more than a dozen speak against the proposal at the meeting, along with dozens of other
comments the county received from residents in April, the Douglas County Planning Commission voted 5-1 against the language changes. The planning commissioners serve as an advisory group, and the county’s board of three elected commissioners — George Teal, Lora Thomas and Abe Laydon — generally make the final call on development decisions in areas outside of municipalities. Though it attracted backlash, the proposal is misunderstood, according to county staff. SEE ZONING, P4
Parker council officially opposes state land use bill Construction projects on tap BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The stage and seats in the Ponderosa High School auditorium.
about 30 years old. They have gotten to the point where replacing the bulbs have become difficult and the wiring and connections limits what the department can do. Although Diaz doesn’t believe the seats are original to the building, the fabric is coming off, a lot of the seats don’t pop back up, and armrests are becoming wobbly and starting to come off. “There’s other stuff throughout the theater that the kids learn how to problem solve really well and work around, but things that we
Amongst approving ordinances and contracts for construction projects across Parker, town council voiced their opinions on Senate Bill 23-213 and unanimously approved the resolution opposing the statewide land use and zoning preemptions bill. Following the introduction of Colorado Legislature Senate Bill 23-213 in March, the Colorado Municipal League hosted an Executive Director Town Hall on March 29 to discuss and express concerns about the bill. Sponsored by Sen. Dominick Moreno, D-Adams and Arapahoe, Rep. Iman Jodeh, D-Arapahoe, and Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver, Senate Bill 23-213 concerns the state land use requirements and zoning preemptions as it aims to address the housing affordability crisis. The bill states, “Addressing requirements for the regulations of accessory dwelling units, middle housing, transitoriented areas, key corridors, and manufactured and modular homes.”
SEE PONDEROSA, P5
SEE COUNCIL, P8
COURTESY OF KRISTIN GRAYNER
Ponderosa raises funds to improve aging auditorium Auction on May 6 BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The theater department at Ponderosa High School is hosting an auction on May 6 at Douglas County School District’s Legacy Campus to help fund auditorium renovations. “Hundreds of theater parents this year really wanted to do something bigger,” said Kayla Diaz, theater teacher and director at Ponderosa. “So they have organized an entire event to really get more support
across the community.” As the school is coming up on their 40th anniversary, upgrades are needed for the auditorium’s lighting system and theater seats. “We have a suspicion that our lighting system was not even new when we got it at Ponderosa,” said Diaz. “There’s a little plaque that we discovered sort of recently on one of our lighting towers backstage that says ‘property of Douglas County High School’, which is actually the only school in that district that’s older than Ponderosa.” Currently, some of the lighting instruments in the catwalks are