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Week of October 13, 2022
ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
SouthPlatteIndependent.net
VOLUME 77 | ISSUE 49
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 14 | LIFE: PAGE 16 | CALENDAR: PAGE 19 | SPORTS: PAGE 26
Council throws weight behind ballot issues Multiple issues discussed BY ROBERT TANN RTANN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
With just three and a half weeks remaining until the Nov. 8 general election, Littleton City Council has
endorsed several ballot issues — and one statewide proposition — slated for Littleton voters’ ballots. Councilmembers voted unanimously to approve a resolution supporting five of the six questions voters will be asked when their ballots are mailed on Oct. 17. The only issue council did not weigh in
on was the referendum on plans for the Aspen Grove shopping center — one of the most contentious issues before voters. Three of those questions revolve around creating a Littleton downtown development authority (DDA) and will only apply to a handful of residents — roughly 800 — who live
within a specified downtown boundary. The boundary includes all of Main Street and Alamo Avenue, Church Avenue and the Arapahoe Community College campus to the south as well as some undeveloped SEE BALLOT, P15
Englewood sues to reclaim historic depot Man who bought structure in 2013 disputes allegations BY ROBERT TANN RTANN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
housed from the efforts, according to Mike Sandgren, Arapahoe County’s coordinator for homelessness services, during an Oct. 6 meeting. The metro area’s homeless population was estimated to have grown by 12.8% this year compared
Nine years after selling its historic depot property for hundreds of thousands of dollars below value, the City of Englewood is suing to get it back. According to a lawsuit filed Sept. 30 in Arapahoe County district court, the city claims Denver-based property owner Tom Parson and his wife, Patti, failed to restore the more than century-old Englewood Depot and transform it into a printing press museum in a timely fashion, breaking a promise made to city officials when the sale agreement was reached in 2013. “Defendants have failed to comply with those promises to timely complete renovation work and provide a museum, community center, and public space to benefit the city and citizens of Englewood,” the lawsuit reads. The lawsuit goes on to say the Parsons “made multiple material misrepresentations” to city officials
SEE HOMELESS, P12
SEE DEPOT, P24
Littleton City Manager Jim Becklenberg, left, and Mayor Kyle Schlachter discuss policies aimed at curbing homelessness with PHOTO BY ROBERT TANN other south metro city leaders.
Better housing policy is centerpiece of meeting on homelessness Cities work together BY ROBERT TANN RTANN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The need for improved housing policies was a centerpiece during the most recent discussion between
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south metro officials on how best to curb their cities’ rise in homelessness. With a coalition of the cities of Littleton, Englewood and Sheridan in its fifth year and the implementation of their Tri-Cities Homeless Action Plan in its first year, at least 11 people have been known to be
CULTIVATING HOME
Farm program helping Afghan refugees P16