Lakewood's Planning Department website claims the proposed project adjacent to Belmar Park "does not involve or include any parkland". Unfortunately, the developer's grading map contradicts that claim.
The area outlined in red on the map will be graded. Unless the developer alters their grading plan, several thousand square feet of Belmar Park will be graded or bulldozed. Between 200 to 300 linear feet along the west side of the developer's property. Even though Lakewood city leadership has not been forthcoming about this fact, proponents claim 'no big deal' that the city is not telling the truth.
Proponents say because the square footage involved is such a small portion of the overall park, it is not a concern to totally destroy it with heavy equipment and not tell the truth about that. But consider this. If it is such a small area, and no big deal, blah blah blah, then why can't the city just tell the truth? Why does the city have to hide this fact?
We think it is a concern. For city leadership to go out of their way to publish on their website an announcement that no part of the park is involved when that is not the case reflects very poorly on the credibility of the Planning Department.
Our guess is that if enough citizens express concern, the city will claim the park is 'not involved' because any area of the park that is bulldozed will have to be restored.
OK. Great. So they will restore everything to original or better condition, right? After all if you car is hit by a bulldozer, it should be restored to 100% or better condition by the repair shop. So the same standard should apply to grading or bulldozer damage to Belmar Park, right? Not so fast.
According to the developer's specifications submitted to Lakewood, only 70% of a final restored area has to have 'seeded vegetation visible'. So they do not have to restore the graded area to original condition. 70% is good enough from page 23 of their Erosion Control Report provided by their own civil engineers.
They also are allowed to introduce invasive non-native grass species in the mulching process. You heard me. They are allowed to use hay mulch over any seeded area. "However, because hay is comprised of the entire plant including seed, mulching with hay may seed the site with non-native grass species which might in turn out-compete the native seed" from their own specifications at page 124.
They might hypothetically introduce invasive cheatgrass to the park, for example.
Whichever invasive plant species might be introduced, invasive species are a problem that Lakewood is not trying to prevent according to the developer's specifications cited.
Have you ever seen a construction zone with areas of bare dirt and weeds growing? This is how that can happen. And this could be a possible explanation why the city does not want to tell the truth about the planned heavy equipment activity in Belmar Park.
Regardless of why the city does not want to tell the truth, the fact remains Belmar Park will be bulldozed and/or graded and as far as we have found, the city does not require the destroyed areas to be restored to original or better condition.
This is all part of what is starting to look like an out of control project. In March 2025, the developer illegally started demolition of the Irongate complex at 777 S Yarrow Street without obtaining a required grading permit first.