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Lakewood voters pump brakes on home building, pass slow-growth initiative in special election

Posted at 6:05 AM, Jul 03, 2019
and last updated 2019-07-03 08:06:04-04

LAKEWOOD — Voters in Colorado’s fifth-largest city on Tuesday approved a cap on residential construction that will be among the strictest in the metro area.

Almost 53 percent of the tally, or 18,771 votes, was in favor versus 47 percent, or 16,913 votes, against, according to results released by the Jefferson County clerk’s office at 10:30 p.m. Only 587 overseas and military ballots had yet to be counted in Tuesday’s special election.

Question 200 limits the construction of new homes and apartments each year to no more than 1 percent of the existing housing stock in the city and would require City Council approval of large development proposals. Cathy Kentner, who led the fight for 200, was pleased the measure passed nearly two years after she first started pushing for it.

“I hope this encourages other people in other communities and other people in Lakewood to press their issues with elected bodies and if their voices are not heeded, to exercise their right to direct democracy,” she said.

Read the rest of this story at The Denver Post's website here.