Oil and gas deal, gun reform bills advance; rent reform fails and more from the Colorado legislature this week

Both approaches on construction defects reform appear headed for early deaths Two bills to address construction defects appear destined to doom in the final days of the legislative session. Senate Bill 106 was aimed at creating a middle ground between lawsuits and the chance for builders to remedy problems in condo and home construction, with … Read more

Colorado transit-oriented density bill hits snag in Senate committee

Updated at 3:10 p.m. April 27: The bill that’s the centerpiece of this year’s attempted land-use reforms by Democrats in the Colorado legislature and Gov. Jared Polis has run into potential trouble, facing an uncertain fate in a Senate committee. House Bill 1313, which seeks to increase denser residential development in transit-rich areas, stalled in … Read more

Douglas County sues state board over property valuation changes denial

Douglas County this week sued a state board in charge of evaluating property assessments, claiming officials overstepped their authority and wrongfully stopped the county from providing substantial tax relief to thousands of homeowners. Last month’s board decision and the appeal to a judge to step in come amid a fierce statewide debate over how to … Read more

The Rock Church sues Castle Rock challenging ban on sheltering homeless in RVs

“Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless.” That passage from Isaiah 58:7 was invoked by the Rock Church in a lawsuit it filed against Castle Rock last week as part of an attempt to overturn the town’s decision to bar the evangelical church from providing temporary shelter to homeless people … Read more

Lakewood apartment project at edge of Belmar Park faces opposition

A raft of ducks perched and waddled on the frozen surface of a pond at Belmar Park on a recent fall morning — foreground bustle for a double-crested cormorant rookery located on a small island just offshore. This 132-acre park in the middle of Lakewood, Colorado’s fifth-largest city, is tagged as a “hotspot” on eBird.com, … Read more

Colorado poll finds housing affordability, crime are top concerns

A majority of Colorado voters say home ownership is only going to become less attainable, voicing broad concerns about the cost of living and the state’s broader affordability, according to results from a bipartisan poll released Tuesday. The poll, conducted for the Colorado Polling Institute Nov. 26-27 by a team of pollsters, also found a … Read more