In 2005, the U.S. Air Force announced that they would be closing their Defense Financing & Accounting building on what is left of the former Lowry Air Force base turned residential community of Lowry. The closure will bring about the sale and re-development of a 72-acre parcel known as the Buckley Annex.
As part of this process the Air Force agreed to use the Lowry Development Authority (responsible for the planning and development of the Lowry Air Force Base) to do the planning while obtaining community input. Task Force members, along with the LRA, designers and architects have developed a plan. What has nearby residents upset is the apparent lack of community consensus on the proposed plan. Some of the major issues are as follows:
1) 800 units plus commercial and retail space is very high density and inconsistent with its surrounding communities. 800 units breaks down to 11.4 units per acre. In comparison, NW Lowry is 4.5 units, Lowry West is 7.5 units and Park Heights is 2.8 units per acre.
2) The plan indicates that there is a 65' height limit, but that variances can be applied for in certain areas and there are no height limits in those areas. This is inconsistent with Lowry's height restrictions and the surrounding neighborhoods.
3) The LRA has not set zoning restrictions and guidelines, leaving parameters flexible for potential developers. Public opponents are concerned that with increased density comes increased congestion, traffic and other issues and that the LRA has the power to set limits and are not.
At this time, despite community concern, the Community Advisory Committee has voted to advance the current Buckley Annex plan to the Lowry Board of Directors.
February 11, 2008 - UPDATE
On February 8th, Mayor Hickenlooper met with Lowry United Neighborhoods(LUN) representatives to discuss the Buckley Annex Development. During this meeting, the LUN was promised that the General Development Plan will have to be submitted by the developer, which means the developer will have to approach the community for approval before going to the City for any change in zoning. The Mayor also expressed a commitment to keep the community informed of the process while stating that a "...consensus must be built for those most immediately affected by the decisions. He went on to assure the LUN that the current GDP is far from being completed and that future changes would be made.
Friday, January 18, 2008
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