Council delays ordinance and purchasing-policy vote after procedural and redline concerns

Lakewood’s City Council voted on April 20 to delay action on an amended zoning ordinance and a purchasing‑policy resolution after members raised procedural objections to changes that appeared in the published packet but had not been debated in the form posted to the agenda.

Council member Brandansteadard objected that the version of Ordinance 849 on the meeting agenda already included language – an accessory‑dwelling exception – that council had asked be drafted for separate consideration. City Attorney Heidi Walker said the change “sounds like what you wanted to do was maybe have the amendment brought separately” and later acknowledged a communications mistake, saying, “I apologize for not bringing it before you in that way.” The council then moved, seconded and voted to continue consideration of the original ordinance and the draft amendment to the May 4 meeting.

Discussion on Resolution 2026‑01, which updates the city’s purchasing policies to remove a now‑repealed small‑works roster and add language responding to recent state apprenticeship laws, similarly exposed a need for clearer redlines. Staff and councilors asked for section 25 (the small‑works roster language) to be shown as struck and for the new apprenticeship section to be expressly called out. Council then voted to continue the resolution to May 4 so that staff could present properly marked documents.

Why it matters: Council rules and public‑notice requirements require that members and the public see proposed legislative changes in the form they will be debated. Several council members said they wished to see the original ordinance and a separately posted amendment so the body could debate the change explicitly. Staff agreed to return with corrected, redlined materials at the next regular meeting.

What’s next: City attorney and staff will produce a corrected packet showing the original ordinance and any proposed amendment separately, and will present the purchasing‑policy redlines and a recommended strike of the small‑works roster language on May 4.