Louisville, Colorado, voters reject measures on residential rezoning, funding allowed for civil projects

Voters in the Colorado city of Louisville rejected two measures in Tuesday's election that deal with affordable housing and city projects.

Measure 300 would have raised the amount of affordable housing that must come with new developments. It would have changed city ordinances that prevent residential rezoning of Centennial Valley, Redtail Ridge and and Avista Adventist Hospital. The measure would create an exception for the development of housing that includes 30% on-site deed-restricted affordable housing.

Measure 301 proposed including more variety in the projects that can be funded with the fees those developers pay, including library, transportation, parks and trails, open space, recreation, emergency services, municipal buildings, water, wastewater, sewer, flood control, and affordable housing. It would also require a study on the use of those fees and an advisory committee to advise city staff and consultants.

Louisville Mayor Chris Leh told CBS Colorado he was opposed to the measures because, from his viewpoint, they might have had the opposite effect than it claimed it would.

He said the changes would have "raised that bar so high that there won't be anybody who will come forward to want to build anything." Leh added that developers would have gone to other communities with fewer requirements.

In addition to the mayor, all of the members of the city council were opposed. So were the organizations Flatirons Habitat for Humanity, Thistle Community Housing and Together Colorado.