Lakewood passes restrictions making it tougher to open new fuel stations, automotive washes

Lakewood’s elected leaders this week clamped down on new fuel stations and automotive washes opening up within the town, passing an ordinance that establishes buffers to restrict eligible websites for brand spanking new operations.

The vote right through the Town Council’s Monday assembly used to be 9-0.

Lakewood’s transfer comes forward of a equivalent effort through the Denver Town Council, which is predicted to vote Tuesday on first studying of its personal proposed restrictions on fuel stations. A last vote in Denver is scheduled for subsequent month.

Just about two years in the past, Louisville set a cap of six at the choice of fuel stations the town can have at any given time.

Lakewood’s measure calls for a half-mile separation between a brand new fuel station and the ones already in operation. It will additionally scale back the prospective spaces within the town the place a station may open thru zoning restrictions.

“The function in point of fact is simply to ensure that we’re no longer inundated with some of these companies,” Councilman Jacob LaBure mentioned right through the assembly. “They are able to be bad (and) they’re contributing to our loss of talent to fulfill federal requirements in air high quality within the area.”

However a consultant for QuickTrip Corp., which entered the metro Denver marketplace most effective a few years in the past and has one fuel station in Lakewood, mentioned the ordinance used to be a nasty concept. Craig Romrell, an actual property supervisor for the corporate, mentioned fuel stations are “a surprisingly essential, essential part of the general public’s transportation wishes.”

“I imagine the measure you’re bearing in mind this night does pass too some distance in opposition to an outright ban for brand spanking new fuel stations,” he advised the council. “It significantly limits the power for brand spanking new entrants into the marketplace.”