Future Land Use
The Future Land Use Map and nine Future Land Use Categories geographically depict the Vision Elements outlined in Envision Lakewood 2040.
The Future Land Use Elements include the Future Land Use Map and nine Future Land Use Categories. The Future Land Use Map (FLUM) is a geographic representation of the Vision Elements (Vision Statement, Guiding Principles, Goals, and Strategies) as they relate directly to land use. It provides a spatial concept for how future development should evolve in Lakewood over the next 15+ years.
The nine future land use categories, shown on the FLUM, represent the desired future land use patterns and typical building forms for each area of the city. The categories are listed below and described in more detail in this section.
- Community Hub
- Neighborhood Hub
- Community Corridor
- Neighborhood Corridor
- Low Form Residential
- Mid Form Residential
- Campus
- Production and Innovation
- Parks and Open Space
The boundaries for each land use category on the FLUM are intentionally fuzzy, rather than being drawn to align with specific parcel boundaries. This provides flexibility and adaptability for future interpretation and implementation. Both the map and the categories were developed and refined based on input from Advisory Group members, Planning Commission, City Council, staff, and consultants.
The four mixed-use and commercial categories, Community Hub, Neighborhood Hub, Community Corridor, and Neighborhood Corridor, provide guidance on the spatial arrangement with the ‘nodal’ Hubs and ‘linear’ Corridors. The scale of the market service areas are also incorporated with the use of Community and Neighborhood. The ‘Community’ Hubs and Corridors are intended to serve the broader community at a regional scale and are well-known destinations, while ‘Neighborhood’ Hubs and Corridors primarily serve the surrounding local residents.
The two residential categories, Low Form Residential and Mid Form Residential, correspond to residential scale and density. These take into account new state laws passed during the time of Plan development and inform updates to the Zoning Code.
Existing development may or may not align with the mapped land use categories in the FLUM. Rather, the map illustrates what is envisioned for existing development as well as future infill development, redevelopment, or new development in the area.
While the FLUM defines a conceptual vision for future development across the city, it does not regulate development itself. Development is regulated by the City’s Zoning Ordinance, Building and Construction Code, Housing Code, Subdivision Ordinance, Design Standards and Guidelines, and other supporting regulations. Adoption of the Comprehensive Plan does not automatically apply changes to these ordinances and codes that regulate development. However, the FLUM and Plan Vision Elements guide changes to those regulations that will be necessary to achieve the Plan’s Vision.
Regulatory changes may come about through proactive efforts by the City to revise these ordinances and codes. Those efforts may be comprehensive (all necessary revisions to align with the FLUM at once) or incremental (addressing revisions to one or more specific sections of the ordinance or code to align with the FLUM). Changes may also come about through rezoning requests from individual property owners or developers. In these cases, City staff and Planning Commission evaluate the requested zoning change against the FLUM to ensure alignment with the Plan’s Vision.