Rooted in Littleton’s proposed charter amendment has received strong community support, and it appears to have prompted Mayor Schlachter to repeatedly criticize our small, volunteer-run community group. We feel it’s important to respond so the people of Littleton can hear both sides.

First, Mayor Schlachter claims that the city council did not try to push a housing policy through without community input.

Our response: The issue is not whether input was collected, but whether it was adequate. Over 400 people packed the Jan. 7 city council meeting in opposition to Ordinance 31-2024. Many felt unheard and blindsided. In a recent interview with City Cast Denver, Mayor Schlachter admitted that the council had been operating in what he called “an echo chamber listening to our own voices.”

Second, the mayor says there are no housing policies currently under discussion.

Our response: Littleton City Council recently passed enhanced state ADU legislation — that is one policy. Council has also stated that “missing middle” housing is a top priority once ADUs are addressed. In April, Mayor Schlachter told The Denver Post that Ordinance 31-2024 “was good policy.” While the discussion may be paused for now, we believe it is only delayed until after the election. Increasing density remains his legislative focus, and we expect it will return if he is re-elected.

Lastly, the mayor argues that our charter amendment disrupts good governance.

Our response: Our amendment is a safeguard. It prevents a repeat of Ordinance 31-2024 and ensures that residents are meaningfully included in decisions about zoning and land use. It requires mailed notice to residents if major changes are proposed and ensures a public vote before dense multi-family housing can be added to single-family zones. This is about transparency, accountability, and protecting Littleton’s character.

We hope this helps clarify why so many residents are supporting this amendment. We believe it is a practical, forward-looking step to preserve Littleton’s small-town charm while keeping the community involved in shaping its future.

Joe Whitney

Littleton

Co-founder, Rooted in Littleton

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1 Comment

  1. Thank you for this response, and for clarifying the truth about these specific points. While I appreciated the Mayor’s candor, overall the Denver City Cast interview felt very one-sided. (Those familiar with this particular podcast were probably not surprised to hear that they remain firmly in the tank for the pro-corporate, pro-development, build! build! build! supply-side-voodoo-economics-despite-all-the-data-to-the-contrary school of local politics.)

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