Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Program (Click here for expanded view)

The new proposed Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Program (GHGMP) evolved from the Lakewood Advisory Commission's Renewable Energy Mitigation Program recommendations to City Council in early 2021, and it is intended to ensure upcoming new development aligns with the city's air quality and pollution commitments. The program consists of a performance standard (maximum allowed emissions), mitigation opportunities to reduce a proposed project's estimated emissions, and a fee-in-lieu of compliance option where the estimated emissions exceed the performance standard.

The proposed updates to the Zoning Ordinance to establish the GHGMP would include:

• Broad applicability to all new construction of single-family and multi-family residential developments, and non-residential construction, as well as major alterations/additions requiring Major Site Plan review for multi-family and non-residential developments.
  • This would not apply to alterations or additions to existing single-family dwelling units, such as room additions, detached garages, accessory dwelling units, or basement finishes.

• A performance standard for greenhouse gas emissions to align new development with the community’s climate goals and commitments.
  • The performance standard for residential developments would be calculated based on the target emissions per person, while the performance standard for non-residential and commercial developments would be calculated based on the target emissions per square foot.

• A methodology to calculate estimated CO₂ emissions for a proposed development using publicly available and credible data sources, including Denver Regional Council of Governments, Xcel Energy, Environmental Insights Explorer, the Energy Information Administration, and the city's 2018 GHG inventory.
  • Estimates for residential developments would include emissions from energy, transportation and waste, while estimates for non-residential developments would be based on emissions from energy and waste.

• Opportunities to mitigate emissions exceeding the performance standard, including but not limited to, incorporating renewable energy for electricity and space conditioning needs, improving building efficiency, installing electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and providing waste diversion services.
  • Many mitigation opportunities would overlap with the Enhanced Development Menu and could count toward both programs, creating a further incentive for sustainable development.
• A fee-in-lieu of compliance for any emissions above the performance standard that have not been addressed through approved mitigation measures. The amount of the fee would follow state and federal guidance for the Social Cost of Carbon (SCC), currently $76 per metric ton of CO₂ emissions. The fees would be used to support projects reducing communitywide emissions through the Climate Protection & Sustainability Program.