Broomfield Developers Sue City Over Town Square Plan

The Broomfield Town Square Alliance has filed a lawsuit against the City and County of Broomfield. The suit aims to block city officials from revoking the approved plans for a 39-acre development. The proposal is located near West 120th Avenue and Main Street. It includes shops, restaurants, lakeside amenities, and hundreds of housing units. The project is intended to create a true downtown area for the city.

City Council members approved the site development plan in September 2023. Under city code, developers had three years to pull building permits. The deadline passed earlier this year. The city declined to grant an 18-month extension. In September, the city began the process of revoking the plan. The Alliance filed the suit on Oct. 23, alleging the city breached its contract.

According to the lawsuit, the group applied for permits in March. Those permits covered $30 million in improvements to the nearby swim beach, plaza, streets, sidewalks, and trails. The application also included building permits for a boathouse and restrooms. The developers claim the city told them those permits were insufficient to meet the deadline. They argued they had to show progress on the project's main buildings. The developers say that uncertainty stalled their financing.

City leaders state they have complied with both the development agreement and city code. Officials also pointed to concerns that developers had not responded to an engineering question about changes in the depth of the lake. At a Broomfield Land Use Review Commission meeting on Monday, city staff explained the three-year permit deadline. They said the deadline exists to ensure an approved plan still fits community needs years later. The commission voted to recommend revoking the town square plan.

Neil Allaire, a resident living near the proposed site, said he has waited years for the project. He noted the location is within walking distance of his home. Allaire described the area as a place to go for coffee, ice cream, or a beer after work. He said many residents still hold onto the vision, but delays have made it harder to believe it will be built. Allaire asked the city to show a little grace and consider an extension if the developer remains interested.

Denver7 asked the city and the developers' attorneys for interviews about the lawsuit. Both parties declined. The City Council will make the final decision on revocation at a meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 8.