Katie and Tony Christensen want to knock down a 1953 brick, ranch-style home they purchased in a quiet Lakewood neighborhood and build their new dream house on the exact same spot.⁠ ⁠ But since they bought their house in 2023, the Lakewood City Council passed a measure that requires those undertaking new residential construction projects to devote a portion of their properties to parkland for use by the public. That’s a problem as the couple seeks a building permit from the city to go forward with their project.⁠ ⁠ In the Christensens’ case, the city is telling them to set aside a 1,372-square-foot slice of their 1.3-acre lot on West Illiff Avenue as a public park to satisfy the new ordinance. The law ended the city’s fee-in-lieu practice, whereby a developer or homeowner could buy their way out of a land dedication.⁠ ⁠ “We’re not a developer — we’re one family trying to upgrade our house,” said Tony Christensen, 42. “When you see language like ‘Save our parks, save open space,’ it get...