At a Monday board meeting, the town of Bow Mar—home to about 900 residents—voted to retain Sweetbaum Miller PC and attorney Alan Sweetbaum as special counsel for the controversial gate project. The town also approved a contract with Greenlight Strategy, a public‑relations firm that specializes in land‑use issues, to manage media relations and community outreach surrounding the plan.
Legal and communications costs
The board set Sweetbaum’s hourly rate at $560, citing anticipated legal needs related to the installation of automated gates and possible road closures. Greenlight Strategy will be paid $300 per hour for ongoing crisis‑communication services, media outreach, and public‑affairs support.
Gate plan details and community reaction
Bow Mar has been working for months to install RFID‑enabled gates at several entrances, including the far south end of Sheridan Boulevard. Residents would receive tags that allow access, similar to a private subdivision, even though the town’s roads remain public. Proponents argue the gates will reduce traffic, speeding, and crashes that have long plagued the enclave.
A small group of residents voiced support at the meeting, citing safety and quality‑of‑life concerns. Conversely, several Denver residents who live along Tufts Avenue—an access point that could lose direct entry to Sheridan—expressed opposition, underscoring the growing tension over the plan.
Regional pushback
Leaders from neighboring Littleton and Denver have publicly challenged the gate proposal. In June, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and Littleton Mayor Kyle Schlachter sent a joint letter urging Bow Mar to reconsider, warning that the gates would restrict long‑established public roadways that serve a regional transportation function. The cities even threatened to install their own barriers to prevent drivers from exiting Bow Mar if the town proceeded.
Johnston’s office reiterated on Monday that the plan remains “not workable,” while a Littleton spokesperson reiterated the city’s continued opposition, emphasizing concerns about limiting public access to essential roadways.
Surveillance and past controversies
Bow Mar has also installed Flock Safety cameras at its entrances. In a prior incident, Columbine Valley police used footage from those cameras to falsely accuse a Denver woman of package theft, adding another layer of controversy to the town’s security measures.
Next steps
Documents from earlier this year indicated the town intended to install the gates during the summer, but no gate was visible on Sheridan Boulevard as of Monday evening. With legal counsel and a PR firm now on board, the town appears prepared to address any further challenges from neighboring municipalities and the public.
The board’s decision reflects Bow Mar’s determination to control traffic flow and protect its residential character, even as regional officials and some residents question the legality and practicality of gating public streets.
Original reporting: Denverite — read the source article.
