Coronavirus/COVID-19
Public Health References
CDC * Colorado * Jefferson County * City of Golden
Here’s the most recent Coronavirus report from Jeffco Public Health’s Case Summary Page:
Cases in Jeffco – Mon: 20,797 | Tues: 21,152 (+355)
Deaths in Jeffco – Mon: 442 | Tues: 469 (+27)
Ever Hospitalized in Jeffco – Mon: 1,217 | Tues: 1,265 (currently 226) (+48)
Recovered – Mon: 16,347 | Tues: 16,853 (+506)
Known Cases in Golden – Weds Nov 25th: 674| Tues: 732 (+58)
Mines COVID Testing | Jeffco Fairgrounds COVID Testing | School of Mines COVID-19 case page. | Masks are required | City and County fire restrictions | Sign up for exposure notifications.
Virtual Golden
10:15AM Toddler Time with the Library
8-9AM Business 101: Community/Corporate Social Responsibility – Golden Young Professionals
10-10:30AM TriceraTOTs – Craft a Dinosaur Wreath with Dinosaur Ridge
5:30-7PM Golden Orators Toastmasters
6-7:30PM Backcountry 101 – Bent Gate Mountaineering
6-7:30PM Golden United Housing Task Force Meeting
6-7PM Know Your Housing Rights – JCPL
6:30PM Planning Commission Meeting
The Planning Commission with conduct a site plan review for a new, 150 unit apartment complex on the north end of town. The project does not meet zoning, parking, or density standards, so the Commission will be asked to approve a Special Use Permit, a Parking Variance, and a Lot Area/Density Variance.
Special Use Permit
The property’s PUD zoning allows this lot to be developed under C-1 (commercial) zoning standards. Commercial zoning does not permit 100% residential development. This is because commercial buildings generate more tax revenue, and the city needs revenue. When such property is developed with residences, the city loses that revenue potential. The developer will ask the Planning Commission for a Special Use Permit, which would allow them to get around the commercial requirements.
Parking Variance
Our parking standards require 225 parking spaces. The developer is saying that, since some of the apartments would be very small, they should only be required to provide 190 parking spaces. The developer’s request for variance says, “This reduction of parking availability will encourage users to carpool, take public transit, and bike which are all sustainability goals of the City of Golden.” (Note–I don’t think there are any public transit options in this area.)
Density Variance
The Planning Commission recently decided that if a developer wanted to build 100% residential on commercial property, they should be held to R-3 (residential multi-family) density standards. This 5.05 acre lot could only hold 104 units under R-3 standards. The developer wants to build 150 units. The request for variance says they should be allowed to do this because the City is not subsidizing the project.
Banking Plan
Under Golden’s 1% growth limit, a developer needs to wait until they have acquired enough housing allocations (in this case, 150) to begin construction. If a project qualifies as “Affordable,” they don’t have to wait. They can continue to request allocations even after the project is built, for as many years as it takes to reach the required number.
This project is considered “Affordable” to middle-income earners. For a single person, that would be an income of up to $84K, and for a couple the income limit would be $96K. The developer commits to keeping the rent Affordable to this income group for 20 years.
See the meeting packet to learn more about this project. You can watch this meeting live at 6:30PM on the City’s agenda page. If you want to contribute live comment, schedule yourself into the meeting at this link. To provide written comment, email Rick Muriby and ask him to share your comments with the Commissioners.
Real World Golden
10AM-5PM Holiday Art Market
Golden History Moment
The City put Santa and his reindeer on the arch this week, as they’ve been doing since 1949.
The Welcome Arch was built in 1949. Originally, “Welcome to Golden” was outlined in neon. People were excited about the new landmark, and the 1100 block of Washington Avenue immediately became the visual center of the City. The Chamber had spearheaded the arch, and as Christmas approached, they wanted to make the arch the focal point of the seasonal celebrations. They decided that Santa and his reindeer were just what we needed.
The Colorado Transcript described the planned opening of the Christmas season:
The jolly ol’ fella, Santa Claus, will arrive early in Golden this year–Saturday evening, December 3, at exactly 8 o’clock! Yes sir, he’s coming in from the north in a beautiful Buick convertible with a chauffeur. And Santa Claus Lane (Washington Avenue) will be all ready to receive him at the “Howdy Folks!” Welcome arch. The old boy’s sleigh will be mounted atop the arch with six beautiful reindeer all hitched and ready to go.
Santa’ll climb the arch, get into his sleigh and read letters to the kids over a loud speaker. He’ll be in beautiful surroundings, for Santa Claus Lane will be bright! There’ll be garlands and bells, silvery tinsel, and evergreen. There’ll be Christmas lights all along the avenue. Merchants’ stores will be open, displaying beautiful merchandise, dazzling windows. All lights will be turned on!
Colorado Transcript, December 1, 1949
The following week’s article described the event. (By that time, they had realized that the sleigh was fairly two-dimensional, and Santa couldn’t actually climb in.)
Santa Claus arrived at 8 o’clock at the Welcome Arch, looked up at his prized reindeer and sleigh, and greeting the kiddies in his usual jovial mood.
Colorado Transcript, December 8, 1949
That article goes on to say that the Golden Kiwanis club constructed the sleigh and reindeer, Craig-Frederick Chevrolet painted it, and Adolph Coors paid for the electrical transformers that helped illuminate it.
Many thanks to the Golden History Museum for providing the online cache of historic Transcripts and to the Golden Transcript for documenting our history since 1866!
