A Quick Lesson in Zoning
People familiar with Golden’s zoning often remark that we are “under-developed.” When they say that, they don’t necessarily mean that we should have more land-intensive development, but that we could, according to our current zoning.
That lesson is coming home in a big way on the north side of town, as developers buy small single-family homes and replace them with big, multi-family buildings. Neighbors are learning the upper limits of what the R2 zone will permit in the way of height (30-35 feet) and closeness to the property line (5 feet from the side, 10 from the rear, and 15 from the front).
The north side isn’t the only place in Golden that has R2 zoning–almost every neighborhood includes some. We also have R3, RC, Mixed Use and Commercial zoning. With each of the zones, the allowable density increases.
Are you curious as to the development potential of your neighborhood? Here’s how you find out:
1) Find your home on the Zoning Map. Determine your zone by comparing the color of your home to the Legend in the lower right hand corner of the map.
2) Check the Residential Setback Regulations for your zone. The chart shows both allowable height and minimum distance setback from the lot line.
3) If you want to know still more, check Title 18 of the Municipal Code and read the “Uses permitted by right” in your zone.
Thus endeth the lesson.
The Downtown Development Authority will meet tonight at 6:30 in City Council Chambers. They will consider a $7,000 grant request by Foothills Art Center to help fund Artsweek Golden in July. They will also consider a $10,000 grant request by the Public Art Commission and Golden History Museum. They would like to hire some national artists to paint a mural on the Golden History Museum. The total cost of the mural would be $21K, with $5K coming from the museum budget and $6K coming from the Public Art budget. The mural would be similar to the following, done by the same artists for other cities:
They will vote on a plan to reconfigure Washington Avenue between 14th and 19th Streets. The street would go from three lanes to two and a bike lane would be added in each direction.
They will review a proposal to add decorative lighting to Miners Alley. “The proposed lighting would enliven and celebrate the walkability of downtown Golden, creating a new gathering place for the community in the Miners Alley, and potentially drawing additional customers to businesses located on the alley, Arapahoe Street, and side streets.”
Finally, they will be asked to support a series of pop-up art installations around town, in collaboration with the Public Art Commission, Foothills Art Center, and Visit Golden. These temporary art exhibits would be designed to encourage selfies taken with the art and posted on Instagram. For more information on any of these topics, see the meeting packet….
