Today’s Heart and Soul of Golden events are brought to you by the Library, Dinosaur Ridge, and Miners Alley Playhouse.
9:15AM Baby Time at the Library
10:15AM Toddler Time at the Library
11:15AM Wee Create at the Library
4PM Family Yoga at the Library
7PM Dinosaur Ridge After Dark: Salacious in the Cretaceous
Dinosaur Ridge definitely wins the “Best Event Name” contest with tonight’s Salacious in the Cretaceous. Join us to make dinosaur-themed valentines and then move on to chocolate*! Learn about the molding and casting process before trying your hand with the chocolate molds. The chocolates and appetizers will put you in the mood for the accompanying lecture and discussion, “Salacious in the Cretaceous.” This talk will focus on how dinosaurs mated and courted one another. So yes, we’ll be discussing dinosaur sex! All in all, it will be a delightful, delicious, and decadent night with chocolate, fun coffee, spiked winter drinks, and yummy baked goods! Learn more….
7:30PM Miners Alley Playhouse – Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune
Here’s a nice offer from Miners Alley: throughout Valentine’s Day weekend, tickets to Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune are available on a Buy One/Get One 50% off basis. You can have a romantic date and save money doing it! Learn more….
More Golden Events:
1PM Chronic Pain & Illness Support Group at the Presbyterian Church
6:15PM Overeaters Anonymous at Natural Grocers (map)
6:30PM Overeaters Anonymous at the Methodist Church (map)
6:30PM City Council Regular Business Meeting
City Council meets tonight in City Council Chambers. They will read a proclamation naming February as Heart and Soul of Golden month (and if you read yesterday’s email, you now know what that means). They will hear a presentation from the Hunger Free Golden Coalition. They will review a request from the owner of 2018 Washington Circle to enlarge the garage such that it will encroach into the required setback from the street. The neighbors objected to this project and the Planning Commission said no, so the owner is appealing to Council. They will consider a proposal from City staff regarding stormwater quality violations. The City wants the ability to impose administrative penalties to violators, as an alternative to taking them to court. They will consider a suggestion by the City attorney that they change Chapter 2.35 of the City code. Frankly, I found the change confusing, but it has something to do with whether they need to take an oath at certain types of public hearings. Finally, City staff will provide an update regarding the Heart of Golden (remodeling the Creek front) project.
Tonight’s Consent Agenda includes three ordinances concerning Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). The Planning Commission is striving to increase density in Golden’s residential neighborhoods because they believe adding more housing units within existing neighborhoods will make it cheaper to live in Golden. (To the best of my knowledge, they have not done any outreach to the community to ask whether Golden’s residents want density, but they have been assiduously working to make it happen nonetheless.)
The first ordinance would change the definition of a “household” to define how many individuals can live in a house. The second would allow duplexes to be split up so that each half can also contain an ADU–effectively turning duplexes into fourplexes. The third ordinance says that a homeowner adding an ADU to his property must provide one off-street parking spot. That third one comes with a memo from the Planning Commission saying that they disagree with the parking requirement. They think it you provide parking it will just encourage people to have cars, and if there’s no place to park them, people won’t have cars.
The Commission sent these three ADU ideas to Council last September. Council discussed them in a study session. Some Councilors weren’t entirely comfortable with putting ADUs into duplexes and all said that their constituents insisted on off-street parking for ADUs. They sent them back to the Commission for further consideration.
At their November 20th study session, Planning Commission had a spirited discussion about parking requirements. They concluded that they still believed they were right. The ordinance they sent back to Council says that an ADU must come with a parking spot, but the Planning Commission included a memo explaining why they didn’t agree with the parking requirement. One Commissioner dissented from this opinion. He thinks people still need to be able to park.
It was an interesting discussion, and I encourage you to watch the November 20th Planning Commission meeting. If you don’t have time, here’s a short excerpt:
If you can’t see the video above, click here to watch it on YouTube.
The inclusion of these items in the consent agenda serves as advance notice to the public. The ordinances will be discussed and voted upon at the February 27th City Council meeting.
The Planning Commission will have 5 openings this spring. The one Commissioner who thought we still need parking does not plan to reapply. If you would like to serve on this board, apply here. Applications are due by March 11th.
Tonight’s Music:
6PM Colin Patrick at Buffalo Rose
6PM Dave Frisk at Dirty Dogs Roadhouse
6PM Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs at New Terrain Brewing Company
6PM Open Pick Night at Over Yonder Brewing
7:30PM Albert Castiglia with Zakk DeBono and the Broken Circle at Buffalo Rose
8PM Karaoke at Rock Rest Lodge
9PM Karaoke at Ace-Hi Tavern
Preview of Friday Events:
The Buffalo Rose has a special Valentine’s Day dinner and concert planned. Firefall will be performing! Learn more….
9:15AM Baby Time at the Library
9:30AM Recycle Often, Recycle Right! at the Unitarian Church
10AM Open Studio at Foothills Art Center
10AM Free Legal Advice at the Courthouse – Elder Law & Probate
10:15AM Toddler Time at the Library
12PM Grandmas on Strike about Climate Change – 10th & Washington
1PM Friday Tour at the Railroad Museum – Railroad Post Office Cars
4PM Vaccine, License & Microchip Clinic at Foothills Animal Shelter
7PM Valentine’s Day Celebration at the Golden Gate Grange
7:30PM Miners Alley Playhouse – Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune
8PM Firefall – Just Remember We Love You, Colorado at the Buffalo Rose
