Skip to content

Search the site

Isabella Bird, Zoning Code, and 1982 Development Plans

Golden Eye Candy – Chris Davell – Allium – enlarge

Virtual Events

6-6:55AM Cardio Lift Interval
8-8:55AM Tai Chi
8:30-9:30AM Virtual Power Training
10-10:55AM All Levels Yoga Virtual
11-11:55AM Find Your Balance
3-5PM Hard Times Writing Workshop
5-6PM Arte de mi Corazón


Real World Events

7:30-9AM Citizen Budget Advisory Committee Meeting @ City Hall
The Citizens Budget Advisory Committee will review the sales, use, and lodging tax reports. The lodging tax is starting a little slowly, because not all lodging businesses have begun submitting the tax, but the finance department is working on that.

They will hear from the Public Works department about how the new zoning code will affect water rates. According to the meeting memo, the new code is designed to reduce density. Since density is cheaper for providing water service, the city is considering charging higher rates to single family homes, based on lot size. See the meeting packet, beginning on p. 20.

They will hear an update on the fire department, which has plans to staff up. The Finance Director will review the city’s debt policies, including the not-called-debt approach of using certificates of participation to instead of asking voters to approve a bond issue. See the meeting packet, beginning on p. 58.

9AM Golden Walks – Wednesday Morning Celebrating Life @ Golden Library
9:15-9:45AM Toddler Time @ Golden Library
4-5PM Gardening and Sidewalk Chalk Art
5:30-7PM Golden Orators Toastmasters
6-7:30PM Great Decisions: Industrial Policy

Portrait of Isabella Bird, Early (and Unimpressed) Visitor to Golden

6-7:30PM Isabella Bird’s Visit to Colorado @ Golden History Museum
Isabella Bird was a traveler and a writer with a wonderful ability to describe her surroundings in great detail so that one feels as if they were there. Come hear about Isabella’s lively adventures on her first trip to Estes Park in 1873 and of her arduous climb of Longs Peak (she was the third woman ever to climb Longs Peak) as well as of her romance with the rogue, Rocky Mountain Jim. She was dazzled by the Rocky Mountains and enthralled by the “blue hollow at the foot of Longs Peak” – Estes Park – which is written about in her book, A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains.

6PM Pong Night @ Coda Brewing
6:30-7:30PM Bell Choir Concert @ Bell Middle School

6:30PM Planning Commission Meeting
Commission will review the Final Draft of the zoning code rewrite for Phase 1 of the adoption process, which establishes form zone overlay designations for residentially zoned portions of the community within the R1, R1A, R2 and R3 zone districts, and make a recommendation to City Council.

7PM Trivia Night @ Trailhead Taphouse


Live Music

6-9PM Bunny Blake @ Buffalo Rose (Sky Bar Stage)
6:30PM Open Jam/Mic at Over Yonder Brewing


Golden History Moment

Aerial view of north Golden, circa 1930-1940, from the Denver Public Library Western History Collection – enlarge

40 Years Ago
The May 18, 1982 Golden Transcript included the second in a 4-part series detailing future growth. Several large landowners–Coors, the Foss family, the Peery family, and the Kilgroe Construction Company–were planning to develop former ranch land and private open space.

Left – 1982 Map from the Transcript, showing projected future growth Right – 2022 Map from the City of Golden, showing “rooftops” in north Golden enlarge

As the maps above show, most of the anticipated development has since happened. The Coors land has become Canyon Point and Tripp Ranch. The Foss land is now Mesa Meadows. The City bought the Kilgroe land, because they wanted to build new city shops. They have sold off most of the unneeded land and the area is now an industrial park. Only the Brunels have kept their land undeveloped.

The Planning Director detailed several improvements needed to support the new construction. He felt that Mitchell Elementary needed to be moved to the north end of town (which happened). He thought the junior high should also move north (which didn’t). He thought we’d need a new shopping center with a supermarket in north Golden. We have some shopping at the north end, but no grocery store. His most emphatic requirement was the need for a new fire station in the north end of town. That didn’t happen, though the existing fire station at 10th and Washington has undergone several upgrades over the past 40 years.


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!

Highlights