Coronavirus Update
Public Health References
CDC * Colorado * Jefferson County * City of Golden
Jefferson County’s case count page says that as of 3PM yesterday, there have been 2,237 cases in Jefferson County (up from 2,191). There have been 136 deaths (up from 135) and 337 are hospitalized (up from 334). There are 187 known cases in Golden (up from 176).
Readers were getting tired of seeing the cumulative cases graph, so here’s a different one. The cumulative cases graph is still updated daily on the Jeffco Public Health page.
The Safer at Home protocol is now in effect. Check the City’s site to learn more about what that entails. Everyone is still requested to wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth when leaving the house. City and County fire restrictions are in place. Clear Creek is closed to all recreational activities.
Virtual Golden
8-8:55AM Virtual Zumba
10:15-11:15AM Preschool Time with the Library
2PM History in the Baking with Nathan History of the History Museum – Swedish Cardamom Bread (Facebook Live)
5:30PM #LiveFromTheRose – Eric Golden (honky tonk country)
6-6:45PM American Alpine Club’s Clubhouse Live
Jimmy Chin and Conrad Anker are hosting Clubhouse Live! These are two legends of climbing. Between them they’ve climbed and put up routes all over the world, won an Oscar, starred in (and made) countless climbing films including the award winning film Meru, survived brushes with death, and summited many formidable peaks. Facebook Live
6:30PM City Council Study Session (see meeting packet)
Since this is a study session, there will be no public comment. Tonight’s topics include:
– West Downtown Plan
– Parking Ordinance
– Astor House Local Landmark Designation Application
– Proposals from Non-profts Regarding the Astor House
– Discussion of Code Audit Diagnostic Report
I can’t emphasize enough how important this Code Audit project is to the community, and how little public attention it has received.
There has been considerable unrest in Golden over the past few years about the amount and nature of new development. Many in the community feel the new buildings are oversized and not compatible with their surroundings. Many suspect that developers are “getting around” our 1% growth limit. They feel that the goals expressed in our neighborhood plans have been ignored and that the deck is stacked against residents and in favor of developers.
I wrote about this Code Audit a month ago (“Some Thoughts on the Necessity of Transparency“). I remain concerned that the project defines its stakeholders as “those who use the code daily or those who have gone through the zoning review process recently.” This rather emphatically leaves out the 21,000 people who live here now. When will the citizens get to weigh in on our zoning codes?
Thus far, the community’s opportunity to participate has been limited to “Community Exercise (Staff Led).” In this case, the Community Exercise consisted of posting the consultants’ report on Guiding Golden. The document received three comments from the public–which seems a small sample size for 21,000 people.
Tonight’s meeting memo describes the Community Impact as follows: “The proposed scope recommends the rezoning of a significant geographic area within the City. As a result, property owners within Golden will have their property rights altered.”
“Altered” in what way? Am I gaining property rights, or losing them?
This project affects far more citizens (all of them) and covers a far wider swath of the city (all of it) than Heart of Golden does, but it has provided almost no opportunity for citizens to weigh in. Assuming that Council will choose to go forward, and hire the consultants to rewrite our zoning codes, I hope to see a much more energetic attempt to learn what citizens want before the project is completed.
The meeting agenda can be found here. To view the meeting there are several options:
1. Live streamed on the City of Golden website, find the meeting in the schedule and click “VIEW EVENT”. This option will only be available once the meeting has begun.
2. Live streamed on GCO.TV Find the meeting in the schedule on the right, and click the “WATCH” arrow
3. Live Broadcast on Comcast Channel 880
4. To call in and listen to the meeting audio live, call 1-408-418-9388 and enter the following meeting ID # 930 639 207
As this is a study session there is no public comment period, but you may, as always, submit any feedback or comments to your councilors using the CouncilComments@Cityofgolden.net email address.
Golden History Moment
More Groceries
After I posted last Sunday’s piece, Much Ado About Golden’s Groceries, I received a couple of good questions from readers.
The first concerned Koenig Groceries, which I failed to include in my first write-up. The Koenig family owned the grocery store in the Loveland Block for 57 years. Nick Koenig was born in Switzerland, grew up in Pennsylvania, and arrived in Golden in 1878. He was a partner in a dry goods store in the Opera House Block (now the Ace Hi Tavern) before buying the grocery business in 1884.
Mr. Koenig prospered in business and was a leading citizen, serving as school board member, alderman, and Mayor. He suffered a stroke in his office at the store in 1925 and died at his home on 12th Street a few days later. His family continued to run the store until 1941. At that time, the new owners renamed the store to “The Golden Merc.” Nick Koenig is buried in the Golden Cemetery.
The second question concerned a much later store. Miller’s Super Market came to Golden in 1966. In 1968, they were bought out by a regional chain and the store operated as Del Farm after that. They stayed until at least the mid-1970s.
If you have ever wondered whether this building at 13th and Ford was an old grocery store–it was!
The Golden Transcript (originally called the Colorado Transcript) has been publishing since 1866. The Golden History Museum has been working on digitizing the historic issues. You’ll find old Transcripts online at coloradohistoricnewspapers.org.
