The Rose in Summer
Photo by Richard Luckin
Click to enlarge
What's happening in Golden today?
Events for Tuesday, Aug. 12th
- All day - CURRENT EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUMS
- All day - Live Workouts with Community Center Pros
- All day - Golden History Tours
- 8-10AM - DeLong Park Weedbusters
- 9:15-9:45AM - Baby Time - Registration Required
- 10:15-10:45AM - Preschool Time - Registration Required
- 10:30AM - Front Porch Friends Meeting @ The Community Center
- 4:30-5:30PM - Teen Advisory Board - Golden Library
- 5PM - City Council Study Session and Business Meeting @ City Hall
- 5:30PM - Whiskey on Washington
- 5:30-7:30PM - Exploring the Elements of Art
- 6:30-8PM - Book and Media Group
- 6:30-8:30PM - Team Trivia Tuesday
- 6:30-8:30PM - Trivia Tuesdays
- 6:30-8:30PM - Bar Bingo Night
- 7PM - Pub Trivia
For more information, click the item above or visit the Golden Today Calendar
10:30AM Front Porch Friends Meeting @ The Community Center
The August Friends of the Front Porch Meeting will feature a bassoon performance from special guest Kim Luchetta, Recreation Coordinator - Data Management.
Read the full agenda and make your plans to join us.
Front Porch Friends Meetings are occurring once a month. Join us at the Golden Community Center for friendly conversation and to support in planning and implementing future Front Porch activities.
More information
Location:
Golden Community Center
1470 10th Street (Map)
5:30PM Whiskey on Washington @ Buffalo Rose
Please join us upstairs in the State Room at Buffalo Rose for a relaxing and informative evening where we creatively pair up some of the finest food in Colorado with the very best bourbons produced by Laws Whiskey House team who are spiritually obsessed with whiskey. They dream in whiskey. Laws Whiskey House isn’t a business; it’s a religion.
Each guest receives a craft bourbon-based cocktail upon arrival. Once the program starts, you will be treated to five (5) tasting-sized expressions of the distillery’s finest spirits thoughtfully accompanied by a delicious array of small-plates created by Executive Chef Chris Zekos and the Buffalo Rose’s culinary team.
Location:
Buffalo Rose
1119 Washington Avenue (Map)
When:
5:30PM on Tuesday, Aug. 12th
5PM City Council Study Session @ City Hall
- Meeting Agenda
- Watch the meeting streaming live starting at 5PM
- Attend the meeting @ City Hall Council Chambers - 911 10th Street - (map)
- Send comments on any of the following topics to PublicComment@cityofgolden.net BEFORE 3PM
- Provide in-person comment (limited to 3 minutes) during the Business Meeting, at 6:30PM.
Tonight's Study Session begins at 5PM. Afterwards, the Councilors will have dinner. The Business Meeting will begin at 6:30PM. Public comment is not allowed during the study session, though you can send written public comment ahead of time. In-person public comment must wait until the Business Meeting at 6:30PM.
Tonight's Study Session Topics
- Comprehensive Plan
The Comprehensive Plan outlines the mission and goals of the city. The section titled "A Special Place" (p. 17) explains that the community includes not only residents but those who work and recreate here: "MANY FEEL A PART OF THE GOLDEN COMMUNITY AND CALL THIS PLACE HOME. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE PLAN, GOLDEN’S COMMUNITY IS DEFINED AS THOSE WHO EMBRACE THE SPECIAL NATURE OF THIS PLACE."
The bulk of this year's Comprehensive Plan focuses on adding more affordable housing (pp. 24-32), with smaller sections about the School of Mines (pp.33-35) and Economic Development (pp. 36-38). Learn more. - Golden Downtown General Improvement District (GDGID) Strategy
The GDGID was established in 1963 to acquire and maintain public parking to support downtown businesses. For many years, it was funded by a smallish tax on downtown property. In 2004, "cash in lieu" was established to allow developers to contribute cash rather than having to supply their own parking. This helped fund construction of two downtown public parking garages. The advent of paid parking downtown has made parking something of a cash cow: staff projects that parking will generate $550-600K this year.
Council will consider extending the GDGID area to include the City-owned property north of Clear Creek. CoorsTek's development agreement for Clayworks included a Transportation Demand Management agreement, which enabled them to build with less onsite parking than our code would require. As they build out, they are likely to need off-site parking, and the City-owned land is the most likely place for it. Learn more. - Financial Trends Monitoring System (FTMS) Guide
Staff will present a new Financial Trends report, which covers the City's financial situation for the years 2019-2024. During that time, we were in a consistently good and stable condition, with increasing revenues and decreasing debt. The report expresses some caution with regard to future world and national conditions, which may not be as stable as those experiences over the last five years. This report does not include the approximately $60 million in debt issued for the new City hall, since that began in January of this year. Learn more.
At the conclusion of the study session, Council will break for dinner. At 6:30, they will reconvene for the Business Meeting.
Location:
City Hall Council Chambers
911 10th Street (Map)
When:
5PM on Tuesday, Aug. 12th
6:30PM City Council Business Meeting @ City Hall
- Meeting Agenda
- Watch the meeting streaming live starting at 6:30PM
- Attend the meeting @ City Hall Council Chambers - 911 10th Street - (map)
- Send comments on any of the following topics to PublicComment@cityofgolden.net BEFORE 3PM
- Provide in-person comment (limited to 3 minutes) during the business meeting, at 6:30PM.
Public Comment
The meeting begins with public comment. If you want to address Council, you will have three minutes to speak. Any public comments received by email before 3PM will be posted in the meeting packet after 3 (so check back then!).
Consent Matters
Items on the Consent Agenda are considered non-controversial, not needing discussion. Everything in this section will be approved at once, with one vote.
Any councilor wishing to discuss one of the issues can request that it be removed from the consent agenda and discussed and voted on separately.
These are the items on the Consent Agenda:
- IGA with Jefferson County to coordinate ballots for the November 4, 2025 election
- IGA with the Arvada Fire Protection District for mutual aid
- Agreement with FCI Constructors that will allow them to park their equipment on city property while building the new city hall
- Replat 311 10th Street to facilitate building the new city hall
- First reading of an ordinance that will allow Golden Police to enforce vehicle registration laws. Public hearing to be held August 26th.
Public Hearings
- Ordinance 2270 creates a new definition in our zoning code for "Multi-Family Residential Development." This matches the state definition of developments that can reduce or eliminate parking requirements. The new ordinance will require developers requesting reduced parking requirements to submit a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan. TDMs explain how the developer will reduce the number of cars associated with the development. Learn more.
- Ordinance 2271 broadens the use of the term "Household" so that people need not be related. The ordinance also factors in safety considerations, such as egress, to prevent over-crowding. Learn more.
- Ordinance 2272 allows required setbacks for buildings to be reduced where "practical difficulties" exist. Learn more.
- Ordinance 2273 specifies when new development or a substantial alteration will require that new 7-foot-wide sidewalks be built at the owner's expense. Learn more.
Golden History: Using the Clay Pits
Clay pits west of downtown Golden – Denver Public Library
Click to enlarge
77 Years Ago
The August 12, 1948 Colorado Transcript reported on a 12 year old Denver boy who hurt himself while playing in the clay pits at the end of 12th Street.
Gilbert McDonald and two friends rode the street car out to Golden with plans to spend the day hiking. They discovered the clay pits on the west side of town. While exploring the area, young Gilbert lost his footing and fell into one of the pits–a fall of approximately 40 feet.
…he has three breaks in his right arm, a break in his right leg between the hip an knee, a dislocated left hip and severe back injuries.
Climbing in the clay pits is particularly dangerous because of the sheer precipices which may crumble with the slightest pressure. All youngsters who take delight in crawling around through the pits should take warning from Gilbert’s plight.
60 Years Ago
During the summer of 1965, heavy rainfall had resulted in flooding all over the Denver metro area. The floods left wreckage in their wake–downed trees, ruined buildings, silt, etc.
The August 12, 1965 Colorado Transcript reported that both Golden and Denver took advantage of the played-out clay mines on Golden’s west side, and got permission to use them as a sanitary landfill. Truck after truck, day after day, the debris arrived and was dumped into the clay pits. The clean-up effort took about two months.
This wasn’t the only time the clay pits were used as a landfill. In 1977, Coors made arrangements to dump fly ash, concrete, and “porcelain rubble” into the clay pits.
Over time, the clay pits were filled, the land was leveled, and new ground was available for development. The Mines athletic fields and Fossil Trace Golf Club were all built on former clay mines.
Weather
Overnight: Mostly clear. Low around 60, with temperatures rising to around 63 overnight. West northwest wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 86. East northeast wind 3 to 9 mph, with gusts as high as 16 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear. Low around 63, with temperatures rising to around 66 overnight. South southwest wind around 9 mph, with gusts as high as 16 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly Clear, 63°F
Wednesday: Sunny, 95°F
Wednesday Night: Partly Cloudy, 65°F
Thursday: Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, 93°F
Thursday Night: Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy, 65°F
Friday: Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, 91°F
Friday Night: Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy, 64°F
Saturday: Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, 89°F
Saturday Night: Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy, 63°F
Sunday: Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, 88°F
Sunday Night: Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy, 63°F
Monday: Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, 89°F
News About Golden - August 12, 2025
Mines 25-26 Academic Year Kick-off Schedule and Events
Colorado School of Mines
Dear Colorado School of Mines Neighbors,
We will be kicking off the 2025-26 academic year on Monday, August 25, 2025. Before the academic year begins, we have a series of events welcoming our incoming class, as well as welcoming back returning students. Our first-year resident students will move in over the course of three days, which coincides with other welcome events. The schedule for move-in and Convocation is as follows... Read more... Download PDF below.
Supporters
Many thanks to the people and organizations who support What’s Happening in Golden? If you would like to support local news, please CLICK HERE!
Sponsors:
($100/month and up)
Buffalo Rose, Buglet Solar, Foothills Art Center, Golden Cultural Alliance, Miners Alley Performing Arts Center, The Golden Mill, Golden Chamber of Commerce, Golden History Tours, Miners Saloon, Golden Hayride Outpost, Unite Fitness, Tom Reiley, Michael Mason, Colorado Railroad Museum, and Goosetown Station
Friends:
($50-99.99/month or $550/yr)
Tall Pines Painting, Baby Doe’s Clothing, Goozell Yogurt & Coffee Paul Haseman, Donna Anderson, Carol & Doug Harwood, Stephanie Painter, Greg Poulos, Ann Norton & Jonathan Storer, Mary & Don Parker, Saré Merrigan, The Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, and Joy Brandt
Supporters:
($25-49.99/month or $250/yr)
Laura King and Scott Wilson, Bobby German and Alison McNally, Forrest Jones, Barry & Liz Bettis, Cheryl & Tom Schweich, Marjorie Sloan, Chris and Joyce Davell, Rick Flint, Forrest Jones, Cynthia Merrill Tamny, Stephen Pero, Meg Van Ness & Steve Kalasz, Steve & Karla Schaefer, Bud Rockhill, Steve Enger, Kristie Brice & Mike Schwartz, The Golden Hotel, Kurt & Janet Siegfried, Ella Lyons & Jeanne Fritch, Robert Thresher, and Tonie Mattox
Members:
($10-24.99/month or $110/yr)
Brad Miller & Julie Bartos, Holly Thomas, Jim and LouAnne Dale, Ann Pattison, Thomas Hoffman, Carol Abel, Brian Quarnstrom, Sandra Curran, Bobby German and Alison McNally, Kathy Smith, Karen Smith, Carlos & Nancy Bernal, Robert Storrs, Michele Sannes, Elaine Marolla, Dixie Termin & Ron Miller, E Tom Hughes, Crystal M Culbert, Patrick A. Madison, Alice Madison & Jim Kalivas, Deb Goeldner, Christopher Ball, 6th Chair Home Services, Dot & Eric Brownson, Rosemary Coffman, Emeline Paulson, Sandy Schneider, Mark and Cathy Pattridge, Cheryl G Leidich, Jen Rutter, Frani R Bickart, Jennings and Litz, Bill Sedgeley, Nancy Hughes, Justin L Wade, Kathi Eggers, Traci Case, Donna Owen, Leslie D Lutz, Karen Oxman, Catherine Skokan, Ross Fraser & KC Gilliland, Lynne Haigh, Elizabeth Hilliard, Frank Young & Terre Deegan-Young, Kathy Hirons & Jack Markin, Jess & Anthony Monasterio, Heather Duncan, Lee Ann & Pete Horneck, Carol Cameron, Cheryl Williamson, San Daugherty, Jim Garner, John and Carol McEncroe, the Golden Welcome Center, the Golden Transcript, Koshare Eagle, Ken and Colleen Krantz, Traci Neuman Lacey, Jo Barber, Jamie Cookinham, Kermit Shields, Meridee Cecil, Vicki Olson, Colleen & Michael Ramey, Nancy & Pete Torpey, Jax Baker, Simon Maybury, Rose McLaughlin, Cameron Chambers, Joyce Gravina, Patrick Klein, Barb Robie, and Mary Rains, Richard Caldwell, Janice Waring, Sam & Marilyn Baron, Carmen Johnson, Mary Eiberger, Kevin Nichols, Ed & Carol Freza, Laura and Curtis Moore, Ruth Hund, Shelley & Jerry Devitt, and Eileen Masterson
Followers:
($5-9.99/month)
Golden Community Garden, Lora Haimes, Mariane Erickson, J.J. Fraser, Mel Perkins, Bob Hamilton, Kim Linton, Steve Stevens, Vicki Olson, Emily Kurzinski, Nanette Johnson, and Peyton Gibson
