Golden from the Buffalo Bill Overlook
Photo by Liz Erickson
What's happening in Golden today?
Events for Wednesday, May. 15th
- All day - CURRENT EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUMS
- All day - Live Workouts with Community Center Pros
- All day - Golden History Tours
- 7:30-9AM - Citizens Budget Advisory Committee Meeting
- 9-10:15AM - Golden Walks: Wednesday Morning Celebrating Life
- 10:15-10:45AM - Toddler Time
- 3-7PM - Open House and Ribbon Cutting - Health at Hand
- 3-5PM - Virtual/Call In: Hard Times Writing Workshop
- 5-6PM - Bell Middle School PTA Meeting
- 5-7PM - Community Garden Workday
- 5-8PM - The Great Sled Dog Adoption
- 5:45-7:30PM - Golden Women in Business Table Talks*
- 6-8PM - Risk and Reward: Decision-Making in the Mountains
- 6-7:30PM - Tenderfoot Trekkers - Navigation Basics
- 6:30-8:15PM - CMC New and Prospective Member Night
- 6:30PM - Trivia Night
- 6:30PM - Planning Commission Study Session
For more information, click the item above or visit the Golden Today Calendar
The Bear
Black bear - photo by Chris Davell
There was a bear near the Mines campus yesterday, and Chris Davell and Alan Pinkus got some great photos of it.
6:30PM Planning Commission @ City Hall
Satellite image of Golden High School grounds (outlined in red) with football field circled in green.
The Planning Commission will consider a Special Use Permit request by Golden High School to install lights on the football field. This may be an issue of concern to residents of the surrounding neighborhood. A public comment included in the meeting packet expressed concern about light pollution and traffic and noise from night games.
The meeting packet also includes information about the next phase of the CoorsTek/Clayworks project, which will include "a four story, 181,503 square foot office and retail building with public plazas, parking, and improvements to 8th and 9th Streets." However, there was a problem with the public noticing for this hearing, so the case will be postponed until June 5th.
For more information, see the meeting packet.
The meeting takes place in City Council chambers and will be broadcast live and recorded for later viewing.
City Hall Council Chambers
911 10th Street (map)
7:30AM Citizens Budget Advisory Committee
CBAC will hear updates on a number of current issues, including the events calendar, parking and traffic, the recent budget open house, and the capital investment process. Staff will provide City updates and CBAC members may report on community conversations. See the meeting packet for more information.
The meeting takes place in City Council chambers and will be broadcast live and recorded for later viewing.
City Hall Council Chambers
911 10th Street (map)
Open House and Ribbing cutting @ Health at Hand
Please join the Chamber to celebrate the grand re-opening of Health at Hand Bodywork & Aesthetics at their new location with a ribbon cutting at 5PM.
An open house is scheduled from 3-7PM with food, beverages and product demos and giveaways.
More information
Health at Hand Bodywork & Aesthetics
2002 Ford Street, Unit B (map)
City Council Meeting (with Several Controversial Issues)
5PM City Council Study Session
Budget Priorities
Council will discuss budget priorities. The meeting packet does not include supporting information, but it says that staff will convey the suggestions and feedback provided by citizens at an April 30th open house on the budget.
Note: I attended that meeting and offered feedback that their plan to build a new $65 million city hall without a vote of the taxpayers is "sneaky."
Fast Tracking Affordable Housing
Ever since 2017, when Council changed the Comprehensive Plan to say that 45% of Golden's housing should be "affordable," the planning staff has been saying that the only way to achieve that would be to relax regulatory requirements. Ever since that night, residents have been asking, uneasily, which regulations would be "relaxed." The answers have been unfolding over the past year. First we lost our 1% growth limit. More recently, Council voted to reduce parking requirements for affordable housing and the requirement to include a commercial component in affordable housing projects.
Tonight's meeting memo describes the full flowering of the Planning staff's dreams. The 15-page memo is packed with suggestions to speed approval of affordable housing projects. Among the suggestions are eliminating neighborhood meetings, eliminating Planning Commission approval ("would save an estimated 40 days"), and eliminating Council approval ("would save an estimated 45 days"). The approval process it describes would be a bureaucrat's dream--none of that annoying, inefficient public input process--just let city staff approve the projects.
2024 Events Review
The meeting memo includes an impressive list of public events on the City's calendar and includes a number of suggestions "to improve events in Golden through a more equitable, accountable, and transparent process."
6:30PM City Council Business Meeting
Proclamations
The meeting will begin with the reading of five proclamations:
- Mental Health Month, May 2024
- Memorial Day, May 27, 2024
- Golden Graduates Week, May 10th – 17th, 2024
- Building Safety Month, May 2024
- National Police Week, May 12th -18th, 2024
Public Comments
This will be followed by public comment regarding any topic that does not have a public hearing. Only one public hearing is scheduled tonight--a ban on hunting within city limits--so any other topics should be addressed at this time.
If you prefer to provide comment in writing, send email to PublicComment@cityofgolden.net. Any comments received by 3PM will be added to the online meeting packet.
Council/Staff Comments and New Business
The Fire Chief will present an update to the Wildfire Protection Plan.
The Parks Director will propose a Naming Policy for city property and facilities.
The Deputy City Manager will present a progress report on Council's strategic plan. This includes some items that residents may find controversial, including
- plans to fast track affordable housing projects
- the plan to house unhoused people in the East Street neighborhood
- various policy changes along the Clear Creek corridor
- plans to hold another offsite (no cameras) council meeting this summer
- a plan to "reimagine" the Visit Golden program
- and especially the plan to build a new $65 million city hall without seeking voter approval.
Consent Matters (assumed to be uncontroversial items not requiring discussion)
- Apply for gaming grant money
- Approve the city's long range budgetary policies
- Approve a $1,327,494.57 contract for utility replacement
- Approve a $1,239,511.22 contract for asphalt paving
- Appoint Mark Horan as an alternate on the Planning Commission
- Approve a mutual aid agreement with the Pleasant View Fire Department
- First reading of a change to site improvement permits
- First reading of a plan to increase the amount that staff can offer to developers as economic incentive
- Approval of the plan to move the Welch Ditch to allow CSM to construct a new residence hall
Resolution to hire a project manager for construction of a new city hall for an amount not to exceed $644,902.
Public Hearing: Ordinance to prohibit hunting within city limits.
First Reading of an ordinance giving city staff authority to limit tube sales during peak times on Clear Creek.
Live Music for Wednesday, May. 15th
- 6:00 PM-9:00 PM: Jordan Yewey @ Miners Saloon @ Miners Saloon
Miners Saloon - More Live Music
6PM Live Music @ Rock Rest Lodge
For more information, visit the Golden Today Calendar
Golden History: Pennsylvania House
Location of the old Pennsylvania House hotel
94 Years Ago
The May 15, 1930 Colorado Transcript reported that the Golden Fire department had saved the old Pennsylvania house hotel from fire twice within ten hours. It was thought that tramps or children had set the fires.
The Pennsylvania was one of several old frame hotels in the Goosetown neighborhood. It was located at 128 Depot Street (map). I searched through old Transcripts to learn more about the business, and most of what I found was unsavory.
August, 1882
Too much firewater after the Saturday visit of the paycar caused the arrest of four well known railroad boys and the subsequent binding over to the district court. They took forcible possession of the Pennsylvania house and set-em-up to all comers despite the objections of the owners, who estimated their injury at three hundred dollars, not even allowing a rebate for the two or more bushels of rocks which the hilarious railroaders had heaved through the windows.
February, 1883
A man by the name of A. R. Russell who keeps the Pennsylvania house, near the freight depot, was arrested on a charge of arson–setting fire to his house
September, 1896
During the storm last Thursday afternoon lightning struck the Pennsylvania House tearing out considerable of the front of the building. No one was injured.
April, 1915
Carrying out the threat she had often made, Mrs. Henry Deublebeis, an aged Golden woman, committed suicide Monday afternoon in a bathtub at her home in the old Pennsylvania house in East Golden. Mrs. Deublebeis had evidently crawled into the tub with the intention of drowning herself, but according to testimony at the coroner’s inquest yesterday her weakened condition caused heart failure when her body became immersed in the ice-cold water. Mrs. Deublebeis had been in poor health for some months, and often told her neighbors that if she was strong enough she would walk to the nearest pond and drown herself.
November, 1915
All day Tuesday and a half day of Monday were occupied in district court in the trial of Tom Linn charged with criminal assault. Wm. Seeley charging that his 14-year-old daughter was the victim…. Henry Deubelbeis, who formerly conducted the Pennsylvania house, was also to be tried for aiding and abetting the alleged crime.
January, 1919
Thomas Mulrooney, aged 61, fell dead of heart disease Sunday morning at his room in the Pennsylvania house.
Classified Ad, June 18, 1925
Board and room at the Pennsylvania House, 128 Depot St.
Classified Ads, March 22, 1928
14 room house, 128 Depot St., Golden. Sell cheap or trade for Denver.
12 rooms, 128 Depot St. Rent $15
August, 1928
Fire Chief William Webster and Assistant Fire Chief Wm. Harvey presented an ash pit report in which they stated that they visited 578 properties and only found sixteen that did not have ash pits or metal containers. They pointed out that the Golden House, the Pennsylvania House and the old Palmer house were fire hazards.
Classified Ad, March 13, 1930
For Sale - 14 room house at 128 Depot St., Golden. Sacrifice for $1750, easy terms.
Classified Ad, July 17, 1930
Will sell lumber in Old Pennsylvania House at 128 Depot St., Golden, for $100.
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!
News Relating to Golden - May 15, 2024
Metro Denver Crime Stoppers Shred-A-Thon
Fox 31
Metro Denver Crime Stoppers is partnering with FOX31, Channel 2, and Metro Area Law Enforcement Agencies to help prevent identity theft by holding an annual Shred-A Thon at locations throughout the Metro Denver area on Saturday, June 1st from 8am-Noon... Read more...
2024 State of the City Address
City of Golden
Carbs Fuel Releases New Sport Drink Mix with 75g of carbs per Serving All-in-one High Carb and High Sodium Sport Drink Mix
Carbs Fuel
GOLDEN, Colo. (May 13th, 2024) — Carbs Fuel, a new player to the sports nutrition category, is following up on their high carbohydrate energy gel by launching its second product, a high carbohydrate drink mix. The Carbs Fuel Sports Drink Mix will be available May 13th, 2024... Download press release below.
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Buffalo Rose, Buglet Solar, Foothills Art Center, Golden City Brewery, Golden Cultural Alliance, Golden History Museum, Miners Alley Playhouse, The Golden Mill, Golden Chamber of Commerce, Golden History Tours, Morris & Mae Market, Miners Saloon, Colorado Railroad Museum, Tom Reiley, Bud Rockhill, Michael Mason, Lisa DeCaro and Len Matheo, John and Andi Pearson
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Laura King and Scott Wilson, Bobby German and Alison McNally, Ann Norton & Jonathan Storer, Forrest Jones, Barry & Liz Bettis, Cheryl & Tom Schweich, Marjorie Sloan, Chris and Joyce Davell, Rick Flint, Forrest Jones, AC Development, and Cynthia Merrill Tamny
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