Golden Horizons: The Community's Vision For the Future

Miners Alley Listening Session: Wednesday, Oct. 16

What makes you feel Connected to Golden?

• Festive atmosphere (homecoming, sports games, events, etc.)
• People walking around (walkability)
• College town aspect (youthful energy, positive)
• Convergence of creek and parks (walkability)

Do you feel like you can engage in the Development Review Process?

• Trouble navigating the new website
• Provide more renderings so people can understand without engineering background (avoid technical jargon)
• 3D models that show shading, viewshed impacts, visualization of traffic patterns and behaviors
• If you are a little engaged, the information is out there (City Newsletter is very helpful)
• Fine line about sending out too much information because then people ignore it
• Chamber newsletter is a great way to learn about information
• Penalties vs incentives to encourage developers to develop vacant/unsightly land
• What about interim uses for vacant buildings

Housing

• Need senior communities with amenity spaces
• Need more small commercial pockets so everyone is not forced to go Downtown
• Diverse housing options (need more townhomes)
• More micro transit and micromobility options to allow people to choose to live closer to downtown and move around without a car
• Barriers to renting?
  1. Inventory and cost
  2. Need smaller townhome options
• Barriers to Buying a Home?
  1. Also inventory
  2. Things need to be smaller for first time home buyers, but that is not the suburb mentality

Community Character:

• With Coors, Clayworks, Heart of Golden, Wire Transfer building, Wells Fargo site, Goosetown, municipal building, Golden is transforming to a small “City” feel and that is good!
• Small town can mean closing Washington Ave for homecoming
• Feel like I can be involved and make a difference

Go Farm Pop-up: Friday, Oct. 18

Community Character:

• Want amenities to be walkable to Downtown

Housing:

• Keep Golden Terrace affordable

Transportation:

• Safe ways to cross and walk across intersections outside of downtown
• Walking and biking trails that connect downtown
• More G line access
• Transit offerings do not match non-commuter needs

Mines Campus Pop-up: Oct. 23

Housing:

• Support more on campus housing

City Character:

• Need to focus on both the resident and non-resident perspective. People have an opinion who do not live here, but want to live here. Their voice matters too.

Transportation:

• Light rail stop within walking distance from downtown
• More bike lanes and bike path connections
• More GS bus service (more frequent times)
• Market based parking pricing
• Reliable, timely transit

Fire House 24 Listening Session: Oct. 28

What makes you feel connected to Golden?

• Love the trail system and that we do not have to cross any streets to get Downtown!
• Love the western feel and the character of the town
• Recreation Center is wonderful
• Fossil Trace and Tony Grampsas Park are amazing amenities.
• Right next to the foothills. Can access nature via the trail network. Walkable downtown.
  1. Cohesive community
  2. People walking around, children out and about
  3. Shelton Elementary is a neighborhood hub

Do you feel like you can engage in the Development Review Process?

• Want virtual options for meetings that are recorded and then posted for people to watch back.
• Parking restrictions downtown for residents are too strict. People do not go downtown because of the paid parking.
• Guiding Golden website is hard to get to and I have trouble providing feedback using that tool. Do not like how you must sign in every time you go to the site. City is relying too much on Guiding Golden.
• No, not sure.
• Not sure the process or where it is posted.
• Want more opportunities to engage virtually (YouTube channel)
• What is the notification radius?
  • Topography can impact the 500-foot notification radius boundary (viewshed can be impacted)
  • How do we better alert the entire neighborhood?
  • Materials need to be in digestible amounts. Give people ample time to review documents so they can provide valuable feedback.

Barriers to Housing?

• Availability and cost are the biggest burdens
• Needs to be a balance between rentals and owners
• Home values are increasing a lot
• Topography creates a bowl that limits growth opportunities
• Do not build the Gateway Village, micro-unit, kitchenette model. It is not a long-term model to meet evolving housing needs
• Allow ADU construction on SFR / Smaller or tiny home developments or villages
• Need more information about how to build ADU’s in Golden
• Can’t just meet the housing needs for the affluent- need options for all, especially regarding parking.
• City shouldn’t provide any financial incentives- market will take care of it.
• Think about the larger “Golden” community- unincorporated Jefferson County, Wheat Ridge, Arvada, etc.

How will your housing needs change in the next 5-10 years?

• Probably nothing if Golden Terrace doesn’t change- no idea where I would live if it were to sell.
• Need to speak up for veteran housing needs

Bonfire Burrito Pop Up: November 5^th

Community:

• Anything the City can do to support our wildlife?
• Spread out affordable housing so it doesn’t impact property values
• The natural beauty and values diversity seem like two different things (for small-town feel).
• Talk to landlords at a listening session.
• Protect viewsheds- height of buildings are blocking views. Keep buildings shorter.
• Defunding the senior buses and trips shows a lack of respect for seniors. [SP1]
• Maximize infill to preserve green spaces
• Natural beauty and diversity are different topics. Separate them out.
• Neighborhood, commercial, and mixed use. How do they all interact?
• Excellent education keeps home values vibrant. Schools are important!
• Advisory board for 50 plus people. Fous on keeping affordable housing for the aging population.
• My family avoids downtown during big events because it is so crowded
• I don’t see a role for the city in promoting careful, respectful neighborhoods.
• More enforcement of drinking, smoking, and littering along the creek
• State of the sewage treatment and water treatment for PFAS? Biogas? Investment for the future!
• Seems like this connected theme has a trail connectivity aspect to it since connected trails do bring us together. It could also appear in the transportation value category.

Transportation:

• Promote electric vehicles- make Golden friendly to EV’s. Fast chargers are needed.
• Protected bicycle lanes would be great
• Integrate electrification transportation plan into these goals.
• Support transportation electrification including charging stations and e-bikes.
• Improved pedestrian access between Mines Park and Campus.
• Please do not use bike paths as an excuse to eliminate parking
• Growth is attached to bike and ped improvements- prioritize
• Need a speed hump at 21^st and East because people blow through the stop sign
• Need to emphasize connectivity of regional and local trails and paths
• Expand Golden High School permit zone to longer hours/days
• Free parking for Golden residents

City Character (Continued):

• Monthly lecture series (could be implemented by the sustainability committee and partner with Mines).
• Need method to connect landlords to local employees
• Environmental Goals? Why are they not here?
• Multigenerational opportunities
• I do not see a role for the city in ensuring diversity
• Unique small-town character. Promote local businesses, not chains.
• Would love a more vibrant music community. Have Miners Alley and would love a classical/Jaz venue.

Summit View Village Listening Session: November 12^th

What do you love about Golden?

• Unique business- get to know the owners
• Don’t feel isolated as a one-car household because it is walkable and bikeable
• Unique architecture
• Not too much traffic- can ride a bike easily and love the trails
• Golden Informer has great content
• More comfortable than a big city

Do you feel like you can engage in the Development Review Process?

• Do not feel like the yard signs are very effective
• The mailer for Comp Plan meeting was great!
• Online survey options are great! However, recent example where the recycling survey map links were broken (not very accessible).
• Love the evening meeting option. Be aware of when you hold meetings. A lot of hourly workers cannot make afternoon meetings.
  • Diverse times allow you to engage with more residents of varying income levels

Barriers to Housing?

• State laws regarding landlords and tenants will make smaller properties more challenging to maintain. The new state laws favor larger landlords.
• Not enough ADA compliant properties
• Don’t push out small landlords
• Find ways to reduce regulatory burdens for smaller landlords (reeds, rules, etc.)
• Appreciate Summit View- more affordable but close to amenities
• As renter, always scared that landlord will hike up the rent. Are there rental protections provided by City of Golden?
• Be open to more options than rent or buy (co-ops or land trusts)
• Missing middle form types (2-bd, smaller condos)
• Accommodate family needs
• Permit fees and “add-ons” make development expensive and deter developers
• Moved last year and cannot afford to own, so we rent
• More starter homes and smaller homes
• Need more diverse housing types to keep families/kids/diversity in our neighborhoods (only had 2 trick or treaters this year)

How will your housing needs change in the next 5-10 years?

• Will be retirement age and will be looking to downsize
• Will be looking for larger space as my family continues to grow. Currently renting and want to buy 2 bed or larger apartments
• No one has heard of the thriving community’s effort to connect open rooms to tenants
• Colorado and Golden do not crack down on bad landlords and unsafe units
• Tenants have no legal protection
• Need more ways for tenants to protect themselves and recoup costs
• Ways to support transit? Shelters and benches (no more sign only bus stops), better advertise bus routes and Ore Cart schedule, and more information about public transit options.
• Roundabouts are not great. Need to better design the one at Johnson and S Golden Road
• More ADA accessible sidewalks for strollers and wheelchairs