Transcript Golden
July 4, 2013
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A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourgoldennews.com
Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 147, Issue 31
Cone zones mean delays Two road projects in full swing Staff Report
Dan Thoemke, left, Peggy Halderman, and Judy Maxwell sit in front of the newly painted Snack-n-Wagon during its public unveiling at the June 29 Golden Farmers Market. The three all helped organize the bus and food program. Photo by Glenn Wallace
Snack-n-Wagon gets rolling Summer food program launches By Glenn Wallace
gwallace@ourcoloradonews.com The Golden Backpack Program’s mobile summer food program, dubbed the Snackn-Wagon, is officially rolling, providing lunch every weekday for 100 Golden children who might not otherwise get to eat. The Snack-n-Wagon began serving food to the community on July 1. After a brief pause on July 4 and 5, the service will run every weekday until Aug. 9. The bus makes two stops to serve food:
Fox Hill Apartments, 17611 West 16th Ave., from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.; and Mountainside Estates, 17190 Mount Vernon Road, from noon to 12:30 p.m. To gear up for the first week of service, two dozen Snack-n-Wagon volunteers held a training session last week. Among the volunteers was first-timer Joanne Aldridge, of Golden. “It sounded like something quick and easy that fit into my schedule,” she said. Aldridge had been looking for a volunteer opportunity in Golden for a long time, she said. “There’s a lot of positive feeling here about it, and I think it will be a great success,” she said.
It was a family affair for Golden mother Suzie Veldman and her two sons, Brett, 16, and Jackson, 14. “My husband’s in Rotary, so we thought it was a good way to help out and get hungry kids some food,” she said, noting hat it helped that the required volunteer time would not take up the boys’ whole summer. Brett Veldman said he was looking forward to doing community volunteer work. “I’m excited about it. Getting to help other people is a plus,” he said. More volunteers are needed to run the Snack-n-Wagon this summer. For information or to volunteer, contact volunteer staff coordinator Judy Maxwell by email at judy. maxwell23@gmail.com.
Road projects in the north and south of Golden are causing motorists a few delays this summer. On the northern end, State Highway 58 bridges over Ford Street are being replaced, in what is estimated to be a one-year, $9.1 million project. The Colorado Department of Transportaton’s project website lists the bridges’ initial construction date to be 1957. The replacement work is scheduled to take one year. Currently, traffic in both directions is limited to one lane. While traffic is shifted to the southern bridge, the northern bridge will be demolished and replaced. City of Golden Public Works Director Dan Hartman said CDOT officials and the city intended the demolition to be complete by July 3. Tthe new northern bridge should be completed in five months, he said, at which time all traffic would be rerouted to the northern side to complete the demolition and replacement of the south bridge. During construction the westbound ramp from Highway 58 to Washington Avenue will remain closed. The on ramp from Clearview Parkway was closed for construction and will be permanently closed, per the city’s intent to build an earthen berm to act as a sound barrier in that location. “Some but not all of the dirt for that berm will come out of that (CDOT) project,” Hartman said. To accommodate detour traffic, HartZones continues on Page 21
Growth law faces modification by City Council City eyes change to 1 percent growth limit By Glenn Wallace
gwallace@ourcoloradonews.com Change may be coming for the city of Golden’s 1-percent growth ordinance. On Thursday, July 11, the Golden City Council will consider modifying the ordinance that has been in effect for nearly 18 years. The ordinance is designed to limit new residential development in the city to just one percent of the current residential population. The changes include the removal of the ordinance exemption for senior housing, as well as adding more flexibility to build larger “transit-oriented” projects within 2,500 feet of the new RTD W Rail Line station at the Jefferson County Administration and Courts building. The modifications also include a lowering of the city’s average growth rate from 1 percent to 0.9 percent, when measured over a six-year average. POSTAL ADDRESS
The latest modification to the 1 percent growth ordinance, approved by city voters in 1995, has received a mixed reaction from those who campaigned to establish it. Laura McCall said she purposefully drafted the language in the 1995 ballot measure to be simple and straightforward, limiting growth to 1 percent a year. “I wish they wouldn’t mess with it,” McCall said, calling the new provision for building near the light rail station a handy excuse. “The city’s been doing this forever; they always have a rational,” she said. Don Parker said he played a small role in the 1 percent ordinance campaign because he did not want Golden “to become just another big suburb of Denver.” Parker said he was in favor of the changes. He said he approved of the removal of the senior-housing exemptions, and that it was desirable for the city to encourage higher-
GROWTH ORDINANCE TIMELINE NOVEMBER 1995 - Voters approve a 1 percent limit on Golden residential
growth
MARCH 1996 - City committee establishes first rules to implement growth
ordinance
JANUARY 1997 - City introduces ‘banking’ concept for building allocations JULY 1997 - City gives most of the next six years allocation to waiting
projects
JULY 1997 - Exemption established for senior multi-housing DECEMBER 2002 - High point, with 1.22-percent growth (counting senior
units)
APRIL 2009 - Affordable housing pool established DECEMBER 2012 - Low point, with 0.75-percent growth (counting senior
units) Growth continues on Page 21
GOLDEN TRANSCRIPT (ISSN 0746-6382)
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