Week of June 23, 2022
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JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
GoldenTranscript.net
VOLUME 156 | ISSUE 27
Golden approves licensing for retail marijuana Jeffco Schools’
spring 2022 test results show good fall-to-spring growth BY BOB WOOLEY BWOOLEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
the area surrounding the existing medical near I-70 and U.S. 6 to the southeast. Both Canyon View and Coors Technology business parks would require a rezoning process for a retail marijuana licensee. The map of potential locations also originally included a section of South Golden Road east of Johnson Road. However, city councilors felt any dispensary in that area would still be too close to the nearby schools and parks. Mayor Pro Tem JJ Trout noted how dispensaries have extra security to prevent underage sales and how there are plenty of liquor stores and tobacco retailers in the same area. Still, she ultimately under-
Student achievement and growth results in reading and math 20182022 — with no results for 2020 when students didn’t take the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) test due to COVID-19 — were discussed June 2 during the final Jeffco Board of Education meeting of the 2021-22 school year. Drilling down into the data, Deputy Superintendent Kim LeBlanc-Esparza reviewed results for students in grades 3-10. Before LeBlanc-Esparza started her presentation, Board President Stephanie Schooley reminded the audience of District policy stating the following: “Every school in the District will ensure that every student has the opportunity to work toward being connected to career, college and/or life aspirations with the expectation that every student will demonstrate a year or more of growth on their way to mastery of Colorado academic standards,” she said. Looking at Reading Achievement Trends by grade in grades 3-5, data showed that students actually did slightly better in 2022 than in 2021, with scores in the High/High
SEE APPROVED, P2
SEE SCORES, P3
Golden has limited the possible locations for any retail marijuana licensee within city limits. The blue sections show areas a retail marijuana location would be allowed, and the red sections are possible locations that would require a separate rezoning process. COURTESY GRAPHIC
Up to 4 licenses approved, possible locations limited BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
More green crosses are likely in Golden’s future, as City Council has passed an ordinance allowing up to four retail marijuana licenses. The city defined retail marijuana as any non-medical marijuana dispensaries. Possible locations for licensees will be limited based on proximity to schools, parks, and other dispensaries, city staff described at the June 14 meeting.
City voters gave a green light last November to the limited retail sales of marijuana to adults (2A), as well as a 6% tax (2B) on its commercial sale. In drafting its ordinance and licensing language, the city reviewed elements from other Colorado municipalities, looking for administrative and procedural best practices. Licensed retail marijuana locations must be at least 1,000 feet from schools and parks. They must also be 1,000 feet from other marijuana dispensaries, whether medical or retail. Thus, potential locations for licensees include Canyon View Business Park in northwest Golden, the Coors Technology Center Park to the northeast, the Interstate 70 exit 259 area to the southwest, and
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