Public Meetings - Golden, Colorado

The City of Golden Local Licensing Authority met at 2:30 p.m. on March 17, 2026, in City Hall Council Chambers, 911 10th Street, Golden, Colorado. Hearing Officer Bria May presided over the public hearing; Deputy City Clerk Stacey K. McClure and Senior Assistant City Attorney Lucas Markley were also present. A transcript reference also names Hearing Officer Kendra Carberry as calling the meeting to order, while Hearing Officer Bria May stated she would preside over the public hearing. The authority approved the prior meeting minutes and then conducted a public hearing on an application for a new beer and wine license for Scully's Coffee Camper d/b/a Scully's Cafe, ultimately approving the license and referring it for state approval. Consent Calendar - The Local Licensing Authority approved the minutes of the September 16, 2025 meeting by unanimous consent, with no objections raised. Public Hearing Testimony – New Beer and Wine License - The hearing officer explained that the applicant had the burden of showing the license would satisfy or not conflict with the desires of adult inhabitants and the reasonable requirements of the neighborhood, including whether existing license outlets already meet those requirements. - Applicant Sophia Skully Allison appeared, was sworn in, and confirmed the corrected address for Scully's Coffee Camper d/b/a Scully's Cafe as 1812 Miners Spur Road, Golden, CO 80401. She initially misstated the address as 600 12th Street, Suite 160, then corrected herself; the agenda address was 1812 Miners Spur Road. - Allison said the cafe opened about five months ago in off-campus housing for School of Minds (as transcribed), and that she and the neighboring Beverly Heights community had shown interest in having beer and wine available. - She described operational safeguards: the cafe would close no later than 8 p.m.; only she and her general manager would serve alcohol; both hold Serve Safe certification, and she has held hers for about 15 years; one of them is present at all times; and the cafe's lease with School of Minds includes rules stricter than legal requirements for checking IDs and serving alcohol. - When asked about an old criminal-history item in the application, Allison said that at age 18 she used another person's credit card at a mall and a gas station, was never arrested or jailed, had no trial, considered the matter resolved, and that nothing similar had happened since; she is now 42. - City representative Sandra Yannis appeared for the city, waived an opening statement, offered no additional evidence, and did not oppose the application. Key Outcomes - Hearing Officer Bria May moved to approve issuance of the beer and wine license, finding that the applicant is qualified and that the premises is not located within 500 feet of the principal campus or a law school; no objection was stated, and she announced approval. - The license was approved for Scully's Coffee Camper, also known as Scully's Cafe, at 1812 Miners Spur Road, Golden, CO 80401. - Staff said the local approval would be sent to the state for final state approval, and that arrangements would be made with the applicant to conduct a tour before the license is issued. - No other matters were discussed, and the meeting was adjourned.

The Golden Downtown Development Authority (DDA) held its regular business meeting on March 16, 2026, at 6:00 PM. The board approved a grant for Golden River Sports, discussed funding for the East Zone Amenity Plan design, reviewed the first Comfort and Comedy Festival results, and received updates on TIF agreements and ongoing projects. The meeting was recorded due to technical issues with the live broadcast. Consent Calendar - Approval of Minutes: The board approved the minutes from the February 23, 2026, business meeting. Public Comments & Testimony - Karen Oxman (Friends of the Golden History Museum) promoted upcoming museum events, including a flag dedication on May 16, Colorado Day on August 1, and a 250‑150 celebration on September 12 with a drone show. She also mentioned an Indigenous summit April 28–30. - JJ Rish (former DDA member) inquired about the status of paving Prospector Alley between 14th and 15th Streets. Staff noted the project remains on the priorities tracker, with challenges related to paving equipment size, a telephone pole, and retaining walls. Discussion Items - Golden River Sports Grant: Owners Patty and Bart presented a request for $10,381 (50% of $20,762) for new flooring and window replacement, and $1,394 for professional services to upgrade their point‑of‑sale system. The business, located at 806 Washington Ave., has been in operation since 2004 and experienced flooding and carpet wear. The board approved the capital grant unanimously and staff administratively approved the professional services grant. - Chair Recap of March 10 Meeting with City Council: Chair Ball reported that the DDA’s work plan was presented to City Council. Council questions focused on whether the city is hindering DDA projects (e.g., Prospector Alley) and engagement with the East Amenities Plan. The DDA hopes for more time in future work plan presentations. - Comfort and Comedy Festival Recap: The first festival (March 8, 2026) sold 3,206 tickets, with 745 first‑time attendees, 54 performers, 29 performances, and 3 workshops. Financials showed $77,871 income against $67,045 expenses. A business reported a slight uptick in sales during the event. Staff will request a final report and survey results. - Contribution to City and Joint Projects (Continued Discussion): The board revisited allocating funds from the $1.25 million budget line. After a field trip to the East Zone area, a motion was made to commit $275,000 for a 30% design of the entire East Zone Amenity Plan and 100% design for the area east of Archer Street. Discussion included concerns about funding unfinished projects (e.g., Prospector Alley), the safety of Tucker Gulch, the role of the design as a catalyst, and the need for a long‑term vision. The motion passed with opposition. - TIF Agreement Status Report: Staff presented a summary of seven active Tax Increment Financing (TIF) agreements. Payments from Buffalo Rose, 1100 Washington, and Golden Mill were noted. Clayworks will receive an estimated $65,000 payment this year. Most agreements run through 2045. No action was taken. Key Outcomes - Golden River Sports Grant Approved: $10,381 capital improvement grant approved unanimously; $1,394 professional services grant approved administratively. - East Zone Amenity Plan Design Funded: $275,000 committed for 30% design of the entire East Zone and 100% design east of Archer Street. The motion passed with some opposition (final tally not recorded but noted as passed). - Staff Directions: Staff will continue work on Prospector Alley paving options, string light installation, and explore electrical hardening for downtown. Police and communications department visits to the DDA will be scheduled for summer and spring, respectively. - Subcommittee Updates: The Grants Subcommittee will meet to discuss developer engagement; the 12th Street Plaza Ad Hoc Committee will continue stakeholder conversations.

The Economic Development Commission (EDC) held its business meeting on March 12, 2026, at 6:30 PM in the Council Chambers. Vice Chair Weiler presided. Due to the absence of meeting minutes and a transcript, this summary is based solely on the published agenda and staff memorandum, which outlined the scheduled discussion items and provided background information. Consent Calendar - Approval of the March 12, 2026, meeting agenda and the February 12, 2026, meeting notes were listed as routine items for approval. Public Comments & Testimony - The agenda included a public comment period, but no public comments are recorded in the available materials. Discussion Items - Sponsorship Request – Golden Maker Social Club: The club, which previously received a $5,000 Thriving Communities grant, requested a $200 sponsorship from the EDC to provide refreshments at its kickoff event on April 8, 2026, at Foothills Art Center. The staff memorandum indicated support for the sponsorship, noting $3,400 remained in the 2026 Sponsorships line item. Commission action was requested. - Continued Discussion on Backup Power Eligibility for the Small Business Support Grant Program: Following the December 2025 PSPS event, the EDC had expanded grant eligibility to include generators and backup power. Staff expressed concerns about cost and impact, and proposed two narrowing options: Proposal 1 – amend eligibility to electrical battery backups only, with a $2,500 matching limit per business and a total program cap of $10,000; Proposal 2 – table the discussion until after a planned Commercial Backup Power Open House and revert eligibility to prior years’ expenses. The Commission was expected to revisit the expanded eligibility. Staff Reports - Labriola Makerspace Tour Update: Staff provided an update on the tour of the Colorado School of Mines Makerspace, which occurred on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. - Business Retention, Economic Development Initiatives, and Prospect Activity: Staff reported on recent retention visits and economic development activity, including a reference to the Golden Fashion Show. - Sales, Use, and Lodging Tax Reports: Staff presented the December 2025 tax data (collected in January 2026). Key figures from the attached Council Memorandum include: - Sales tax collections for 2025 ended just under $1 million above 2024 levels, marking four consecutive years of growth, though full-year collections finished $773,640 below budget. - December 2025 sales tax collections were $95,377 below December 2024, potentially influenced by the PSPS event. - Use tax totaled $567,749 in December, a $24,489 increase year-over-year; full-year use tax outperformed each of the prior four years, finishing $888,621 above 2024 levels. - Lodging tax collections for 2025 were $2,875,316, which was $224,684 below budget but outpaced the prior three years. - Marijuana tax revenue finished 2025 $252,173 above budget, with consistent monthly growth since implementation. Communications - Updates were provided from GURA/DDA, the Golden Chamber of Commerce, and the Community Marketing Committee, though no specifics are recorded in the available materials. Key Outcomes - The February 12, 2026, meeting (last recorded minutes) resulted in the approval of an RFP for a Makerspace feasibility study (budgeted at $15,000) and a motion to modify backup power eligibility language to state the Commission “may consider generators and back-up power in a limited capacity,” with a follow-up discussion scheduled for this meeting. No voting outcomes or decisions from the March 12, 2026, meeting are documented in the provided sources.