Golden City Council Regular Business Meeting – April 28, 2026

The Golden, Colorado City Council held its regular business meeting on April 28, 2026, in City Hall Council Chambers at 911 10th Street, beginning at 6:30 p.m. and adjourning at 7:37 p.m. Six councilors were present (Knecht, Cameron, Evans, Weinberg, Vitry, and Pfau); Councilor Kurzinski was absent. Mayor Weinberg declared a quorum, approved the agenda as presented, and every vote taken during the meeting was unanimous among the six present councilors.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes of the April 14, 2026, City Council meeting.
• Approved first reading and ordered publication of Ordinance No. 2294, rezoning an approximately 85.5-acre property at 17601 W Colfax Avenue from C-1 and Planned Unit Development Districts to PUD and approving the Golden Terrace Mobile Home Community and Recreational Vehicle Official Development Plan; second reading and public hearing were set for May 12, 2026.
• Adopted Resolution No. 3310 approving the purchase of one Ford F-150 truck and one Ford F-350 Cab Chassis truck.
• Adopted Resolution No. 3312 approving a fifth amendment to the construction contract with Diamond Contracting Corp. for the 2023 Utility Replacement Project.
• Adopted Resolution No. 3314 approving upfitting of two dump/plow trucks, one Ford F-550, one Ford F-350, and one crane uplift.
• Adopted Resolution No. 3315 updating the Golden Comprehensive Fee Schedule.
• Adopted Resolution No. 3316 approving the purchase of a Toro Groundsmaster 4000-D mower.
• Adopted Resolution No. 3317 authorizing an Intergovernmental Agreement with Jefferson County School District R-1 for transportation services.
• Councilor Cameron shared a Parks and Recreation response about the two new trucks: the additional vehicles reduce the need for staff drop-offs and waiting, improve efficiency, and would increase fleet costs by about $10,000 per year before vehicle replacement in about 10 years.
• The consent calendar was adopted unanimously as presented.

Public Comments & Testimony

• The public comment period opened and closed at 6:31 p.m. with no members of the public speaking.
• No emailed public comments were received for the public hearings on Ordinance No. 2291 or Ordinance No. 2292; both hearings were opened and closed with no public testimony.

Discussion Items

• Council/Staff Comments & New Business: Mayor Pro Tem Vitry reported on the Community Marketing Board meeting, including a Clayworks presentation by Darden Coors, an updated estimate of about 19,000 attendees at Goldens in Golden, and the CMB offsite strategic planning retreat on May 12. Councilor Knecht publicized the Golden United event “The Reality of Homelessness in Jefferson County” on April 30 and two community input meetings on May 5 for Lions Park Playground and Clear Creek Trail improvements. Mayor Weinberg reminded residents about online feedback through Guiding Golden, Mountain Rail’s April 30 community meeting in Arvada about West Metro station options, including a Highway 93 and Highway 72 location near Golden, and her May 6 Mayoral Town Hall at Natural Grocers.
• Proclamations: The Council read proclamations for National Therapy Animal Day (April 30), Public Service Recognition Week (May 3-9), Building Safety Month (May), and Mental Health Month (May). The Public Service Recognition Week proclamation cited over 30,000 public safety calls per year, 13.3 million square feet of asphalt, 115 miles of water mains, 107 miles of sanitary and storm sewer lines, 253 park acres, 25 miles of trails, and 402 acres of open space. The Mental Health Month proclamation was accepted by Christy Bowland of Jefferson Center, who noted Jefferson Center serves nearly 25,000 people annually through partnerships with over 150 community organizations.
• 2026 Sustainability Awards: Councilor Cameron presented awards to Meadow Run HOA and Stonebridge HOA. Meadow Run removed 3,374 square feet of thirsty turf, added water-wise perennials, and hopes to cut water use in those areas by 50%, with help from Resource Central’s HOA Turf Conversion Consultation Pilot Program. Stonebridge converted 8,100 square feet expected to cut water use by 50%, enrolled 232 homes in the city’s pay-as-you-throw program in 2025, installed three bluebird houses with Audubon Society volunteers, and used goats for fire mitigation. Councilor Cameron cited about 50 rooftop solar homes at Stonebridge, equating to a 21% adoption rate, offsetting about 18% of electricity demand and avoiding 270 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions; a Stonebridge representative later said they believed the number of solar homes was 64, a discrepancy noted in the discussion.
• Resolution No. 3319 – Sustainability Grants: Sustainability Manager Theresa Worsham presented four grant awards from state and regional sources to support energy management, a paid internship, commercial energy benchmarking, downtown waste collection planning, special-event waste diversion, and an aluminum bottle project for Golden’s tap water. Council members praised the grants, including paid internships as an equity measure. The resolution was adopted unanimously.
• Resolution No. 3313 – Boards and Commissions Appointments: Mayor Weinberg presented the annual appointments to city boards and commissions, thanking the subcommittee and applicants. The resolution was adopted unanimously.
• Ordinance No. 2291 – 2026 Budget Amendment: Finance Director Joseph Allaire presented the carryover and additional appropriation ordinance, noting that the Lena Gulch project and the police/municipal building account for more than 80% of the amount. Staff explained that the city is moving from estimating projects as fully spent toward more realistic annual budget estimates, and that the affected projects are not over budget. Council discussed burn rates, cash position and interest earnings, project scheduling, and public transparency. The public hearing opened and closed at 7:23 p.m., and the ordinance was adopted unanimously.
• Ordinance No. 2292 – Water Use Enforcement: Deputy Public Works Director Brian Tracy presented amendments clarifying water surcharge application and escalation to code enforcement. Council questions addressed hand watering, which is allowed, hosing off muddy dogs and patio furniture, which is also allowed, and the prohibition on automated or manual sprinklers for irrigated turf. Staff said water fund reserves are expected to cover any financial impact from reduced water sales and that year-to-date water use is slightly above prior years. One councilor requested better electronic communication, including a PDF insert for e-billing customers, and another requested a future staff update on enforcement metrics. The public hearing opened and closed at 7:31 p.m., and the ordinance was adopted unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent calendar and all consent items unanimously.
• Read and recognized four proclamations: National Therapy Animal Day, Public Service Recognition Week, Building Safety Month, and Mental Health Month.
• Presented 2026 Sustainability Awards to Meadow Run HOA and Stonebridge HOA.
• Adopted Resolution No. 3319 accepting sustainability grant awards, 6-0.
• Adopted Resolution No. 3313 appointing members to city boards and commissions, 6-0.
• Adopted Ordinance No. 2291 changing the 2026 budget for carryover and additional appropriations, 6-0.
• Adopted Ordinance No. 2292 amending water use restriction enforcement provisions, 6-0.
• All votes passed with six yes votes and no no votes; Councilor Kurzinski was absent.