Golden Urban Renewal Authority Business Meeting – May 11, 2026

The Golden Urban Renewal Authority (GURA) held a business meeting on May 11, 2026, at 5:32 PM at 911 10th Street, Golden, CO. The meeting included the swearing-in of two new members, elections for chair and vice chair, a detailed update on the West Colfax Complete Street and Lena Gulch flood mitigation projects, discussions on House Bill 1348 compliance for board expansion, and the transition of the Executive Director role. The meeting adjourned at approximately 7:10 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Agenda: Moved by Schiche, seconded by Trout. Approved unanimously.
• Approval of Minutes – March 9, 2026: Moved by Trout, seconded by Mittman, as amended to correct the record of who called the meeting to order (Schiche, not Trout). Approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No written or oral public comments were received.

Discussion Items

1. West Colfax and Lena Gulch Discussion

• Guests Sarah and Joe from Public Works presented updates:
  • Lena Gulch: Reach 2 complete; Reach 1 at 60% design, Reach 4 at ~30% design; Reach 3 on hold due to archaeological review at the adjacent South Neighborhoods property. Designs for Reach 1 should reach 90% within a month.
  • West Colfax Complete Street: Phase 1 (roundabout at Heritage Road) at 90% design; CDOT required a second FIR review, causing redesign delays. Construction expected to start in late fall 2026/early spring 2027, lasting into 2028.
  • Funding: Total project estimated at $18.6 million, with phase 1 at $4 million. GURA contributed $700,000 for West Colfax and $200,000 for Lena Gulch (local match for a $30 million federal PROTECT grant, of which $23.8 million is federal).
  • Trail connectivity: A multi-use trail connection along Reach 1 to Heritage Road may be expedited separately. The roundabout includes a crosswalk for a social trail from Jeffco Open Space.
  • Reach 3 detention: Modeling shows 300–500 cfs detention needed; downstream flooding in Mountain View Estates (Jefferson County) is not fully mitigated by GURA’s work, requiring future partnership with Jeffco.
• Board expressed appreciation and requested renderings to help showcase the future corridor for redevelopment efforts.

2. Elections

• Chair Trout termed out after two years. New members Don Cameron (Council representative) and Nicole (new resident) were sworn in.
• Chair: Marissa Trout nominated and elected unanimously (acclamation).
• Vice Chair: Nicole nominated and elected unanimously.
• Committee appointments (Finance, Development & Operations, Communications, EDComm liaison) were postponed to the next meeting to allow members to learn about committee roles.

3. House Bill 1348 Compliance Discussion

• Staff explained that to create a new plan area (Nazarene), GURA must comply with HB 1348, requiring a 13-member board: 7 current Golden resident seats, 1 Jefferson County commissioner, 1 Jeffco School District representative, 1 Mile High Flood District (or other special district) representative, and 3 additional Golden residents.
• Negotiations with taxing entities are nearly complete; all have agreed to give full increment for the affordable housing project.
• Staff is exploring changing the quorum definition to “majority of seated members” to accommodate vacancies, and will seek legal approval. Board discussed challenges of recruiting and retaining members, hybrid meetings, and the potential for asynchronous decision-making (not allowed per state statute).
• Next steps: Plan area to Planning Commission on May 20; Council study session on May 12 for ordinances; board expansion approval tentatively in June; plan area adoption in July.

4. Executive Director Transition Resolution and Discussion

• Resolution 171 proposes appointing Economic Development Manager Tim Dwyer as GURA Executive Director effective June 8, 2026, consistent with the IGA between City and GURA. The role has been held by Rick Muriby (interim) since Robin Fleischmann’s departure.
• Board discussed the need for performance metrics and a regular review process. Councilor Cameron suggested measurable goals; staff and board agreed to develop a semi-annual or annual review process (potentially in September/October) and to consider a 360-degree feedback mechanism for all three GURA staff members (Muriby, Dwyer, Richardson).
• No vote was taken on the resolution; it will be considered at the June 8 meeting.

5. Staff Report (No separate discussion, but included in updates)

• 2026 Budget: Provided for all three plan areas.
• New Potential Plan Areas: The Junction – consultant Pioneer Development Co selected for conditions survey; Nazarene – see HB 1348 discussion.
• PSPS Power Resilience: Business-focused event scheduled for June 3, 2026, 10 AM–1 PM at Gnarly’s Theater, featuring vendors and a panel.
• Infrastructure/Development: West Colfax and Lena Gulch updates covered in item 1.
• Pending Land Use: 17200 West Colfax Avenue – discussions ongoing with Elevation Community Land Trust for affordable housing; property next to PetSmart also under consideration for land trust project.
• Other: Board discussed undergrounding power lines along West Colfax, potential support for the Dirty Dogs property (not annexed), and a DOLA grant for the 8th to 10th Street connection project.

Key Outcomes

• Elections: Marissa Trout elected Chair, Nicole elected Vice Chair (both by acclamation). Committee appointments deferred.
• Executive Director Transition: Resolution 171 to be voted on at the June 8 meeting; board will develop a performance review process for GURA staff.
• West Colfax/Lena Gulch: No formal action taken; board noted the updates and expressed interest in renderings and expedited trail connections.
• HB 1348 Compliance: Staff directed to continue working on quorum language and board recruitment; next steps on plan area and ordinances are on schedule.
• General: Board will consider performance metrics for the Executive Director and potentially a broader staff review mechanism.