Community Sustainability Advisory Board Regular Meeting – August 26, 2026

The Community Sustainability Advisory Board (CSAB) met at Golden City Hall on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:27 p.m. The agenda included the Clayworks development's sustainability update and proposed amendment to allow greater natural gas use, the 2027 sustainability budget, and current project updates. Board members present were Carrie Atiyeh, Claybourne Clarke, Jill Engel-Cox, and Martha Gerdes; Todd Collins, Jillian Matheson, and Adrienne Watts were absent. Staff present were Theresa Worsham and Samantha Neumeyer. Note: The agenda listed the Clayworks item under Public Comment, but the meeting minutes record it as a Business and Action Item; the minutes were used for this summary.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Agenda: Motion by Claybourne Clarke, seconded by Jill Engel-Cox, approved at 6:01 p.m.
• Approval of Minutes – July 22, 2026: Motion by Claybourne Clarke, seconded by Jill Engel-Cox, approved at 6:01 p.m.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Tanja Rauch-Williams noted that Clayworks is an important project for the community and emphasized the value of maintaining the project's sustainability commitments.
• Julie Smith expressed concern about the environmental impacts of natural gas and stated opposition to adding natural gas at Clayworks.
• Public comment was closed at 6:06 p.m.

Discussion Items

Clayworks Sustainability Update and ODP Amendment Request

Representatives from the Clayworks development presented sustainability achievements to date: LEED for Neighborhood Development v4 Silver certification (2026); WELL Community certification in process; Building B3 ("The Pottery") deriving 80% of annual energy use from geothermal energy (42 wells, 500 ft deep); a 176 kW DC photovoltaic system scheduled for fall 2026; LEED v4 Gold and WELL Gold certifications in review; and rain gardens and stormwater management features. They then presented a request for six Official Development Plan (ODP) amendments, with the main discussion focused on Amendment #1 to allow limited natural gas for accessory amenities: fireplaces, communal grills, and pool and spa heating. They argued that natural gas is still the best fuel source for pool heating, outdoor cooking, and limited fireplaces when considering energy use, upfront system costs, and long-term maintenance costs. Their modeling showed gas fireplaces and grills would have a nominal impact (±2% of building energy). For pool/spa heating, they presented: 95% efficient gas boiler – 36.3 kBTU/sf/yr and 128 tons CO2; electric boiler – 36 kBTU/sf/yr and 311 tons CO2 (2.4 times more greenhouse gas emissions than gas); air source heat pump – 31.7 kBTU/sf/yr and 78 tons CO2. They also stated that Block C's 230 kW PV system would provide a minimum 10% of district energy and offset 60% of the requested natural gas use.

The Board expressed concern that the proposed expanded natural gas uses are not consistent with Clayworks' original sustainability commitments. Board members stated a general preference that Clayworks retain its original net-zero commitment and promote existing public pool opportunities rather than adding a private four-season pool. If Clayworks continues to pursue the amendment, the Board recommended alternatives, including reduced amenity scope, shared amenities, timers or operational controls, electric-ready infrastructure, and additional permanent offsets or mitigation. The Board questioned the emissions modeling, including its assumptions about Xcel Energy's current grid mix and planned grid decarbonization, and noted that the proposed solar offsets would not fully cover the new natural gas use. The amendment request remains under staff review and will ultimately proceed through Planning Commission and City Council; staff will summarize the Board's comments for that process.

Budget Update and 2027 Funding

Staff reviewed the proposed 2027 sustainability budget, including grant funding, professional services, programs, capital projects, and proposed funding for Board priority projects identified during the annual strategic meeting: construction and demolition work, micromobility, reuse program support, and microgrid studies. Staff also reviewed 2026 sustainability rebate program utilization and expenditures: $90,013 completed, $71,000 pending, $161,013 total committed; 46 completed, 31 pending, and 28 denied/incomplete applications out of 105 total. The program closed after all available funds were committed. The Board recommended increasing the 2027 rebate request to $200,000 and requesting a 2026 budget amendment to add $54,000 for the final quarter of 2026. The Board noted that additional 2026 funding would be especially valuable ahead of the September 28 residential battery backup workshop, given strong participation at the earlier workshop and demonstrated demand for residential rebates.

Staff & Board Updates

Discussion covered Board member participation with outside organizations: Sustainable Golden expressed interest in having CSAB members participate in its meetings, and staff clarified that Board members may participate in their personal capacity but cannot represent CSAB's official views unless directed by Council. Staff also provided updates on commercial energy benchmarking, noting that the covered buildings list is being narrowed and a proposal will come to CSAB later this year. Grant-funded work updates included planning, RFP development, initial spending, and exploration of additional grant opportunities related to large building decarbonization, trees, and bear-resistant carts.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda and July 22, 2026 minutes approved unanimously.
• CSAB recommended that Clayworks retain its original net-zero sustainability commitments; if the amendment is pursued, CSAB recommended specific alternatives and requested that its comments be forwarded to staff for the review process.
• CSAB recommended increasing the 2027 sustainability rebate request to $200,000 and adding $54,000 to the 2026 budget for the final quarter.
• Agenda topics for the September 23, 2026 meeting: public EV charging review, downtown waste district, and universal recycling ordinance.
• Meeting adjourned at 8:27 p.m.