2nd Draft of Zoning Code Rewrite

The Second Draft of The Zoning Code is Open for Feedback

City of Golden staff has been working on a project with a code consultant to review our 50-year-old code and provide recommended changes to the community for ongoing feedback. The goal of the project is to have a zoning code that allows for development that fits into the character of Golden neighborhoods. There are several ways to provide feedback and learn more: • Office Hours – Staff has virtual office hours available on several days in July, sign up with the link on Guiding

Golden. You can also schedule appointments for other dates and times as well upon request, whether online or in person. • Survey - Complete a brief survey on Guiding Golden to share your thoughts on the draft. • City Council Study Session on Tuesday, July 20 – City Council will review comments and findings. This will be the opportunity for Planning Commission and City Council to provide staff with further direction.

This fall, after the edits to the code are made, the process will move into the mapping phase. Staff will be engaging with the community at the neighborhood level to discuss how to apply the form zones across each neighborhood. We plan to meet with following neighborhoods initially: • North Neighborhoods (properties north of Highway 58) • Downtown Residents (8th / 9th Street Neighborhoods & 12th

Street Neighborhood) • Central Neighborhoods (East Street & CMU Neighborhoods along Jackson and Ford Street Corridors) • Future Meetings for the South Neighborhoods will be determined after this first round

For more information, visit www.guidinggolden.com/zoningcode-update.

Changes to the Right of Way Permit Process

The Right of Way, also known as the ROW, is typically considered the back of the sidewalk on one side of the street to the back of sidewalk across the street. The ROW area is a public space used for roads, sidewalks and utilities like water, sewer, natural gas, and electric. Homeowners, business owners, and/or contractors are required to have permits to utilize the space in the City’s ROW. This includes things such as utility work in the street, sidewalk replacement, placement of a dumpster, and/ or landscaping materials in front of a home. For contractors, projects may include boring for underground utilities, repairing utility poles, and/or upgrading fiber optics. The granting of a ROW permit eliminates misuse of the public space and assures that everybody follows the same rules and regulations.

Golden has recently updated our ROW regulations and fees. The changes are intended to incentivize shorter street closures and smaller closures that are less impactful. The new process encourages “digging once” which means combining projects when appropriate to minimize impacts on traffic. The updated program includes adding an additional staff person to inspect traffic control plans, street cut sizing, and the completion of jobs. For more information, contact the Public Works Department or visit www.cityofgolden.net/Streets. 6 | July 2021