City of Golden Zoning Code Update

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Want to see how far we have come? Scroll down to review our past efforts

  • Phase 1 - Residential form based standards
  • Phase 2 - Commercial and Mixed Use form based standards
  • Phase 2.5 - Nonconformities
  • Phase 3 - Process, Procedures, and Notification Chapter 18.10 and Use Regulations Chapter 18.28

Questions and Comments?

Have questions or comments on previous amendments or upcoming updates? Planning staff is happy to respond and meet.

  • Drop into a Listen & Learn (formerly called "office hours") at the Public Works building (1445 10th St.) Tuesdays at 1 pm.
  • Schedule a Listen & Learn appointment via Microsoft Teams or in person (in the Public Works building Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesdays), to meet with staff to discuss or learn more about the zoning code amendments.

2025 Zoning Code Update

Sustainability Menus

The city is posed to adopt the 2024 building codes (also known as the I-Codes). The adoption includes the “energy preferred building code” provides an opportunity to review the residential and nonresidential sustainability standards established in the zoning code and evaluate what standards belong in zoning versus building code.

Staff proposes the following to help guide the scope which will be discussed at the June 18, 2025 Planning Commission Study Session.

  1. Identify overlapping requirements between the zoning code and building code or other City regulations.
  2. Identify requirements or goals that are more effectively implemented through the building code, construction practices, or other parts of the zoning code.
  3. Identify requirements or options that are difficult to administer through zoning approvals and inspections.
  4. Evaluate the zoning code for broadly and effectively addressing sustainability and the best practices.

2025 State Law Responses

The State of Colorado passed a number of laws related to land-use in their 2024 summer session. Those laws relate to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), removing occupancy limits based on familial status, parking minimums for multi-family residential development, Transit Oriented Community standards, and housing planning. Many provisions in the state bills go into effect June 30, 2025. Staff has been actively attending meetings and receiving guidance for how those laws may impact Golden and what revisions to the zoning code may be necessary.

Residential Occupancy Limits

Golden currently limits residential occupancy for a dwelling to four adults and their dependents or four unrelated persons. The city may amend these standards based on practical enforcement and to better address health, safety, and welfare as considered by state law. Planning Commission reviewed draft residential occupancy limit standards at their May 21, 2025 study session.

General Zoning & Subdivision Code Update - Phase 3

After approving different types of buildings (such as homes, shops, and mixed-use spaces) in Chapter 18.29, City Council wants to review how land is used, parking rules, and the steps you take to get things approved.

Goal of Phase 3:

  • Streamlining Processes: We're putting all the steps you need to follow into one easy-to-find chapter.
  • Improving Approvals: We're changing some of the steps for getting big projects approved, like Planned Unit Developments (PUDs).
  • Making Things Clear: We're tuning the rules about how land can be used into a simple table, so it's easier to understand.
  • Listening to You: We're adding or changing rules based on what the community wants and needs, this includes expanding the mailed notice area.
  • Align the use table with parking standards.

Phase 3: Process, Procedures, and Notice

The Draft Chapter 18.10 for Process, Procedures, and Notice is heading to City Council for 1st Reading on Jan. 14 and 2nd Reading tentatively scheduled for Jan. 28 with a recommendation of approval from Planning Commission.

Staff has prepared a change matrix to help identify what is changing for process and notice as things move to Chapter 18.10.

The COG Modifications Post Procedures Public Input Draft 2024-09-20.pdf version reflects Staff's updated recommendation based on public feedback and guidance provided by DOLA regarding the 123 Affordable Housing Go! process. The revised chapter has a change log to help track how and why the draft has changed. Staff has also added a process map to depict how a complete application follows the process to receive a final decision within 90 days.

Contact konsager@cityofgolden.net with questions, comments, or concerns regarding the draft regulations or the project or to schedule a meeting.

Phase 3: Land Use Definitions Matrix

The Draft Chapter 18.28 is heading to City Council for 1st Reading on Jan. 14 and 2nd Reading tentatively scheduled for Jan. 28 with a recommendation of approval from Planning Commission .

The matrix lists the land-use, land-use definition, proposed zone-districts where the use is allowed. The matrix is being reformatted to be organized by land-use category for better comparative review. The matrix is the primary document for public feedback on definitions and the Draft Chapter 18.28 should be the primary document for feedback on land-uses and standards.

Contact konsager@cityofgolden.net with questions, comments, or concerns regarding the draft regulations or the project or to schedule a meeting.

Project Timeline:

  • Drafting - April through July 2024: We're working with experts to organize the new rules, and plan to have a first draft ready.
  • Draft Feedback – July through Aug. 2024: Residents will have a chance to give your thoughts on the first drafts posted here.
  • Targeted Feedback – Beginning July 2024: We'll talk with different groups and organizations to make sure we're making the right changes. We'll still be listening to you too. This will happen from July 2024 until we finish the public hearing process.
  • State Legislation - The Colorado legislature is considering a number of bills that may impact various components of Phase 3. Topics include ADUs, parking, housing around transit, and land-use approval processes. Staff is prepared to pivot and incorporate any new state law as they are potentially passed over the summer.
  • Public Hearing Process – Oct. 2024: Public hearings will be held where Planning Commission will give their suggestions to the City Council for approval.

Group Homes:

Questions have come up regarding proposed changes regarding Group Homes in Phase 3.

Group Homes are licensed through the State and allow up to 8 persons. You can see Staff’s proposed definition in the Land Use Definition Matrix

Group Homes are considered a residential use per C.R.S. 31-23-303 and must be allowed anywhere residential is allowed. Group Homes are generally a single-household residence that has been modified on the inside to accommodate the group living of certain individuals.

Group homes still have to meet all applicable zoning lot and development standards, building, and fire codes. Golden can regulate licensed Group Homes as long as those regulations do not result in a “tantamount prohibition of group homes.”

Group homes can be restricted by limiting the distance from another licensed group home. Locations can be further refined to located group homes with the availability of such services and facilities as convenience stores, commercial services, transportation, and public recreation facilities.

Groups homes are currently allowed “by-right” in some places and with a special use permit in others. There currently aren’t any additional standards for a group home. The City has not received an application for a group home in over 10 years. Staff is recommending Group Homes be allowed as a limited use which can be approved by the director administratively if they meet the following standards:

(a) No group home shall be located within 750 feet of another such Group Home as provided by C.R.S. 31-23-303.

(b) The Director may consider additional criteria allowed by C.R.S. 31-23-303 on an individual application basis.

(c) The Director may refer an application for final decision to the Planning Commission for consideration of any additional requirements permitted by C.R.S. 31-23-303. Such referral shall include evidence or findings with respect to such additional requirements and the public health, safety or welfare.

You can find some additional information regarding group home from AARP, Lakewood, and Arvada.



Image detailing mailed notices as detailed in text below.

Mailed Notice:

Golden is expanding mailed notices for public hearings.

500 feet to 750 feet

  • Notifying more people in Golden for public hearing items that may impact them, like rezonings, site development plans, and Special Use Permits.
  • Extending the notice by 250 feet can include over 140% or more addresses

100 feet to 250 feet for variances and adjustments.

  • Sometimes a public hearing item's impact is limited to more immediate neighbors. We are including more of those neighbors.

Track project status and comment here on Guiding Golden.

  • We are exploring ways to notify people of projects in their neighborhood through Guiding Golden

Email: Planning@CityofGolden.net

Check agendas and watch meetings at Cityofgolden.gov

Phase 2.5 Nonconformities

Phase 1 Residential Zoning Code-Approved May 24, 2022

Find all application materials on our Development Application Page. Want to check out projects in action? See the Planning Projects page for form zone site plans in process and approved.

Phase 2 Zoning Code drafts (March 2023)

The focus of this Phase 2 update was adding the Commercial and Mixed Use Form Zones to Chapter 18.29. However, there are also updates to the Residential Form Zones in 18.29 based on staff and Planning Commission’s use of this new zoning code over the past year.

In addition, there were a number of other updates to the code that were needed in other Chapters of the code that are impacted by the changes made to Chapter 18.29. A significant update to Title 17 (Subdivisions) was made to modernize the language and allow for form zone subdivisions. There were also significant updates to Chapters 18.40 and 18.28 to both incorporate the new form zone regulations and to delineate the legacy use zones that were not included in the form zone approach (AG, CO, RE, M1, M2 and PUD). Additional Chapters were updated to align procedures, add or update definitions, and add applicability statements. The Parking and Loading Requirements (Chapter 18.36) were updated to house nearly all of the parking regulations in one place in order to improve usability.

Commercial Form Type Case Studies

Since zoning codes are best described as reference books, and do not offer gripping narratives for cover to cover reading, Planning staff advises readers to first look at the Form Zone Map to determine which area of town you are interested in researching in order to find the corresponding “form zone” that applies to a given property or block. Once the form zone is noted, just click on Chapter 18.29 and go to the form zone table, found near the beginning of the chapter in 18.29.01.004 (page 4). With this table, you can use the form zone column to find all of the different “form types” available to be used there and where they are located within the code. Think of the form zone table as an index for what is found in the rest of this Chapter regarding development options. The form types are the types of buildings that can be constructed, and each form type has its own specific zoning restrictions for factors such as height, design requirements and even square footage allowances.

In order to see how zoning works, illustrating how a form zone might play out in a real scenario is often the best way to assess how development or redevelopment might come to life in Golden. Staff has chosen three form types in three form zones to test these outcomes:

Main Street B-Main Street Urban Wide Form Type

See how the code could potentially redevelop the northwestern corner of Ford and 13th Streets:

Main Street A-Main Street Wide Form Type

See how the code could potentially redevelop the southwestern corner of Arapahoe and 12th Streets:

Neighborhood Corridor-Mixed Use Building

See how the code could potentially redevelop the southeastern corner of Ford and 22nd Streets:

Phase 2 Planning Commission Hearing: April 5, 2023 6:30 p.m.

Recommendation of Approval to City Council.

City Council approved Phase 2 (Commercial Zoning) on June 6, 2023
1st Reading, May 9 | 2nd Reading, June 6

Don't Zone Out, Zone In!

Still can’t find what you need? Contact Karl Onsager at konsager@cityofgolden.net

Want to see how far we have come? Scroll down to review our past efforts

  • Phase 1 - Residential form based standards
  • Phase 2 - Commercial and Mixed Use form based standards
  • Phase 2.5 - Nonconformities
  • Phase 3 - Process, Procedures, and Notification Chapter 18.10 and Use Regulations Chapter 18.28

Questions and Comments?

Have questions or comments on previous amendments or upcoming updates? Planning staff is happy to respond and meet.

  • Drop into a Listen & Learn (formerly called "office hours") at the Public Works building (1445 10th St.) Tuesdays at 1 pm.
  • Schedule a Listen & Learn appointment via Microsoft Teams or in person (in the Public Works building Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesdays), to meet with staff to discuss or learn more about the zoning code amendments.

2025 Zoning Code Update

Sustainability Menus

The city is posed to adopt the 2024 building codes (also known as the I-Codes). The adoption includes the “energy preferred building code” provides an opportunity to review the residential and nonresidential sustainability standards established in the zoning code and evaluate what standards belong in zoning versus building code.

Staff proposes the following to help guide the scope which will be discussed at the June 18, 2025 Planning Commission Study Session.

  1. Identify overlapping requirements between the zoning code and building code or other City regulations.
  2. Identify requirements or goals that are more effectively implemented through the building code, construction practices, or other parts of the zoning code.
  3. Identify requirements or options that are difficult to administer through zoning approvals and inspections.
  4. Evaluate the zoning code for broadly and effectively addressing sustainability and the best practices.

2025 State Law Responses

The State of Colorado passed a number of laws related to land-use in their 2024 summer session. Those laws relate to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), removing occupancy limits based on familial status, parking minimums for multi-family residential development, Transit Oriented Community standards, and housing planning. Many provisions in the state bills go into effect June 30, 2025. Staff has been actively attending meetings and receiving guidance for how those laws may impact Golden and what revisions to the zoning code may be necessary.

Residential Occupancy Limits

Golden currently limits residential occupancy for a dwelling to four adults and their dependents or four unrelated persons. The city may amend these standards based on practical enforcement and to better address health, safety, and welfare as considered by state law. Planning Commission reviewed draft residential occupancy limit standards at their May 21, 2025 study session.

General Zoning & Subdivision Code Update - Phase 3

After approving different types of buildings (such as homes, shops, and mixed-use spaces) in Chapter 18.29, City Council wants to review how land is used, parking rules, and the steps you take to get things approved.

Goal of Phase 3:

  • Streamlining Processes: We're putting all the steps you need to follow into one easy-to-find chapter.
  • Improving Approvals: We're changing some of the steps for getting big projects approved, like Planned Unit Developments (PUDs).
  • Making Things Clear: We're tuning the rules about how land can be used into a simple table, so it's easier to understand.
  • Listening to You: We're adding or changing rules based on what the community wants and needs, this includes expanding the mailed notice area.
  • Align the use table with parking standards.

Phase 3: Process, Procedures, and Notice

The Draft Chapter 18.10 for Process, Procedures, and Notice is heading to City Council for 1st Reading on Jan. 14 and 2nd Reading tentatively scheduled for Jan. 28 with a recommendation of approval from Planning Commission.

Staff has prepared a change matrix to help identify what is changing for process and notice as things move to Chapter 18.10.

The COG Modifications Post Procedures Public Input Draft 2024-09-20.pdf version reflects Staff's updated recommendation based on public feedback and guidance provided by DOLA regarding the 123 Affordable Housing Go! process. The revised chapter has a change log to help track how and why the draft has changed. Staff has also added a process map to depict how a complete application follows the process to receive a final decision within 90 days.

Contact konsager@cityofgolden.net with questions, comments, or concerns regarding the draft regulations or the project or to schedule a meeting.

Phase 3: Land Use Definitions Matrix

The Draft Chapter 18.28 is heading to City Council for 1st Reading on Jan. 14 and 2nd Reading tentatively scheduled for Jan. 28 with a recommendation of approval from Planning Commission .

The matrix lists the land-use, land-use definition, proposed zone-districts where the use is allowed. The matrix is being reformatted to be organized by land-use category for better comparative review. The matrix is the primary document for public feedback on definitions and the Draft Chapter 18.28 should be the primary document for feedback on land-uses and standards.

Contact konsager@cityofgolden.net with questions, comments, or concerns regarding the draft regulations or the project or to schedule a meeting.

Project Timeline:

  • Drafting - April through July 2024: We're working with experts to organize the new rules, and plan to have a first draft ready.
  • Draft Feedback – July through Aug. 2024: Residents will have a chance to give your thoughts on the first drafts posted here.
  • Targeted Feedback – Beginning July 2024: We'll talk with different groups and organizations to make sure we're making the right changes. We'll still be listening to you too. This will happen from July 2024 until we finish the public hearing process.
  • State Legislation - The Colorado legislature is considering a number of bills that may impact various components of Phase 3. Topics include ADUs, parking, housing around transit, and land-use approval processes. Staff is prepared to pivot and incorporate any new state law as they are potentially passed over the summer.
  • Public Hearing Process – Oct. 2024: Public hearings will be held where Planning Commission will give their suggestions to the City Council for approval.

Group Homes:

Questions have come up regarding proposed changes regarding Group Homes in Phase 3.

Group Homes are licensed through the State and allow up to 8 persons. You can see Staff’s proposed definition in the Land Use Definition Matrix

Group Homes are considered a residential use per C.R.S. 31-23-303 and must be allowed anywhere residential is allowed. Group Homes are generally a single-household residence that has been modified on the inside to accommodate the group living of certain individuals.

Group homes still have to meet all applicable zoning lot and development standards, building, and fire codes. Golden can regulate licensed Group Homes as long as those regulations do not result in a “tantamount prohibition of group homes.”

Group homes can be restricted by limiting the distance from another licensed group home. Locations can be further refined to located group homes with the availability of such services and facilities as convenience stores, commercial services, transportation, and public recreation facilities.

Groups homes are currently allowed “by-right” in some places and with a special use permit in others. There currently aren’t any additional standards for a group home. The City has not received an application for a group home in over 10 years. Staff is recommending Group Homes be allowed as a limited use which can be approved by the director administratively if they meet the following standards:

(a) No group home shall be located within 750 feet of another such Group Home as provided by C.R.S. 31-23-303.

(b) The Director may consider additional criteria allowed by C.R.S. 31-23-303 on an individual application basis.

(c) The Director may refer an application for final decision to the Planning Commission for consideration of any additional requirements permitted by C.R.S. 31-23-303. Such referral shall include evidence or findings with respect to such additional requirements and the public health, safety or welfare.

You can find some additional information regarding group home from AARP, Lakewood, and Arvada.



Image detailing mailed notices as detailed in text below.

Mailed Notice:

Golden is expanding mailed notices for public hearings.

500 feet to 750 feet

  • Notifying more people in Golden for public hearing items that may impact them, like rezonings, site development plans, and Special Use Permits.
  • Extending the notice by 250 feet can include over 140% or more addresses

100 feet to 250 feet for variances and adjustments.

  • Sometimes a public hearing item's impact is limited to more immediate neighbors. We are including more of those neighbors.

Track project status and comment here on Guiding Golden.

  • We are exploring ways to notify people of projects in their neighborhood through Guiding Golden

Email: Planning@CityofGolden.net

Check agendas and watch meetings at Cityofgolden.gov

Phase 2.5 Nonconformities

Phase 1 Residential Zoning Code-Approved May 24, 2022

Find all application materials on our Development Application Page. Want to check out projects in action? See the Planning Projects page for form zone site plans in process and approved.

Phase 2 Zoning Code drafts (March 2023)

The focus of this Phase 2 update was adding the Commercial and Mixed Use Form Zones to Chapter 18.29. However, there are also updates to the Residential Form Zones in 18.29 based on staff and Planning Commission’s use of this new zoning code over the past year.

In addition, there were a number of other updates to the code that were needed in other Chapters of the code that are impacted by the changes made to Chapter 18.29. A significant update to Title 17 (Subdivisions) was made to modernize the language and allow for form zone subdivisions. There were also significant updates to Chapters 18.40 and 18.28 to both incorporate the new form zone regulations and to delineate the legacy use zones that were not included in the form zone approach (AG, CO, RE, M1, M2 and PUD). Additional Chapters were updated to align procedures, add or update definitions, and add applicability statements. The Parking and Loading Requirements (Chapter 18.36) were updated to house nearly all of the parking regulations in one place in order to improve usability.

Commercial Form Type Case Studies

Since zoning codes are best described as reference books, and do not offer gripping narratives for cover to cover reading, Planning staff advises readers to first look at the Form Zone Map to determine which area of town you are interested in researching in order to find the corresponding “form zone” that applies to a given property or block. Once the form zone is noted, just click on Chapter 18.29 and go to the form zone table, found near the beginning of the chapter in 18.29.01.004 (page 4). With this table, you can use the form zone column to find all of the different “form types” available to be used there and where they are located within the code. Think of the form zone table as an index for what is found in the rest of this Chapter regarding development options. The form types are the types of buildings that can be constructed, and each form type has its own specific zoning restrictions for factors such as height, design requirements and even square footage allowances.

In order to see how zoning works, illustrating how a form zone might play out in a real scenario is often the best way to assess how development or redevelopment might come to life in Golden. Staff has chosen three form types in three form zones to test these outcomes:

Main Street B-Main Street Urban Wide Form Type

See how the code could potentially redevelop the northwestern corner of Ford and 13th Streets:

Main Street A-Main Street Wide Form Type

See how the code could potentially redevelop the southwestern corner of Arapahoe and 12th Streets:

Neighborhood Corridor-Mixed Use Building

See how the code could potentially redevelop the southeastern corner of Ford and 22nd Streets:

Phase 2 Planning Commission Hearing: April 5, 2023 6:30 p.m.

Recommendation of Approval to City Council.

City Council approved Phase 2 (Commercial Zoning) on June 6, 2023
1st Reading, May 9 | 2nd Reading, June 6

Don't Zone Out, Zone In!

Still can’t find what you need? Contact Karl Onsager at konsager@cityofgolden.net

  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Golden Development History

    This presentation provides an update of Golden’s Zoning Code Audit Diagnostic phase. This work was presented to the Zoning Rewrite Task Force in April of 2020. The following presentation summarizes the historical development of context types in Golden. It provides a short history of the evolution of zoning codes and how each code update has impacted development.

    This video segment provides background information that is helpful to answer the questions of the survey. 


    Share Golden Development History on Facebook Share Golden Development History on Twitter Share Golden Development History on Linkedin Email Golden Development History link
  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Parking

    This presentation provides an update of Golden’s Zoning Code Audit Diagnostic phase. This work was presented to the Zoning Rewrite Task Force in April of 2020.

    The following presentation identifies a mismatch between the commercial parking regulations of the code and Golden’s desire to support smaller, local businesses as expressed in the Golden Vision 2030.

    This video segment provides background information that is helpful to answer Questions 5 and 6 of the survey.


    Share Parking on Facebook Share Parking on Twitter Share Parking on Linkedin Email Parking link
Page last updated: 11 Jun 2025, 04:10 PM