A summary of the Council Agenda package for the Oct. 21st, 2025 meeting:
Letter from Dave and Inge Clapperton, Re: Horsfall Development (previous courthouse location near medical clinic)
Dave and Inge Clapperton wrote to Town Council following a meeting with Mayor Oszust about the proposed Horsfall Bylaw changes and variance permit. They support the recommendation to proceed with Option #2 but share additional concerns similar to those raised by Trinity Lutheran Church.
Citing the Official Community Plan’s goal to preserve neighbourhood character, they argue that the proposed four-storey mixed-use building with ground-floor commercial space does not fit the surrounding residential area.
They suggest removing the commercial floor, leaving a three-storey residential-only building, which they believe would better align with community values and help reduce parking and traffic issues. They ask that this alternative be discussed with the developer.
Letter from Justin Baun Regarding Proposed BC Housing Project
Golden resident Justin Baun, has submitted a suggested alternative proposal following the recent public information session.
Baun acknowledges concerns about parking, traffic congestion, and zoning variances tied to the current downtown site and suggests a land swap between the Town of Golden and the Province to relocate the project to the existing dog park on 12th Street South.
He argues this location offers ample space for the building design as-is, with additional room for parking, green space, and outdoor play areas for residents. The site would still be within walking distance of essential amenities like schools, parks, and grocery stores.
Addressing potential environmental concerns, Baun notes the dog park’s soil contamination involves salt rather than toxic substances and believes remediation would be minimal or possibly unnecessary, particularly for above-ground construction.
He also mentions that 12th Street’s infrastructure is newer and better suited to handle such development, compared to known sewer issues on 11th Avenue.
Baun proposes that if the land swap were to proceed, the current 11th Avenue property could be converted into a public parking lot, funded in part by the town’s existing parking reserve of over $100,000. This lot could serve local businesses, the civic centre, and tourism traffic, with options for paid parking, seniors’ passes, and community event exemptions to help fund maintenance.
In closing, Baun emphasizes that his suggestion is not self-serving but rather a community-minded solution that could reduce conflict, support future affordable housing phases nearby, and create a more suitable environment for the women and children the project is intended to help.
Parks Canada to present Updated Species at Risk Action Plans 2025
Parks Canada is updating its Multi-Species Action Plans for Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks, replacing the 2017 versions with new 2025 plans. The updates aim to support the conservation and recovery of species listed under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA), while also including additional species of conservation concern within park boundaries.
The updated plans fulfill Parks Canada’s legal obligations under Section 47 of the SARA, ensuring progress toward population and recovery goals. While the list of species has been revised to reflect new information and newly listed species, the core recovery strategies remain consistent with the 2017 plans.
Parks Canada is currently seeking feedback from stakeholders before the plans are finalized. The draft versions will be available for a 60-day public comment period in fall 2025.
Summary of the 2025 Multi-Species Action Plans for Banff, Yoho & Kootenay National Parks
Parks Canada has released updated 2025 Multi-Species Action Plans (MSAPs) for Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks, replacing the 2017 versions. While the updated plans expand the number and scope of species covered, the core conservation strategies remain unchanged—focusing on land and water management, species recovery, applied research, partnerships, and public awareness.
The 2017 plan addressed seven listed species and launched 31 recovery measures (25 completed).
The 2025 plan expands coverage to include 20 species, comprising:
• 11 SARA-listed Endangered or Threatened species
• 4 Special Concern species
• 5 additional species of conservation concern (COSEWIC assessed but not yet listed).
New species include the Bank Swallow, Barn Swallow, Black Swift, Bull Trout, Grizzly Bear, several bat species, Limber Pine, Western Bumble Bee, and Wolverine.
Removed species: Common Nighthawk and Olive-sided Flycatcher (both reclassified as Special Concern, requiring no new recovery actions).
Yoho National Park
The 2017 plan covered three listed species with 16 recovery measures initiated and 12 completed.
The 2025 update expands to 11 species total:
• 6 Endangered or Threatened species
• 4 Special Concern species
• 1 COSEWIC-assessed species of concern.
Newly added species include Bank and Barn Swallows, Black Swift, Grizzly Bear, Western Bumble Bee, Western Toad, Westslope Cutthroat Trout (Pacific population), and Wolverine.
Removed species: Olive-sided Flycatcher (reclassified as Special Concern).
The 2017 plan addressed five species, with 21 recovery measures initiated and 14 completed.
The 2025 plan broadens coverage to 14 species, including:
• 8 Endangered or Threatened species
• 5 Special Concern species
• 1 COSEWIC-assessed species.
Newly added species include Bank and Barn Swallows, Black Swift, Grizzly Bear, Limber Pine, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Northern Rubber Boa, Western Bumble Bee, Western Toad, Westslope Cutthroat Trout (Pacific population), and Wolverine.
Removed species: Common Nighthawk and Olive-sided Flycatcher (reclassified as Special Concern).
Overall Summary
Across all three parks, the 2025 MSAPs introduce more species, update federal listings, and integrate five years of new ecological data and field research.
While species rosters have evolved to reflect current conservation priorities, the recovery goals and management frameworks remain consistent—advancing habitat protection, ecosystem resilience, and collaboration with research partners and Indigenous communities to support at-risk species in the mountain national parks.
Local Government Engagement invited on Infrastructure Projects Act (Bill 15)
The BC Ministry of Infrastructure is inviting local governments to participate in the next phase of engagement on the Infrastructure Projects Act (Bill 15), which will guide how Provincially Significant Projects are identified and regulated.
Two webinars are being held to gather feedback and provide more detail about the tools within the Act and Phase 1 regulatory development, specifically the criteria for designating projects as provincially significant.
• Webinar 1: For local government staff, held October 8, 2025
• Webinar 2: For elected officials, scheduled for October 22, 2025, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Ministers Bowinn Ma (Infrastructure) and Brittny Anderson (State and Rural Communities) will attend the October 22 session. Feedback gathered from these webinars will be combined with results from Phase 1 public engagement, which has now concluded, to help shape the regulations and implementation framework for the new Act.
Town of Golden Bylaw Enforcement – Q3 2025 Report
The third-quarter bylaw enforcement report provides Town Council with an overview of enforcement and education activities from July through September 2025, along with priorities for the final quarter of the year. The Town continues to emphasize education-first enforcement to encourage voluntary compliance.
Q3 Enforcement Focus:
1. Watering Restrictions
Due to a wet, cool summer, few infractions occurred as bylaw officers conducted proactive patrols based on weather conditions.
2. Bear Bins and Wildlife Attractants
Bear Aware Coordinator Jenni Barrera worked with the Bylaw Officer and Conservation Officer to reduce wildlife attractants. Her educational outreach included attending Skybridge night markets, Farmers Markets, summer camp presentations, and participating in the Wild Bear Festival. She also launched an educational tagging program for bear-resistant garbage bins.
3. Animal Control Bylaw Development
A new Animal Control Bylaw draft was completed and reviewed by staff, legal counsel, and the BC SPCA. It will be presented to Council in Q4 2025, followed by public education initiatives.
4. Parking Education and Data Collection
Bylaw expanded two-hour parking patrols to gather data and improve compliance. The most common issues were overstaying time limits, parking in the wrong direction, and improper angle parking.
Violations were most frequent:
• In front of the Patlar Building
• 9th Ave. N (7-Eleven to RE/MAX)
• In front of OSO on 7th St. N
• In front of Higher Ground Café
Peak parking times were 2–4 p.m. daily, especially busy on Wednesdays during the Farmers Market. Many visitors asked if paid parking was required.
Enforcement Statistics (Q3 2025)
• Warnings issued: 89
• Tickets issued: 13 (5 paid = $240; 8 outstanding = $540)
• Files opened: 164
• Files closed: 155
• Dogs licensed: 41
• Stray dogs impounded/released: 0
• Vehicles towed: 1
• General inquiries: 28 (topics included short-term rentals, traffic, permits, refuse, and bylaw boundaries)
Q4 2025 Priorities
1. Snow removal enforcement and education
2. Finalization of Animal Control Bylaw
3. Short-Term Rental (STR) enforcement
Ongoing focus will continue on parking and illegal camping.
Graphs and data provided in the full report will help Council evaluate enforcement trends and allocate resources toward the issues most important to Golden residents.
The full package is available for download from the Town’s website: Golden.ca
