The Town of Golden is considering nearly $92,000 in property tax exemptions for local churches, non-profit groups and other community organizations in 2027.
The town received 31 applications for permissive tax exemptions, with staff recommending 29 for approval.
If approved, the exemptions would provide about $91,747 in property tax relief.
Permissive tax exemptions allow council to waive some or all municipal property taxes on eligible properties used by organizations that provide a community benefit.
Applicants include several churches, the Kicking Horse Country Chamber of Commerce and a number of community organizations.
Two groups submitted applications after the deadline. The Golden Family Centre Society was 13 days late, while the Golden District Arts Council submitted its application 29 days late. Both are included among the recommended exemptions.
The Golden Community Economic Development Society also applied for an exemption for The Cornerstone, a mixed-use development under construction.
The project is expected to include rental housing and commercial space.
Staff recommended limiting the exemption to the portion of the property associated with affordable housing rather than the entire development.
Council also heard concerns from the public about granting a tax exemption for the project.
“On the subject of permissive tax exemption, I just want to remind Council that there are many families in Golden that own a house or rent that are also struggling,” said Gord, a local resident.
He said granting an exemption for The Cornerstone’s affordable housing component does not sit well with him when other Golden residents are also dealing with housing costs.
Gord asked council to consider those families when the issue returns for further discussion. He said he does not believe tax relief should be exclusive to the development and that other ways of funding The Cornerstone should be considered.
Two applications are recommended for rejection.
The Seventh-Day Adventist Church is not recommended for an exemption because, according to town staff, public programming or services no longer appear to operate at the property.
An application involving a parking lot owned by the Rocky Mountain Alliance Church is also recommended for rejection because the lot is on a separate bare-land property from the church.
Golden’s policy caps permissive tax exemptions at about $112,395 for 2027, putting the recommended exemptions about $20,600 below the cap.
