Nathan Mudd
Candidate for Arvada City Council – District 3

2025 – Answered the following questions from APA:

Learn more about Nathan Mudd at nathanforarvada.com

What is your plan to help the city reach 100% renewable energy use by 2035? What are some other initiatives you would champion to help Arvada become more sustainable?

Mudd: I care deeply about the environment. I received my law degree to focus on and practice environmental law. Thereafter, I started the Arvada and Westminster Farmers Markets to continue my devotion to promoting healthy choices, a healthy environment, and a strong and healthy local economy. To achieve 100% renewable in the next 10 years is a tall order. At the City level, some of the items to help do so would be a focus on renewable auto fleets, renewable-based power equipment, and purchasing renewable power sources for equipment. However, it must be considered that “end user” output (in this case the City) for renewables, does have an impact on downstream or upstream producers, especially when contemplating battery-operated
machinery or vehicles. While I will promote the admirable goals of 100% renewable, I will remain cognizant of the larger picture and the impact on surrounding communities.

What does the city need to do to address the 24/7 year-round shelter needs of the homeless in Arvada, without putting the burden only on Mission Arvada?

Mudd: The issue(s) surrounding homelessness are much larger regionally than Arvada. To truly begin to address the issues, Arvada will need to be part of a region-wide approach, and that starts with our largest neighbor Denver. Suppose Arvada were to “solve” the issue with the current homeless population; such populations from other nearby communities (again and especially Denver) would most likely create an increase in the population in Arvada, thus again overwhelming the services Arvada can provide. In the immediate term, exclusive housing policies should be reviewed to determine what target assets can be acquired by the City, County, or State, to also include private organizations that can contribute to the solution. The ongoing situation that the city finds itself in where it had a proposed solution should have been handled differently to include neighbors and partner organizations in the planning, acquisition, and deployment phases as related to the “Navigation Center.” Moving forward, governmental, community organizations, and potentially affected neighbors must be included at all phases to achieve adequate facilities.

Walk-ability and bike paths are increasingly popular. What are your ideas to increase the walk-ability of neighborhoods and assist the ease and safety of bicycle riders?

Mudd: In similar fashion to my answer in question 1 above, I highly value walkable and bikeable areas throughout our community. What has been achieved in the Olde Town Area is indeed feasible in multiple other areas of our city as well. Such infrastructure is key to building healthier, more connected, and more sustainable communities. To do so, I support investments in wider and safer sidewalks, increased and better lighting (focusing on a reduction of light pollution), and various traffic to promote the same. Such measures are especially important near our schools, parks, and shopping areas.

Expanding such network can promote connections between neighborhoods, transit areas, and shopping areas. Increased bike parking, public education, and a stronger focus on enforcement of traffic laws will also promote the overall availability of biking and walkability areas throughout our city.

How will you promote fair and equitable treatment of diverse and marginalized communities in terms of fair policing, economic advantages, and employment?

Mudd: As I am deeply committed to building a healthy community, fairness and equity must be at the core of everything we do and grow as a city. Whether it is food systems, economic opportunity, or public safety, it is mandatory that as a community, government, and our businesses provide resources and access as the same is reflective of basic human decency. My vision is simple: every person deserves access to safety, opportunity, and dignity.

Fair policing ensures that our police practice community-centered and transparent enforcement. While I support traditional policing that protects our community to provide the safety and comfort every community deserves, I also believe alternatives—like mental health responders and community mediation—support and create an even healthier and safe community as well.

Economic opportunity is core to my belief system as a person, small business owner, community organizer, and truly involved citizen. When we support small businesses, farmers, and community entrepreneurs—especially to include marginalized communities—we lift up everyone. That’s why I advocate for micro-grants, mentorship, and co-op models that prioritize people in our community from all walks of life. A strong local economy that provides opportunity within our community strengthens all aspects of our community from personal development to our environment to our pride in local community. Regarding Employment, my beliefs are in lock step with Economic Opportunity as they are incredibly intertwined. Communities thrive when they have employment opportunities that allow their citizens to live, work, and play close to home. This requires meaningful and stable work that aligns with our core values as a community.

What is your opinion about citizen-initiated resolutions presented to the council for adoption?

Mudd: I believe that citizen involvement is a cornerstone of democracy. Once presented to council, I believe that it is incumbent upon Council to process, review, and debate the same in accordance with the city charter and applicable statutes and ordinances. As a city councilor, I will welcome such citizen and community involvement.

What should be done about short-term/vacation rentals in Arvada?

Mudd: I strongly believe in property rights of property owners. However, distant or corporate owners may not truly understand the community and may be unaware (or not care) of the consequences of their business endeavors. Based on the knowledge that I currently have, and based on the research I have done around this issue related to the community impacts, I am currently of the opinion that system needs to be enacted that keeps short-term rental properties in check. I have heard multiple stories from neighbors related to issues caused by unruly renters, in addition to a decline in hyper-local community when short-term rentals replace long-term residents. Additionally, Arvada is currently experiencing issues surrounding our housing stock. Based on evidence from mountain and ski towns in our state, it has become clear that short-term rentals have become a large contributing factor to elevated housing prices. In turn, our lower-income earners that we depend on for a fully functioning and inclusive community are being priced out, contributing to a talent shortage (that also coincidentally contributes to increased carbon levels when the same must travel ever increasing distances to work in the Arvada community). One potential solution is the lottery permit system currently being deployed in certain mountain communities. At this time, I would like to begin to see and understand more results from those cities and towns for possible implementation in Arvada.

What would you do to improve the physical and mental health of Arvada residents?

Mudd: While some keys to improving mental health require medical intervention, we need to think more holistically from the ground up. One of the tenets of my belief is that healthy food leads to healthy families, leads to healthy communities. First, providing residents with access to healthy food can leads to multiple better health outcomes, including mental health. Access also leads to stability which can alleviate and reduce stress related to scarcity. Healthy food should not be a luxury as it is the foundation for both physical and mental health. Next, I believe that greater access to greenspaces, parks, and walkable neighborhoods help to keep people active and connected with their community. Additionally, we must invest in mental health support that is both local and accessible. This means working with community organizations, schools, our faith community, non-profits, and clinics to ensure that “suffering in silence” is no longer the norm. Finally, I will promote social events and wellness education that provide the citizens of Arvada opportunities for meaningful social connection.

Neighborhood schools strengthen communities. How would you work with Jeffco School District to ensure equitable access to neighborhood K-12 schools, preschools, and other educational opportunities in all areas of the city?

Mudd: As someone who believes in healthy communities, I know neighborhood schools are more than classrooms—they are the cornerstone of a free and fair democracy. My family and I have
supported public education in our community at every turn. My son has attended Jeffco Public schools his entire life and will begin High School at a JeffCo school starting in the fall. Every opportunity we have had to support school through tax increments and increases have been a welcome opportunity. Our schools are vastly underfunded, and I will do all I can to continue to support more funding for schools. In the past, we have worked with public school systems to create business education programming, environmental programming, and even hands on farming educational opportunities with the FFA. I will work within the designated City of Arvada and Jeffco School District liaison group to ensure every child in Arvada, no matter their zip code, has access to high-quality, nearby education from preschool through high school.

Some advocacy programming I would like to implement includes:

• Push for fair distribution of funding, staff, and support services across all schools—especially in
  historically underserved neighborhoods
• Leverage city planning to ensure walkable, bikeable routes to schools, and partner on safe routes
  and after-school programming
• Connect schools with local farms, health programs, and community gardens to bring hands-on
  learning, nutrition, and sustainability into everyday education

The recent announcement of numerous new business enterprises (Quantum Commons, Electra Steel, an aerospace industry, a massive AI data center at NREL Flatirons campus, etc.) will cause an influx of population and traffic. What specific steps should the City of Arvada take to update policies to meet the rental and ownership housing needs (both affordable and market driven), transportation, and infrastructure needs of west Arvada/Jeffco’s current and future workforce?

Mudd: The geographic location of Arvada places us in one of the highest demand residential areas of larger metro area. Our proximity to Boulder, the mountains, and Denver have placed increased pressure on our city, especially in relation to the desirability of new residents to move to our community. As the city is close to being “built-out” (as evidenced by the explosion of homes in our western areas), one of the few remaining solutions is to “build-up, not out.” Many in our community are unwilling or adamantly opposed to larger, multi-family housing projects. While it is indeed the more environmentally sound option (as opposed to single-family dwellings), a balance must be made to accommodate new residents. As our community grows both in terms of jobs, businesses, and new residents, smart growth that takes into account increased parks and building that is sensitive to needs of our environment must not only be considered, but implemented.

Parking is an issue in Olde Town, there is ample parking in the RTD garage, how can the city make parking in the garage more attractive and useful? What is your position on parking fees for the close in lots and spaces in Olde Town?

Mudd: In addition to living one block west of Olde Town for over 20 years, I have also operated and started and operated multiple events in Olde Town to include the Arvada Farmers Market, Second Saturdays, St Patrick’s Day, and many more. As a business owner and resident of Olde Town, I have first hand knowledge and experience of this issue. I have worked with the City over the years, and while some solutions have worked, what I believe one of the simplest solutions still has not been attempted. I am somewhat amazed that to date, most visitors to Olde Town are not aware of the RTD garage. While stuck in traffic in on a Chicago interstate over 20 years ago, a billboard read simply: “Stuck in Traffic? Don’t you wish you had taken the Metra?” A simple marketing campaign based on the same logic should be implemented in relation to parking in Olde Town: “Have trouble Parking? Did you know that a Parking Garage is only One Block South… for free?” I also believe that a coordinated marketing strategy should be implemented with the businesses of Olde Town in addition to part of the marketing for events. With my events, I do put information out multiple times each year to encourage parking in the garage.