Council introduces West Greeley GID ordinances as residents press pause on Cascadia financing

The City of Greeley City Council on Aug. 5 voted 4-2 to introduce ordinances establishing two West Greeley general improvement districts (GIDs) — one residential and one commercial — and scheduled second readings for Aug. 19, a procedural step that would allow the districts to pursue a TABOR ballot authorization for future bond issuance.

The move matters because council members and staff said the TABOR authorization would create the mechanism to issue debt for regional infrastructure in West Greeley; staff presented a model that contemplates about $129 million in GID bonds, though the ordinances do not set a mill levy or obligate the city to immediate borrowing.

Councilman Peyton, Councilmember Olsen and Councilmember McDonald joined Mayor Pro Tem Hall to approve introducing the ordinances; Council member Butler and Council member Debuti voted no. Councilmember Butler objected to the timing and said the council should consider waiting until zoning and sensitivity analyses are complete. Councilmember Debuti asked for clearer answers about whether properties would be forced to join a GID and how metro districts would interact with a GID.

Brian McBroom, director of community development, told council the two ordinances are narrow because state law requires a petition from a property owner to start a GID. "A single property owner submitted petitions asking the city to form two GIDs," McBroom said, and additional property owners would petition to…