Brighton officials begin push to replace expiring urban renewal authority with Downtown Development Authority

Brighton leaders heard a presentation on Jan. 14 laying out a multi-step plan to form a Downtown Development Authority, a local taxing and management district that officials say could provide long-term, dedicated funding and services for downtown.

Consultants from Progressive Urban Management Associates and legal counsel from Spencer Fane told the Brighton City Council and the Brighton Urban Renewal Authority that the Urban Renewal Authority’s downtown plan area will sunset in 2027 and, unless an alternative is adopted, dedicated downtown funding will end. Aaron Herrera, executive director of the Brighton Urban Renewal Authority, said the authority “cannot do this without your support” and introduced the consultant team.

A DDA is created under Colorado state law and is intended to support economic vitality and physical improvements in a central business district, consultants said. Unlike urban renewal, a DDA does not require finding “blight” and does not have eminent domain authority. Instead, a DDA implements a “plan of development” and can use tax-increment financing and (with voter approval) a mill levy to…