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Adams County to redraw enterprise-zone boundaries after state redesignation process
Summary
County economic development staff said enterprise zone administration moved in-house in 2024 and that the state’s 10-year redesignation process will require Adams County to submit proposed boundaries in August; municipalities must provide feedback to staff this week.
Adams County economic development staff told the Board of County Commissioners they will submit proposed enterprise-zone boundaries to the state this summer as part of a 10-year redesignation process and asked municipalities to supply final boundary feedback by the county’s near-term deadline.
The county took over administration of the state enterprise zone program in 2024. That program provides state tax credits intended to encourage investment—ranging from job training and hiring to building rehabilitation—in designated census tracts. Staff said the state’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade and the Colorado Economic Development Commission will review redesignation applications and adopt new boundaries on a schedule staff described as culminating January 2, 2026.
Why it matters: The enterprise zone designation lets businesses in qualifying areas claim state tax credits tied to job training, hiring, benefits and investment in vacant commercial buildings. Redrawing boundaries affects which parts of Adams County will remain eligible for those state credits.
Staff explained the state’s typical criteria for redesignation: elevated unemployment rates, lower population growth and lower per-capita income. “To qualify, you must meet at least one of those,” staff said, while noting that several parts of Adams County meet multiple criteria. Staff said they coordinated with municipal economic-development staff to propose strategic corridors and growth areas to keep in the enterprise zone.
Staff gave timeline details: the county will submit an initial application in August, receive feedback from state reviewers in the fall, adjust boundaries as needed in response to state guidance, and adopt final boundaries in January. Staff asked municipalities to send final boundary feedback by the board-requested deadline (described in the meeting as next Wednesday) so staff could map them in GIS and include municipal input in the county submission.
A commissioner asked whether the county may create more than one noncontiguous enterprise zone; staff said state rules allow a single enterprise-zone designation for the county that may be noncontiguous, but the total population served by the county enterprise zone must not exceed the state threshold staff cited (about 115,000). Staff noted Adams County’s current enterprise-zone population is larger (about 148,000) and that, as areas become more successful, they often lose eligibility over time.
Ending: Staff said they will continue coordinating with municipal partners on proposed boundaries, produce GIS maps based on municipal feedback and return to the board with proposed boundaries before the county submits its application to the state.
