City planning staff to study downtown development authority as part of general-improvement-district analysis

Regan, a City of Boulder staff member, updated the commission on May 6 about the general improvement district (GID) analysis conducted with consultant Progressive Urban Management Associates (PUMA).

PUMA’s recommendations, Regan said, included exploring whether a Downtown Development Authority (DDA) could address gaps in district funding and operations. Regan said the presentation had been taken to city council and was "well received and supported by council," and that staff will now scope a deeper phase-two analysis to evaluate DDA feasibility.

Why it matters: A DDA would represent a major change in governance and funding for commercial areas and could significantly affect how University Hill and other commercial districts are managed and financed.

Next steps Regan outlined include receiving a final PUMA report (staff expected to complete review in the coming weeks), drafting a scope of work for the DDA analysis (financial modeling, governance evaluation, community engagement), and working toward a target to put a measure on the November 2026 ballot if analysis supports that path.

Regan said questions remain about whether existing GIDs (including UJID) would remain in place, change, or dissolve in a DDA scenario; those governance options will be assessed in the next phase. Staff will return with a proposal for consultant scope, timeline and budget to complete the DDA feasibility study and the broader commercial-area blueprint work that will align with the Boulder Valley Comp Plan update.

Commissioners had no immediate objection and asked staff to keep the commission informed as scope and community engagement plans are developed.