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Consultants outline funding and governance options in improvement‑district analysis; Downtown Development Authority and Tourism revenue share discussed
Summary
PUMA consultants presented preliminary findings on the city’s general improvement districts, flagging priorities including Pearl Street activation, mobility, safety and capital needs. They proposed near‑term and long‑term revenue and governance options — including a tourism improvement district revenue share, a downtown development authority, a
Consultants from PUMA updated the Downtown Management Commission on a district analysis of existing general improvement districts. The firm summarized priorities, challenges and potential near‑term and long‑term scenarios for funding and governance.
PUMA said its work so far has reviewed district history, governance, assessment methods, commercial market indicators (property values, vacancy and sales tax), and prior plans and studies. The consultants flagged recurring priorities for downtown: Pearl Street improvements and activation, civic‑area redevelopment, public safety, mobility and connectivity (including links to The Hill and Boulder Junction), and operational and maintenance efficiencies.
Among near‑term and longer‑term financing and governance ideas the consultants discussed were:
- A short‑term revenue share from the city’s newly formed tourism improvement district (a charge on hotel room nights) to fund visitor‑experience and wayfinding work that connects new hotels and the Hill to downtown.
- Exploring a Downtown Development Authority (DDA) that could use tax‑increment financing to capture future increases in property and sales tax revenues for reinvestment in downtown and the Broadway corridor.
- Public improvement fees (PIF) targeted to downtown, special district financing options, and site‑specific urban renewal tools for capital projects.
- Clarifying the flow of parking revenues and the distinctions between city‑owned parking facilities and those within a general improvement district’s purview.
Consultants said they will present more concrete recommendations at a special joint commissions meeting scheduled for April 8 (4–6 p.m.), followed by a city council study session on April 24. They encouraged commission members to attend the April 8 meeting in person, when the team will compare scenarios across districts and discuss next steps.
