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Maize residents press council over surprise special assessments; ordinance adopted
Summary
After a public hearing on June 15, Maize City Council adopted an ordinance levying special assessments for multiple subdivisions; homeowners pressed staff about unexpected later‑phase charges and disclosure by developers or realtors. Property owners will have an opportunity to prepay.
Maize — Maize City Council on June 15 adopted an ordinance authorizing the levy and collection of special assessments for several subdivisions after a public hearing in which homeowners complained about newly announced charges they said were not disclosed when they bought their homes.
Henry Schmidt, the city’s municipal advisor with Ransen Financial Group, told the council that notices were mailed to property owners and that, if owners do not prepay, the assessments will be rolled into a 20‑year bond. “Property owners can prepay the full amount, a partial amount, or they don't have to prepay, and it'll be rolled into a 20‑year bond,” Schmidt said, adding that the bond sale and final interest rate are expected to be set at the August bond sale and collections would begin on the December 2026 tax bills.
Several homeowners, including Colton Schmucker and Natalie Burrus, said they were surprised by new assessment notices. “When we signed the mortgage...we had $36,000 some dollars in specials on sign, that was transparent. We just got this letter that there's nearly $30,000 more in improvements,” Schmucker said, describing the new notice he received for water, sewer and paving. Burrus asked how many future phases remain; staff said Eagles Nest included phase three and four and that this set of items finalizes those phases in many developments.
Council and staff explained the mechanics: the city typically fronts construction costs during development, takes temporary notes while work is completed, then spreads the final costs among benefiting lots when the project is bond financed. Staff said they obtain multiple contractor bids and can provide those bids to concerned property owners. Schmidt and staff repeatedly emphasized that developers or builders set the initial project spreads when they petition the city and that the city cannot fix long‑term bond interest until the bond sale.
The ordinance covers assessments for a list of projects the city identified at the hearing, including Arvveda (Arvada) second edition, Fox Creek edition, Eagle's Nest second edition (phase three and four), a series of Woodard phases, Stone Ridge Estates, Sky Crest second edition and Eagle View Estates. Staff told property owners the city will send a follow‑up notice with the specific prepayment deadline, and that state statute requires the city to give owners the opportunity to prepay.
Votes at a glance: council approved the ordinance authorizing the levying and collection of the listed special assessments and later approved related development and contract items on the consent and business agendas.
The ordinance passed after a motion and second; council members recorded at least one opposition on separate votes during the evening's business. Staff said they will mail a second notice with prepayment timing (staff indicated owners have a statutory opportunity to prepay and will receive specific dates in a July notice).
What happens next: property owners who wish to prepay should watch for the second notice staff promised; owners who do not prepay will see the assessments spread on county tax bills after the August bond sale and the December 2026 tax cycle.
