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Commission recommends city council place proposed Downtown Development Authority measures on November ballot
Summary
The University Hill Commercial Area Management Commission voted to recommend that city council submit three ballot questions to form a Downtown Development Authority, authorize tax-increment financing and adopt a 3.674 mill levy; staff outlined voter eligibility, funding tools and next steps toward an August council hearing.
A commissioner moved and the commission approved a formal recommendation asking Boulder City Council to put proposed Downtown Development Authority (DDA) measures on the November ballot, a vote that would ask electors inside the proposed boundary to decide whether to form the authority and authorize its financing tools.
City staff member Reagan, presenting the DDA proposal, told the commission that the authority would be a state-authorized public entity with a board, a dedicated funding stream and a 30-year plan of development to guide investments. "A DDA is a state authorized public entity focused on the long term economic vitality of a defined district," Reagan said, explaining that the proposal combines tax increment financing (TIF), a property mill levy and coordination of existing parking assets as the primary funding sources.
Why it matters: staff presented inflation-adjusted data showing downtown sales tax receipts were about 10% below 2019 levels and property valuations down roughly 19% from 2019, while the Hill showed signs of recovery in 2025. Staff and commissioners said the authority is intended to reverse those trends by funding redevelopment, activation, business support, improved maintenance and mobility projects that are difficult to finance through annual budgets alone.
Details and voter process: staff said the referral would create three ballot questions for eligible electors within the proposed boundary: (1) formation of the DDA and its boundary; (2) authorization of tax increment financing; and (3) adoption of a mill levy (presented as 3.674 mills using current rates). Reagan explained eligible electors include Colorado-registered voters who own, lease or live within the boundary; property-owning entities would need to designate a registered elector and request a ballot. Puma, the city's consultant, estimated about 2,275 eligible electors (559 residents, 536 property owners and about 1,100 lessees).
Next steps: staff said the City Council will hold a public hearing Aug. 6 and that no tax increment revenue would be collected until a council-adopted plan of development and subsequent approvals are in place. The commission's recommendation will be included in the council memo; staff emphasized that any campaign for the ballot must be community led because city staff and consultants cannot advocate for or against the measure.
The commission agreed to provide a formal recommendation to council and discussed supporting outreach, informational mailers and community-led campaigning to inform residents, lessees and property owners about the ballot process.
Ending: The commission passed the recommendation in the meeting; staff and commissioners noted follow-up steps including preparing formal recommendation language, continuing stakeholder outreach and presenting information at the August council hearing.
