Douglas County approves Bloom Metropolitan District service plan with 60-mill levy cap

The Douglas County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the Bloom Metropolitan District new service plan (project SV2026-001), which would establish a special district for up to 32 residential lots and an estimated 96 residents at buildout.

Principal planner DJ Beckwith told the board the plan proposes an initial debt-service mill levy of 50 mills and an operations-and-maintenance mill levy of 10 mills (a 60-mill cap), an authorized debt limit of $20,000,000, and an estimated $20,800,000 in improvement costs. The staff report and independent reviews (BBC Research and Hilltop Securities) assessed the financial plan; Hilltop concluded the district could extinguish bonds within the service-plan parameters if the plan assumptions hold.

Commissioners questioned staff about a June 25 Parker Water letter. Planner Beckwith and staffer Lauren Pulver said Parker Water will not provide service until the district is included in Parker Water’s service area and that inclusion is subject to Parker Water Board approval. The Planning Commission recommended approval by a 7–1 vote; the dissenting commissioner cited drought and water restrictions as a rationale.

Applicant counsel Megan Murphy (WBA PC) told the board that if bonds are issued and are not repaid, the financial shortfall falls to the bondholders; she said the developers and bondholders—rather than Douglas County taxpayers—bear the repayment risk. Commissioners nonetheless emphasized they expect Parker Water and other service providers to follow their own inclusion and review processes before the neighborhood proceeds.

The motion to approve the service plan carried unanimously; commissioners recorded the motion, second, and vote on the public record.