Current Status
On Tuesday, July 26, 2022 the Board of Trustees (now the Town Council) approved a new policy for how they review and approve new Metro Districts. View the approved policy. The new policy improves transparency for new homebuyers and the ability for homebuyers to more easily join metro district governing boards. The policy does not impact already existing Metro Districts (click to view PDF table of metro districts) but will be used for future applications for Metro Districts.
History of the Policy
In 2021, the Town of Erie Board of Trustees considered adopting a policy to act as a guide for the Board’s consideration of Metropolitan (Metro) District Service Plans. Metro Districts are often proposed by developers as a way to help finance new development. This is a common practice throughout Colorado, not just within Erie. Metro Districts as a completely separate entity from, and not controlled by, the Town. This means that Metro Districts can implement their own funding stream (property taxes) that are not in any way distributed outside of the District. The Town’s only authority with regard to Metro Districts is the Board of Trustees’ ability to approve a Metro District Service Plan and ensure the adopted plan is followed.
Metro District Service Plans
Such plans specify, among other things, the district boundaries, the public infrastructure that will be constructed within the district, the maximum property tax rates the Metro District may impose within the district to finance that public infrastructure, and any disclosure requirements to alert those considering purchasing property of the existence of the District.
Metro Districts are an important financing tool that enable a new residential development to “pay its own way” without imposing financial burdens on the existing community. However, the reasonableness of tax levies in Metro Districts has been a subject of concern. The adopted policy to the right is intended to address this concern and to, among other things:
Clarify the Town’s Policy Objectives regarding:
- Environmental Sustainability Outcomes
- Critical Public Infrastructure
- Smart Growth Management
- Strategic Priorities:
- Sustainability Outcomes
- Oil and Gas
- Economic Health Outcomes
- Attainable Housing
- Affordable Housing
Clarify the Town’s Evaluation Criteria for Metro District Service Plans
Specify Metro District Service Plan Requirements
Engagement & Public Comment
The public was asked to review a draft policy in October of 2021.
To help explain the draft policy in more detail and facilitate review, Town staff conducted a virtual Listening/Q&A session on the draft policy. A recording of that session is available at the top of this page.
Staff summarized all comments and shared them with the Board of Trustees for review as part of the Board’s formal consideration of the policy. The schedule for the Board’s consideration was as follows:
- Nov. 2, 2021: During Board’s Study Session to review comments received to date and discuss possible revisions to the draft policy.
- Dec. 14, 2021: During the Board’s Regular Meeting discuss the revised draft policy and take additional public comments as a General Business item.
- Jan. 11, 2022: Board consideration of resolution to adopt a final draft of the policy.
What do you want to know?
Residents were given the opportunity to provide questions and comments about the policy. This activity closed in 2021.
