What is a Metro District - Explanation

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A Metro District in Colorado is a type of local government entity formed under Title 32 of the Colorado state statute. These districts are created to fund, oversee, and sometimes operate critical public infrastructure necessary for new residential and commercial developments.

Here are some key points about Metro Districts:

  • Formation: Metro districts are formed when a service plan is approved by the governing jurisdiction where the district is proposed to be located. This service plan outlines the conditions for how the district operates.

  • Governance: Once formed, a metro district is its own government entity that can raise revenues through levying property taxes on property in the district and charging fees, rates, and tolls. Eligible electors in a metro district include anyone who lives in the district or is under contract to purchase property in the district.

  • Purpose: The primary purpose of metro districts is to fund public infrastructure associated with a development, such as sewers, streets, water, and parks. They ensure that the costs of public improvements are localized to the specific community rather than spread throughout the entire city, town, or county.

Metro districts have become a vital financing tool to support the rapid growth in Colorado, especially after the passage of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights amendment in 1992 (TABOR), which limited municipalities' ability to raise taxes for public infrastructure.

What is a Metro District - Explanation

 

A Metro District in Colorado is a type of local government entity formed under Title 32 of the Colorado state statute. These districts are created to fund, oversee, and sometimes operate critical public infrastructure necessary for new residential and commercial developments.

Here are some key points about Metro Districts:

  • Formation: Metro districts are formed when a service plan is approved by the governing jurisdiction where the district is proposed to be located. This service plan outlines the conditions for how the district operates.

  • Governance: Once formed, a metro district is its own government entity that can raise revenues through levying property taxes on property in the district and charging fees, rates, and tolls. Eligible electors in a metro district include anyone who lives in the district or is under contract to purchase property in the district.

  • Purpose: The primary purpose of metro districts is to fund public infrastructure associated with a development, such as sewers, streets, water, and parks. They ensure that the costs of public improvements are localized to the specific community rather than spread throughout the entire city, town, or county.

Metro districts have become a vital financing tool to support the rapid growth in Colorado, especially after the passage of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights amendment in 1992 (TABOR), which limited municipalities' ability to raise taxes for public infrastructure.