Sombrero Ranch road-tax district heads to November ballot in Boulder County
County commissioners referred a proposed public improvement district covering 94 parcels to Nov. 3 voters, who will decide whether to tax themselves for about $3.5 million in road work over 20 years.
Boulder County commissioners on Thursday sent a proposed public improvement district for Sombrero Ranch to voters on the Nov. 3 ballot, asking residents of the unincorporated subdivision east of Cherryvale Road whether to tax themselves for road repairs.
The proposed district would cover 94 parcels between Baseline and Arapahoe avenues. If approved, it would let the neighborhood raise money for repaving or reconstruction of about 1.47 miles of road, two chip seals and related sidewalk, curb-and-gutter, cross-pan and ditch work, according to the county petition and resolution packet.
County staff estimated the work would cost about $3.5 million over 20 years, funded by a maximum 14.47-mill levy. Staff recommended a $0 bond requirement, saying the levy should cover expected costs without bond-backed financing, according to the July 9 staff materials.
Commissioners approved Resolution 2026-040 after finding the petition met statutory requirements, including a signature threshold that staff said represented 38% of eligible electors. The ballot will ask voters whether to form the district, authorize property taxes, approve a multi-year financial obligation and allow a voter-approved revenue change tied to the financing plan.
Residents who spoke at the hearing supported the proposal, citing years of deteriorating pavement and unsuccessful efforts to secure county road funding. One speaker raised design concerns about curb-and-gutter versus existing swales, but commissioners said those details would be addressed later and were not part of the ballot decision, according to the county meeting record.
The measure reflects Boulder County's broader approach to subdivision road rebuilds. County guidance says the county generally cannot pay for large reconstruction projects in subdivisions with its transportation budget and instead has helped neighborhoods form public improvement districts, which require voter approval. The same guidance says a 2024 poll found 23% support for a property-tax increase for subdivision road repairs.
If voters approve the measure, the county would later consider a follow-up resolution formally organizing the district and authorizing the levy.