2021 Colorado Code
Title 31 - Government - Municipal
Article 25 - Public Improvements
Part 8 - Downtown Development Authorities
§ 31-25-807. Powers - Duties

1. The board, subject to the provisions of this part 8 and subject to other applicable provisions of law, shall have all powers customarily vested in the board of directors of a corporation. It shall exercise supervisory control over the activities of the director and the staff of the authority in carrying out the functions authorized by this part 8.
2. In addition to the powers granted by subsection (1) of this section, the board may:
   1. Appoint and remove a director and other staff members, who shall be employed upon recommendation of the director, and prescribe their duties and fix their compensation which shall be paid from funds available to the authority;
   2. At the request of the governing body, prepare an analysis of economic changes taking place in the central business district of the municipality;
   3. Study and analyze the impact of metropolitan growth upon the central business district;
   4. Plan and propose, within the downtown development area, plans of development for public facilities and other improvements to public or private property of all kinds, including removal, site preparation, renovation, repair, remodeling, reconstruction, or other changes in existing buildings which may be necessary or appropriate to the execution of any such plan which in the opinion of the board will aid and improve the downtown development area;
   5. To implement, as provided in this part 8, any plan of development, whether economic or physical, in the downtown development area as is necessary to carry out its functions;
   6. In cooperation with the planning board and the planning department of the municipality, develop long-range plans designed to carry out the purposes of the authority as stated in section 31-25-801 and to promote the economic growth of the district and may take such steps as may be necessary to persuade property owners and business proprietors to implement such plans to the fullest extent possible;
   7. Retain and fix the compensation of legal counsel to advise the board in the proper performance of its duties;
   8. Make and enter into all contracts necessary or incidental to the exercise of its powers and the performance of its duties.

3. 1. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary and subject to subsection (3)(a)(IV) of this section, any such plan of development as originally adopted by the board or as later modified pursuant to this part 8 may, after approval by the governing body of the municipality, contain a provision that taxes, if any, levied after the effective date of the approval of such plan of development by said governing body upon taxable property within the boundaries of the plan of development area each year or that municipal sales taxes collected within said area, or both such taxes, by or for the benefit of any public body shall be divided for a period not to exceed thirty years or such longer period as provided for in subsection (3)(a)(IV) of this section after the effective date of approval by said governing body of such a provision, as follows:
      1. That portion of the taxes which are produced by the levy at the rate fixed each year by or for each such public body upon the valuation for assessment of taxable property within the boundaries of the plan of development area last certified prior to the effective date of approval by said governing body of the plan, or, as to an area later added to the boundaries of the plan of development area, the effective date of the modification of the plan, or that portion of municipal sales taxes collected within the boundaries of said development area in the twelve-month period ending on the last day of the month prior to the effective date of approval of said plan, or both such portions, shall be paid into the funds of each such public body as are all other taxes collected by or for said public body.
      2. That portion of said property taxes or all or any portion of said sales taxes, or both, in excess of such amount shall be allocated to and, when collected, paid into a special fund of the municipality for the payment of the principal of, the interest on, and any premiums due in connection with the bonds of, loans or advances to, or indebtedness incurred by, whether funded, refunded, assumed, or otherwise, the municipality for financing or refinancing, in whole or in part, a development project within the boundaries of the plan of development area. Any excess municipal sales tax collection not allocated pursuant to this subparagraph (II) shall be paid into the funds of the municipality. Unless and until the total valuation for assessment of the taxable property within the boundaries of the plan of development area exceeds the base valuation for assessment of the taxable property within such boundaries, as provided in subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (a), all of the taxes levied upon the taxable property in such boundary area shall be paid into the funds of the respective public bodies. Unless and until the total municipal sales tax collections in the plan of development area exceed the base year municipal sales tax collections in such area, as provided in subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (a), all such sales tax collections shall be paid into the funds of the municipality. When such bonds, loans, advances, and indebtedness, if any, including interest thereon and any premiums due in connection therewith, and including any refunding securities therefor, have been paid, all taxes upon the taxable property or the total municipal sales tax collections, or both, in such boundary area shall be paid into the funds of the respective public bodies.
      3. In calculating and making payments as described in subparagraph (II) of this paragraph (a), the county treasurer may offset the authority's pro rata portion of any property taxes that are paid to the authority under the terms of subparagraph (II) of this paragraph (a) and that are subsequently refunded to the taxpayer against any subsequent payments due to the authority for the plan of development area. The authority shall make adequate provision for the return of overpayments in the event that there are not sufficient property taxes due to the authority to offset the authority's pro rata portion of the refunds. The authority may establish a reserve fund for this purpose or enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the governing body of the municipality that established the authority in which the municipality assumes responsibility for the return of the overpayments. The provisions of this subparagraph (III) shall not apply to a city and county.
      4. (A) During the final ten years of the thirty-year period during which a portion of the property taxes or sales taxes, or both, may be allocated to and, when collected, paid into the special fund of the municipality in accordance with the requirements of subparagraph (II) of this paragraph (a), the governing body may by ordinance extend the period during which property taxes shall be allocated for one additional extension of twenty years, which extension shall commence upon the expiration of the original thirty-year period, if on the first day of the twenty-year extension period the established base year for the allocation of property taxes pursuant to subparagraph (II) of this paragraph (a) is advanced forward by ten years and, subsequent to the completion of the first ten years of the twenty-year extension, the base year is advanced forward by one year for each additional year through the completion of the twenty-year extension. The governing body may also by ordinance extend the period during which sales taxes shall be allocated for one additional extension of twenty years with no change to the established sales tax base year. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subparagraph (IV), any extension authorized pursuant to this subparagraph (IV) may only be considered by the governing body during the final ten years of the original thirty-year period.

   2. The special fund described in subparagraph (II) of paragraph (a) of this subsection (3) and the tax moneys paid into such fund may be irrevocably pledged by the municipality for the payment of the principal of, the interest on, and any premiums due in connection with such bonds, loans, advances, or indebtedness if the question of issuing such bonds or otherwise providing for such loans, advances, or indebtedness and the question of any such intended pledge are first submitted for approval to the qualified electors of the district at a special election to be held for that purpose. Any such election required by this paragraph (b) shall be called by resolution of the board adopted at a regular or special meeting thereof and approved by the governing body by a vote of a majority of the members thereof at least thirty days prior to such election. Except with respect to the qualifications of electors, such election together with all attendant preparations therefor and proceedings thereafter shall be held and conducted in the manner prescribed by law for the holding and conducting of other regular or special elections in the municipality. This irrevocable pledge shall not extend to any taxes that are placed in a reserve fund to be returned to the county for refunds of overpayments by taxpayers; except that this limitation on the extension of the irrevocable pledge shall not apply to a city and county.
   3. As used in this subsection (3), “taxes” shall include, but not be limited to, all levies authorized to be made on an ad valorem basis upon real and personal property or municipal sales taxes; but nothing in this subsection (3) shall be construed to require any public body to levy taxes.
   4. In the case of such plan of development areas, school districts which include all or any part of such plan of development area shall be permitted to participate in an advisory capacity with respect to the inclusion in a plan of development of the provision provided for by this subsection (3).
   5. In the event there is a general reassessment of taxable property valuations in any county including all or part of the plan of development area subject to division of valuation for assessment under paragraph (a) of this subsection (3) or a change in the sales tax percentage levied in any municipality including all or part of the downtown development area subject to division of sales taxes under paragraph (a) of this subsection (3), the portions of valuations for assessment or sales taxes under both subparagraphs (I) and (II) of paragraph (a) of this subsection (3) shall be proportionately adjusted in accordance with such reassessment or change.
   6. The manner and method by which the requirements of subparagraph (IV) of paragraph (a) of this subsection (3) are to be implemented by the county assessors shall be contained in such manuals, appraisal procedures, and instructions, as applicable, that the property tax administrator is authorized to prepare and publish pursuant to section 39-2-109 (1)(e), C.R.S.

4. 1. An authority shall not actually undertake a development project for a plan of development area unless the governing body, by resolution, has first approved the plan of development which applies to such development project.
   2. Prior to its approval of a plan of development, the governing body shall submit such plan to the planning board of the municipality, if any, for review and recommendations. The planning board shall submit its written recommendations with respect to the proposed plan of development to the governing body within thirty days after receipt of the plan for review. Upon receipt of the recommendations of the planning board or, if no recommendations are received within said thirty days, without such recommendations, the governing body may proceed with the hearing on the proposed plan of development prescribed by paragraph (c) of this subsection (4).
   3. The governing body shall hold a public hearing on a plan of development or substantial modification of an approved plan of development after public notice thereof by publication once by one publication during the week immediately preceding the hearing in a newspaper having a general circulation in the municipality. The notice shall describe the time, date, place, and purpose of the hearing, shall generally identify the plan of development area covered by the plan, and shall outline the general scope of the development project under consideration.
   4. Following such hearing, the governing body may approve a plan of development if it finds that there is a need to take corrective measures in order to halt or prevent deterioration of property values or structures within the plan of development area or to halt or prevent the growth of blighted areas therein, or any combination thereof, and if it further finds that the plan will afford maximum opportunity, consistent with the sound needs and plans of the municipality as a whole, for the development or redevelopment of the plan of development area by the authority and by private enterprise.

History. Source: L. 76: Entire part added, p. 704, § 1, effective April 26. L. 77: (3) and (4) added, p. 1474, § 4, effective June 19. L. 81: (2)(d), (2)(f), (3)(a), (3)(c), (3)(e), and (4)(d) amended, p. 1518, § 5, effective July 1. L. 82: (3)(a)(II) amended, p. 627, § 36, effective April 2. L. 2002: IP(3)(a) amended, p. 1943, § 1, effective August 7. L. 2008: IP(3)(a) amended and (3)(a)(IV) and (3)(f) added, pp. 974, 975, §§ 1, 2, effective August 5; (3)(a)(III) added and (3)(b) amended, p. 1246, §§ 3, 4, effective August 5. L. 2013: IP(3)(a) amended,(HB 13-1295), ch. 314, p. 1656, § 13, effective July 1, 2014. L. 2019: IP(3)(a) amended,(HB 19-1240), ch. 264, p. 2503, § 12, effective June 1.

For the legislative declaration in the 2013 act amending the introductory portion of subsection (3)(a), see section 1 of chapter 314, Session Laws of Colorado 2013.