Nov. 2015
WHAT’S A PID?
PID stands for Public Improvement District. A PID is available to Colorado residents
under state statutes, through the counties. The following paragraph is taken from the
Larimer County (LC) webpage for Improvement Districts:
Public Improvement Districts are formed to make public improvements through an
increase in the mill levy tax. Improvements may consist of providing fire protection
services or for the purpose of installing, or acquiring any public improvement, including,
but not limited to, fire protection facilities, grading, paving, curbing, guttering, or
otherwise improving the whole or any part of any street or alley, parking and off-street
facilities, sewer drainage collection systems, storm sewer drainage systems, and surface
drainage systems.
Why do we want a PID?
1. All property owners in the district will pay for road maintenance. Amounts are
based on property values and paid via property tax bills each year. Funds
collected go strictly to the purpose of our PID. Little Thompson Road
Association (LTRA) would work with LC’s Engineering Dept to determine the
appropriate mill levy needed for annual road maintenance, based on the
assessed value of the proposed district (the sum of all land and improvement
values within the district boundary). As most of you know, not everyone is a
member of our road association; and while some non-members do contribute,
these funds are unpredictable.
2. Larimer County will be likely to help us with road repair in times of federallydeclared disaster. In a non-federally-declared disaster, as a PID we would be a
more viable organization, with funds in emergency reserve, in addition to likely
being more eligible for grants or other means to help fund repairs. Our crossing
has flooded six times and washed out five times since 1980 and it will eventually
flood and wash out again.
Example: Pinewood Springs is a PID. Their washed-out bridges and roads
damaged in the flood are being repaired by LC with FEMA funding, with at least
one bridge to better than pre-flood condition. Our privately-maintained/publiclydedicated crossing and roads did not qualify for FEMA assistance according to
federal guidelines, thus the county could not help us in the same way it’s
rebuilding PWS bridges.
3. Larimer County would bid out our road maintenance and direct operations with
input from LTRA to determine general scope and immediate priorities. It’s
getting harder and harder for LTRA to find contractors willing and available to do
road grading. Recently, numerous state and county projects have taken priority.
4. The LTRA would likely still exist but would no longer be pleading for volunteers
to serve. With significantly less responsibility, a skeleton crew could function
well. The road association was incorporated in 1984; the by-laws are outdated
and need revision. A PID has a board of volunteers from the neighborhood who
work with the county staff.
5. Property values benefit from PID’s. Mortgage companies like them.
6. Money paid into a PID is deductible from federal income tax for those who
itemize deductions.
How do we become a PID?
All roads in a PID must be publicly-dedicated. This is our neighborhood’s first hurdle.
Luckily, most of our roads are designated public already, and all of the roads were
always intended to be public by the developers. However, there are approximately three
out of 13 total miles of LTRA roads for which Larimer County finds no Deed of
Dedication. To properly record those sections, the county requires surveying and a
Deed of Dedication signed by each of the estimated 16 landowners who have nondedicated roads passing through their properties.
Most of these landowners have been contacted already, hopefully all, by the time you
read this. The missing Deeds of Dedication relate to Stagecoach Trail north of the
intersection with Sunrise Dr, the first part of Silver Sage, a small portion of the beginning
of Sunrise Dr, and the steep portion of Sunrise at its north end.
Once we surmount this initial obstacle, the PID process includes:
1) an application
2) the formation of a plan with Larimer County’s Engineering Dept
3) a project meeting to further educate all those affected
4) a public hearing for comments; and finally
5) the proposed PID is voted upon in a formal November state election (this
issue is only on the ballots of those affected).
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We have posted on our website an excellent Larimer County brochure describing
PIDs. Please go to http://littlethompsonra.com and click on the link “Larimer County PID
brochure” under SPECIAL LINKS on the left side of the page.
How much will it cost me?
The amount owed is based on property value; PID costs are billed on property tax
statements each year. Since property values vary widely, it’s not possible at this time to
state the amount you would owe. LTRA, with input from the neighborhood, will work with
Larimer County to determine the total amount needed for annual road maintenance and
repair. Per Larimer County’s PID brochure, a maximum allowable mill levy can be set by
election at the time of district formation. Please understand that we have final say in
what our annual budget will be.
We expect to have developed a formula for estimating individual cost by the annual
meeting.
Thank you for your consideration of this proposed change.
Please direct any PID questions to Keith Spencer 823-6720 keith_stacey@msn.com or
Dawn Hagan 823-6303 ltflood3@gmail.com.