Exploring a General Improvement District in the Golden Triangle
What is being proposed?
A grassroots coalition of neighborhood stakeholders, including residents, businesses, property owners and cultural institutions, is exploring the formation of a General Improvement District (GID) in the Golden Triangle neighborhood. The purpose of this GID would be to help ensure that the Golden Triangle remains a safe, thriving, and attractive area for all neighborhood users.
Why explore a GID?
A GID is a special district in a defined geographic area created by property owners, tenants and residents and approved through a public process that includes a petition, public hearing, and vote. GIDs raise money through special assessments on taxable properties in the district in order to provide services tailored to local needs, such as:
SAFETY: Enhanced safety and security (examples: private safety patrols, outreach and resource navigation teams, better lighting)
CLEANING: Improved cleanliness and maintenance (examples: daily litter pick up and trash removal, power washing sidewalks, graffiti removal)
BEAUTIFICATION: Elevating the appearance of public spaces (examples: planting and maintaining street trees and other landscaping, installing and maintaining benches, signage)
UNIFIED VOICE: Advocating for neighborhood priorities (examples: coordination with city agencies and departments, tracking legislation/policies, representation in public processes, coordination with other local organizations)
Local Denver Examples
Recently, GIDs have been formed by neighbors in the downtown Ballpark neighborhood (Ballpark GID) and along the South Broadway corridor (South Broadway GID).
TIMELINE
Project Timeline
01
Feasibility study + draft district operations plan
Summer 2026 - Winter 2026/27
Goal: Gather information, understand community priorities, and determine whether a GID could be an appropriate mechanism to advance them.
How: Community meetings and surveys, property data analysis, and regular steering committee meetings with neighborhood stakeholders will inform a draft operating plan covering proposed district mission and goals, boundaries, service priorities, budget and funding options, governance, and management structure. The draft operating plan will be available for input in early 2027.
A decision on whether to proceed will be based on the level of community support received for the proposed plan.
02
Petition preparation + community campaign
Spring 2027 - Summer 2027
If stakeholders decide to move forward, the next step is preparing the legal documents required to form a district. The draft operating plan would be refined into a district service plan, supported by educational materials, petition materials, additional property owner and stakeholder outreach, and support tracking.
Petition Threshold and Public Hearing: Colorado law requires support from 30% of taxable property owners or 200 taxable property owners, whichever is less. If the threshold is met, petitions would then be submitted to Denver City Council for consideration and a public hearing will take place.
03
Election Process
Fall 2027
If the petition threshold is met and City Council approves forming the district, the next step would be a Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) election to approve the extra assessment that will fund the GID. Property owners, lessees, and residents in the proposed GID are eligible to vote. The election would likely occur during the regular election cycle in November 2027.
04
Potential start of district operations
January 2028
District operations would only commence if district formation is approved by a majority of district electors.
FAQ
FAQs
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PROJECT TEAM
Golden Triangle Civic Experience (GTCE), a nonprofit 501(c)(3), will serve as the neutral sponsor for the exploratory process. Local consultants Progressive Urban Management Associates (P.U.M.A.) will support the steering committee and manage feasibility, outreach, data collection, and, if there is sufficient community support, the future approval and formation process.