Purpose

This guide contains general information about the annexation feasibility study review type and the process used to review each application. The Application Submittal Requirements section describes the minimum information to include in your application.

Property may be annexed to the city of Boulder if it meets a variety of location criteria established by state law and Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) policies. If the location makes a property eligible for annexation, the BVCP specifies the type of zoning that may be established upon annexation. The zoning determines how the property may be used. Certain fees and taxes must be paid to the city upon annexation to offset the cost to the community of providing the full range of services to the property. In addition, the property owner is required to pay the cost of extending required utilities to the site. If the zoning to be established allows additional future development on the site, the property owner may be responsible for additional costs to offset the impact to the community of the future development. Certain dedications may also be required at time of annexation to provide for future infrastructure improvements. Although all the above requirements and costs are established by ordinance, and may be researched by anyone, their specifics vary based on the conditions and location of an individual property and the specific annexation proposal.

An Annexation Feasibility Study is an analysis of the potential for annexation of a specific property, the standard terms, conditions and requirements that would apply, and the standard fees, taxes and other costs the property owner would have to pay. It provides the property owner an optional way to determine the annexation potential and standard requirements without undertaking the complete annexation process.

Yes. You can conduct your own research, by examining the BVCP to determine if your property is eligible, policies for annexation based on community impact or benefit, land use designation and probable zoning. You can then review the Title 9 Land Use Regulations, Title 3-8 Development Excise Taxes, Title 3-9 Housing Excise Tax, in the Boulder Revised Code, to determine what requirements and fees may apply to your property upon annexation. The regulations are available at the Boulder Public Library, and on our website at www.boulderplandevelop.net. In addition, Project Specialists are available in the Planning and Development Services Center who can assist you in understanding the applicable policies and regulations. Since it may be very time-consuming to do all the research yourself, you may find it worthwhile to apply instead for an Annexation Feasibility Study. However, we suggest you do at least some of this research to determine if your property meets minimum eligibility requirements for annexation (i.e. in BVCP Area II and at least one-sixth contiguous with existing city boundaries), before you proceed further.

After we determine that your application is complete with all the data needed for us to begin the study, you will be notified when the review will begin, and when our findings will be issued to you. Generally, our review will take at least three weeks. When complete, we will send you written comments from our staff Development Review Committee that will describe in detail whether annexation is feasible, the zoning category that would be established, and the standard requirements and costs associated with the annexation. If your annexation proposal includes elements that do not meet standard requirements, such as land uses or development intensity not permitted by the zoning, we will inform you if the city is interested in negotiating a special agreement to permit your proposal, through the Annexation and Initial Zoning application process. Issuance of our written comments to you will conclude the service covered by the study application fee you paid.

You will NOT receive:

  • Fee estimates for any future building permits – these are based on the specifics of a future application, though we can direct you to rate information that will allow you to estimate those costs as you refine your plans.
  • Fee estimates associated with constructing public improvements – these are based on construction details that cannot be determined until the plans are finalized; we can direct you to rate information that will allow you to estimate those costs as you refine your plans.
  • Identification of design and construction costs – those are private costs that must be determined by your architect, engineer or contractor.
  • Review of engineering plans, traffic studies, or site plans – those types of plans are subject to review through other processes.
  • Negotiation of a special annexation agreement – the feasibility study will identify standard requirements. If you propose to negotiate a special agreement that allows you to vary from the standard requirements, you must first submit an application for Annexation and Initial Zoning. The feasibility study can determine, however, if the city is interested in negotiating a special annexation agreement

Yes, if you submit the Annexation and Initial Zoning application in the same calendar year in which the feasibility study was done. Fees generally change every year on January 1. If your feasibility study is done in different calendar year than your Annexation and Initial Zoning application, it is likely that the fee information will be out of date and will have to be recalculated

Application Submittal Requirements

  • A complete Land Use Review application form.
  • An improvement survey or improvement location certificate, prepared by a registered surveyor, showing all of the subject property.
  • Legal description of the subject property.
  • A vicinity map indicating the site and adjacent streets. If the site is less than one acre, the map must be drawn at a minimum scale of 1” = 200’.
  • A written statement which describes the location and existing conditions of the site, the specifics of your annexation proposal, and how the annexation would comply with the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan policies related to annexation.
  • Land Use Review Project Fact Sheet.
  • Housing and Development Excise Tax form.
  • Plumbing Fixture Count form.

Reference