Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019 (Updated Monday, Nov. 25)

Boulder annexed 117 homes into the city last year, worth a collective $123.3 million. On average, the homes are worth north of $1 million each.

But things look very different when you parse out the numbers. The 52 single-family homes added into the city, including the 48-home Knollwood Subdivision, are worth $2.4 million, on average. Sixty-five mobile homes were also brought into city limits as part of the Ponderosa Mobile Home Park.

Their average value? $9,576.

The annexations show the huge disparity in wealth generated by owning homes — or, rather, the land under them — in Boulder.

For instance, look at the highest- and lowest-value homes annexed in Knollwood and Ponderosa.

Knollwood highest: $4.95 million

Ponderosa highest: $47,100

Knollwood lowest: $1.49 million

Ponderosa lowest: $3,200

The numbers are all based on the taxable value of the homes, not the resale value. The homes are likely worth much more; for instance, Housing and Human Services Director Kurt Firnhaber said in October that the mobile homes in Ponderosa are worth $25,000 on average — more than twice their average taxable value.

Why does it matter?

Although the disparity makes for a striking narrative, it’s not clear how much annexations really impact Boulder’s day-to-day operations. Many factors are considered during the annexation process, said Chris Meschuk, including the cost of adding city services to the newly added homes. The list of 2019 annexation were in a city council meeting packet for just that reason: Boulder needed to remove the properties from the Boulder Rural Fire District and under city fire services.

But annexations also change who is a considered resident of the city of Boulder. They may change certain census maps, Meschuk said, changing our demographics. The impact is likely to be limited with so few homes being added relative to the city’s overall population.

Annexations also affect Boulder’s property tax revenue. For every $1 of property tax collected in Boulder, the city receives 14 cents. By adding the properties to the city limit, Boulder becomes entitled to that 14% share, according to Boulder County Assessor Cynthia Braddock.

“It’s not immediate,” Braddock said. “The tax change happens in the next year. (But) when it’s actually recognized, (the properties) will move into all the levies the city has.”

Full list of 2019 annexations

Per city council memo for Oct. 29 meeting. Names of owners were part of the packet and therefore public record, but Boulder Beat is electing not to publish them to protect privacy.

Address / Taxable value

2140-2150 Tamarac Ave. $1,093,800

150 Green Rock Drive $2,917,400

2285 Knollwood Drive $2,461,300

1179 Cherryvale Road $1,261,500

Knollwood subdivision

115 Green Rock Dr. $1,915,000

145 Green Rock Dr. $2,829,800

165 Green Rock Dr. $3,356,900

200 Green Rock Dr. $1,943,700

215 Green Rock Dr. $3,564,400

220 Green Rock Dr. $2,330,600

230 Green Rock Dr. $2,743,500

235 Green Rock Dr. $3,073,700

250 Green Rock Dr. $3,413,200

270 Green Rock Dr. $2,078,000

290 Green Rock Dr. $1,571,100

295 Green Rock Dr. $1,691,000

299 Green Rock Dr. $2,188,700

 2106 Knollwood Dr. $1,491,200 

2115 Knollwood Dr. $1,834,900

2116 Knollwood Dr. $1,940,000

2125 Knollwood Dr. $2,424,400

2126 Knollwood Dr. $2,073,200

2135 Knollwood Dr. $3,581,900

2145 Knollwood Dr. $1,990,000

 2155 Knollwood Dr. $3,803,700

2175 Knollwood Dr. $3,442,000

2176 Knollwood Dr. $1,963,300

2185 Knollwood Dr. $3,134,000

2186 Knollwood Dr. $2,629,200

2195 Knollwood Dr. $2,434,900

2200 Knollwood Dr. $2,211,000

2205 Knollwood Dr. $1,984,100

2230 Knollwood Dr. $2,279,100

2235 Knollwood Dr. $3,251,500

2250 Knollwood Dr. $2,305,600

 2265 Knollwood Dr. $2,716,300

 2280 Knollwood Dr. $1,991,300

225 Willow Glen $4,946,800

235 Willow Glen $1,938,800

245 Willow Glen $2,638,500

255 Willow Glen $2,599,900

265 Willow Glen $2,953,400

248 Spruce St. $1,904,300

249 Spruce St. $2,715,000

258 Spruce St. $2,481,600

259 Spruce St. $1,643,800

255 Brookside Ct. $2,844,200

265 Brookside Ct. $1,626,200

275 Brookside Ct. $2,732,900

285 Brookside Ct. $1,732,400

289 Brookside Ct. $25,800

Ponderosa Mobile Home Park

4475 Broadway, 11 $7,300

4475 Broadway, 12 $6,100

4475 Broadway, 13 $8,600

4475 Broadway, 14 $10,500

4475 Broadway, 15 $12,900

4475 Broadway, 16 $7,000

4475 Broadway, 17 $9,100

4475 Broadway, 18 $6,100

4475 Broadway, 19 $7,200

4475 Broadway, 20 $10,300

4475 Broadway, 21 $9,100

4475 Broadway, 22 $8,900

4475 Broadway, 23 $11,800

4475 Broadway, 24 $12,700

4475 Broadway, 25 $11,300

4475 Broadway, 26 $6,100

4475 Broadway, 27 $7,800

4475 Broadway, 28 $20,600

4475 Broadway, 29 $12,500

4475 Broadway, 30 $6,800

4475 Broadway, 31 $5,900

4475 Broadway, 32 $22,400

4475 Broadway, 33 $5,300

4475 Broadway, 34 $17,800

4475 Broadway, 35 $8,800

4475 Broadway, 36 $19,500

4475 Broadway, 38 $5,600

 4475 Broadway, 39 $3,200

 4475 Broadway, 40 $3,300

4475 Broadway, 41 $7,500

 4475 Broadway, 42 $3,300

4475 Broadway, 43 $7,300

4475 Broadway, 44 $5,600

4475 Broadway, 45 $7,800

4475 Broadway, 46 $6,200

4475 Broadway, 47 $7,500

4475 Broadway, 48 $6,900

4475 Broadway, 49 $7,200

4475 Broadway, 49A  $6,200

4475 Broadway, 49B $9,000

4475 Broadway, 50 $4,800

4475 Broadway, 51 $9,900

4475 Broadway, 52 $14,600

4475 Broadway, 53 $5,000

4475 Broadway, 54 $7,800

4475 Broadway, 55 $7,600

4475 Broadway, 56 $6,100

4475 Broadway, 57 $3,600

4475 Broadway, 58 $7,600

4475 Broadway, 59 $7,500

4475 Broadway, 60 $4,600

4475 Broadway, 61 $5,700

4475 Broadway, 62 $5,700

4475 Broadway, 63 $6,100

4475 Broadway, 66 $17,600

4475 Broadway, 67 $9,700

4475 Broadway, 68 $9,700

4475 Broadway, 69 $18,900

4475 Broadway, 70 $8,300

4475 Broadway, 71 $8,900

4475 Broadway, 72 $8,900

4475 Broadway, 73 $8,900

4475 Broadway, 74 $8,900

 4475 Broadway, 75 $8,900

4475 Broadway, 76 $20,600

4475 Broadway, 77 $47,100

Author’s note: This article has been updated to include comments from Boulder County Assessor Cynthia Braddock.

— Shay Castle, boulderbeatnews@gmail.com, @shayshinecastle

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