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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