General Improvement District - GID
About the Downtown General Improvement District
General Improvement Districts start when most property owners in an area petition the City. These districts help build public improvements in neighborhoods, create parking districts and build public infrastructure for commercial or residential development.
City Council acts as the board of directors for the district. The City of Fort Collins Municipal Code, Chapter 22, sets the rules and requirements for General Improvement Districts.
Property owners formed the City of Fort Collins Downtown GID in 1976 as a tax district. The district funds parking, pedestrian and street beautification improvements. See the map in the Resources section of this page for the specific Downtown GID boundaries.
The GID gets money mainly from a mill levy that City Council sets as the Governing Board. The mill levy has stayed at 4.94 mils since 1992. The GID also gets money from vehicle registration tax and interest on the fund balance.
City staff manages the GID, and City Council serves as the governing board. Past projects include College Avenue corner plazas, medians and street trees; Oak Street Plaza with its fountains; Linden Street streetscape; recent sidewalk replacements; and sidewalk bike dismount signs and decals.
Recent Performance
2023 and 2024 were successful years for the GID. Along with regular contributions to the holiday lights, the City made significant sidewalk repairs and replacements, addressing safety concerns and visual improvements. Oak Street Plaza finished a multiyear project and had needed drainage installed. The City also completed several forestry projects including tree and grate replacements.
2023 Projects
Paving and Sidewalks — $75,000 for regular upgrades and repair and maintenance to pavers and sidewalks in the GID. This includes review of Oak Street between Mason Street and Oak Street Plaza (sidewalk and forestry repairs) and review of south side of Jefferson Street between Pine and Linden after a business owner expressed concerns about the condition of the sidewalk and the tree elements.
Parks and Forestry — $50,000 for priority projects including tree replacement on medians along College Avenue, new waterfall/water feature at the North and South medians at College and Mountain Avenue, and pressure washing the median half walls to maintain structural integrity. Includes the purchase of café tables and chairs for Linden Street (February 2023).
Downtown Holiday Lights — $90,000 for downtown holiday lights (cost shared with DDA).