Johnstown voters approved forming a Downtown Development Authority in an April 7, 2026 mail ballot election. The Town Council had placed the questions on the ballot in February following a year of community-driven planning through a DDA Working Group that prepared a draft Plan of Development. Both ballot questions passed: Question 2B on DDA formation and Question 2C on TABOR compliance.

The Johnstown DDA uses tax increment financing — no new taxes on property owners or residents — and is positioned as the implementation vehicle for the recently adopted Downtown Master Plan. Colorado DDA statute provides for a 30-year TIF plan plus an optional operations tax of up to 5 mills, both subject to voter approval. The operations tax was not part of the Johnstown ballot; the district is launching on TIF alone.

Board appointments are underway. Town Council will appoint 5 to 11 board members, with one seat reserved for a council member. Members must live, own property, or operate a business in the DDA boundary.

The Johnstown formation is a clean example of a process done correctly: community-driven Plan of Development, no new taxes, voter approval under TABOR, clear board composition rules, and explicit connection to an adopted master plan. The formation package will be cited as a model for other small Colorado towns exploring DDA formation.

Source: Town of Johnstown DDA Election page, April 2026.