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1/22/2020 Metro districts in Colorado have little transparency on transfer fees, community funds <br />Wolfersberger, whose management firm handles the operations at Amber <br />Creek and Buffalo Highlands, said the costs associated with changing <br />ownership on legal paperwork are built into the flat monthly billing he <br />charges the district. <br />"But these fees were established before we worked with the districts and <br />were passed when each district's board was comprised of employees and <br />owners of the builders and land developer," he explained. <br />Other districts have developed an array of fees that largely go to the <br />developer. <br />In the Sterling Ranch Metropolitan District, there are a number of <br />different "development fees" assessed on single-family lots that, in total, <br />are expected to generate more than $21 million, all of it for refunding the <br />developer for infrastructure costs, district records show. <br />In the Pradera subdivision in Parker, new buyers are assessed a one-time <br />"marketing fee" of 0.75% on the sale price of the home, also to be kept by <br />the developer. <br />The Anthology West Metropolitan District in Parker assesses a $2,000 <br />"capital facilities fee" on a residential home that is issued a certificate of <br />occupancy. And the Wheatlands Metropolitan District in eastern Aurora <br />imposes a "working capital fee" of $150 anytime a home is sold, of which <br />$50 is kept for operating costs and $100 goes into a park fund. <br />The length of time the fees, transfer or otherwise, remain in effect ranges <br />from 50 to 99 years. <br />"At the minimum, you would think there would be some community input <br />on how this gets used," Gertson said. <br />Learn more <br />To find information about individual metro districts, including budget <br />documents, director and election information, and service plans, go to the <br />Colorado Department of Local Affairs website. <br />................................................................................................................................. <br />Popular in the Community <br />https://www.denverpost.com/20l9/l2/O9/metro-districts-transfer-fees-nonprofits-foundations/ 50 6/9 <br />