Denver, Colorado, Initiated Ordinance 307, Create Sidewalk Enterprise and Enact Property Owner Fee for Sidewalk Repair and Maintenance Measure (November 2022)

Denver County Initiated Ordinance 307
Election date November 8, 2022
Topic City tax
Status Approved
Type Initiative

Denver County Initiated Ordinance 307 was on the ballot as an initiative in Denver County on November 8, 2022. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported creating a sidewalk enterprise and enacting an annual fee paid by property owners with revenues dedicated to sidewalk construction, maintenance, and repairs.

A "no" vote opposed creating a sidewalk enterprise and enacting an annual fee paid by property owners with revenues dedicated to sidewalk construction, maintenance, and repairs.

Election results

Denver County Initiated Ordinance 307
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		150,816	55.85%
No		119,237	44.15%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Initiated Ordinance 307 was as follows:

“

Shall the voters of the City and County of Denver adopt an ordinance to create a sidewalk master plan and to implement a sustainable program for the construction, reconstruction, and ongoing repairs of sidewalks citywide; to fund the program by charging a fee to property owners; to create a sidewalk enterprise within the definition of Section 20, Article X, of the Colorado Constitution, with the authority to issue revenue bonds payable solely from the fees collected under this program and without further voter approval; and to remove the adjacent property owner’s current responsibility for sidewalk repair and reconstruction and place such responsibility on the City?

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Support

Arguments

You can share campaign information or arguments, along with source links for this information, at editor@ballotpedia.org.

CoPIRG: "According to the Denver Deserves Sidewalks campaign, pedestrians in Denver are 30 times more likely to die in a crash, compared to people driving or riding in a car. With 40% of Denver streets missing sidewalks, and many more in a level of disrepair that makes it hard to push a stroller or wheelchair, too many people feel unsafe walking in their neighborhoods or to their destinations. That leads to more driving, which means more pollution and less safer streets.

Currently, property owners are responsible for building and maintaining the sidewalks on their property, which can lead to individuals paying thousands of dollars. However, the city has begun to put a limited amount of money into a sidewalk fund. At current levels it will take 400 years to complete our sidewalk network.

We don’t expect people to maintain the streets in front of their house – that’s the city’s responsibility. Sidewalks should be the responsibility of the city too and we should ensure Denver has enough money to ensure we have a complete sidewalk network in the next 10 years not 400 years."

Denver Deserves Sidewalks: "The Denver Deserves Sidewalks program would:

Remove the responsibility for repairs from adjacent property owners and place this responsibility on the City.

Fund the construction and repair of sidewalks citywide, through a modest annual fee charged to property owners, so that everyone can get around Denver more freely and safely.

Enable the construction of a complete sidewalk network that serves every Denver neighborhood within 9 years."

Opposition

Arguments

You can share campaign information or arguments, along with source links for this information, at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Kevin Flynn: "I get the frustration of folks who think that the city is moving too slow with its program. And we are. I get that... This, I think, may be the opposite end of that spectrum. [It] may be moving too fast and collapse of its own weight.”

Jeanne Fatz: "First, the proposal is based on a false premise that all property owners are responsible for repairing sidewalks that border their homes. Neighborhoods with “Hollywood” sidewalks, where the sidewalk and curb are one slab, are the responsibility of the city, not the property owner. Existing taxes and fees should continue to repair them.

Proponents have misled property owners as to the amount of the average fee a homeowner will pay. Based on a 50-foot midblock lot in an older neighborhood, their $107 annual calculation works. However Denver Geographic Information Systems (GIS) shows many newer areas have larger lots. If your home is in the middle of a newer block, $189 is a closer estimation...

Initiative 307 sets a 9-year deadline to build missing sidewalks, repair poorly maintained sidewalks and widen narrow sidewalks in every part of the city. Given that enormous scope, the schedule simply cannot be met with the existing construction shortages in Denver. Delays and cost overruns are inevitable."

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in Colorado

Proponents of the ballot initiative collected and submitted signatures to place the issue on the ballot.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Colorado

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Colorado.

How to vote in Colorado

Poll times

In Colorado, polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time for those who choose to vote in person rather than by mail. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration

Check your voter registration status here.

In Colorado, an individual can pre-register to vote if they are at least 15 years old. Voters must be at least 18 years old to vote in any election. A voter must be a citizen of the United States and have established residence in Colorado to vote.

Colorado voters can register to vote through Election Day. However, in order to automatically receive a absentee/mail-in ballot, a voter must register online, through the mail, at a voter registration agency, or driver's license examination facility at least eight days prior to Election Day. A voter that registers through a voter registration drive must submit their application no later than 22 days before the election to automatically receive an absentee/mail-in ballot. A voter can register online or submit a form in person or by fax, email, or mail.

Automatic registration

See also: Automatic voter registration

Colorado automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through the Department of Motor Vehicles and certain other state agencies.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Colorado has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

See also: Same-day voter registration

Colorado allows same-day voter registration for individuals who vote in person.

Residency requirements

Colorado law requires 22 days of residency in the state before a person may vote.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Colorado does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The site Go Vote Colorado, run by the Colorado Secretary of State office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Colorado requires voters to present non-photo identification when voting in person. If voting by mail for the first, a voter may also need to return a photocopy of his or her identification with their mail-in ballot. Click here for more information.

The following list of accepted forms of identification was current as of August 2025. Click here for the most current information, sourced directly from the Office of the Colorado Secretary of State.

“

The following documents are acceptable forms of identification: A valid Colorado driver’s license or valid identification card issued by the Colorado Department of Revenue. (Note: documents issued to not lawfully present and temporarily lawfully present individuals under Part 5 of Article 2 of Title 42, C.R.S. are not acceptable forms of identification.) A valid U.S. passport. A valid employee identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. government or of Colorado, or by any county, municipality, board, authority, or other political subdivision of Colorado. A valid pilot’s license issued by the federal aviation administration or other authorized agency of the U.S. A valid U.S. military identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector. A copy of a current (within the last 60 days) utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the elector. A Certificate of Degree of Indian or Alaskan Native Blood. A valid Medicare or Medicaid card issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. A certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate for the elector. Certified documentation of naturalization. A valid student identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector issued by an institute of higher education in Colorado, as defined in section 23-3.1-102(5), C.R.S.. A valid veteran identification card issued by the U.S. department of veterans affairs veterans health administration with a photograph of the eligible elector. A valid identification card issued by a federally recognized tribal government certifying tribal membership. Any form of identification listed above that shows your address must show a Colorado address to qualify as an acceptable form of identification. The following documents are also considered acceptable forms of identification for voting: Verification that a voter is a resident of a group residential facility, as defined in section 1-1-104(18.5), C.R.S. Verification that a voter is a person committed to the department of human services and confined and eligible to register and vote shall be considered sufficient identification of such person for the purposes of section 1-2-210.5, C.R.S. Written correspondence from the county sheriff or his or her designee to the county clerk indicating that a voter is confined in a county jail or detention facility.

”

• Note: SB 1, signed into law on May 12, 2025, specified that tribal IDs issued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Indian Health Service, or another federal agency were also valid identification.

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2022
• City tax on the ballot

Colorado

• Colorado 2022 local measures
• Local ballot measures, Colorado
• Denver, Colorado

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas