Boulder County, Colo. - Marshall Fire impacted property owners with an ‘empty lot’ (vacant residential land) on Jan. 1, 2025, may be able to retain the residential vacant land assessment rate until Jan. 1, 2027, if they can provide documentation by Dec. 31, 2024, that a good-faith effort was made to construct a new residential improvement and that additional time is necessary.

The Boulder County Assessor’s Office is required to determine property classification on Jan. 1, 2025.

When residential improvements are destroyed due to a natural cause, such as fire, flood, or tornado, the residential land classification shall remain in place for the year of destruction and the two subsequent property tax years.

If the assessor determines there is evidence the owner intends to rebuild or locate a residential improvement on the land, the residential land classification may remain in place for additional subsequent tax years, not to exceed a total of five subsequent property tax years, unless the property owner provides documentation to the assessor that a good-faith effort was made to construct a new residential improvement and that additional time is necessary.

The Boulder County Assessor’s Office considers the first year of destruction for Marshall Fire properties to be tax year 2022.

Current Residential Land Assessment Rate: 6.7%

Current Vacant Land Assessment Rate: 27.9%

Example scenarios that could be interpreted as a good-faith effort to rebuild:

• Have you had meetings with a builder/developer?
• Are you in a holding pattern due to a lawsuit?
• Are you working on financing with a bank?
• Do you have an architect and/or an architectural drawing for the new home?
• Do you have permits?

If you are unsure if your good-faith effort qualifies, email assessor@bouldercounty.gov or call 303-441-3530.

Send documentation to one of the following by Dec. 31, 2024:

Email: assessor@bouldercounty.gov

Mail: PO Box 471 Boulder, CO 80306

Come by the office: 1325 Pearl St., in Boulder, 2nd floor, Monday - Thursday 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Reference: Marshall Fire, Good Faith Effort to Rebuild Documentation.