The Incorporation Petition
Petition for Incorporation of the Municipality of Niwot, Colorado, Establishment of a Home Rule Charter Commission, and Authorization to Submit Questions Under Article X, Section 20 of the Colorado Constitution.
The incorporation petition is the document that begins this process. It was circulated by residents, signed, and filed with the Boulder County District Court. Acting on that petition, the court ordered an election and, on May 21, 2026, appointed this Commission to administer it.
The Commission publishes the petition here as a matter of public record. This page describes what the petition requested; it does not endorse or dispute the claims made in it.
Download the full petition (PDF, 3.1 MB)
What the Petition Requested
- Incorporation. Organization of the territory described in the petition into a municipality under Colorado law (C.R.S. § 31-2-101).
- A home rule charter commission. That the question of forming a nine-member charter commission be placed on the incorporation ballot, so that if voters approve incorporation they simultaneously elect commissioners to draft a home rule charter for voter approval.
- Fiscal ballot questions. That the ballot include the TABOR-required questions authorizing the new municipality to levy taxes, issue debt, and retain revenue.
Key Facts
Only registered electors residing within the proposed boundary were eligible to sign.
The petition proposes the name City of Niwot, because Colorado law classifies a statutory municipality of more than 2,000 residents as a “city.” The petition records that the community has expressed a preference for the designation “Town of Niwot,” and notes that if voters later adopt a home rule charter, the municipality is no longer classified as a statutory city and its official name and designation are set by that charter.
Exhibits
The complete petition includes:
- Exhibit A — the legal description of the territory proposed for incorporation.
- Exhibit B — the boundary map.
- Exhibit C — proof of population.
- Signature pages — the circulated petition sections as filed.
Exhibits A and B govern whether a given address lies within the proposed boundary, which determines both who may sign a candidate nomination petition and who may vote in this election.
The Fiscal Issues
The five TABOR measures requested by the petition appear on the ballot as Issues 1 to 5. They are reproduced in full, with the ballot language and a descriptive summary of each, on the What Is on the Ballot page.
Because these issues reached the ballot by petition, TABOR gives the summary of comments in favor of each to the representatives of the petition. The Commission compiles only the summary of comments against. See Comments For and Against.
Full Document
Download the full petition (PDF, 3.1 MB)
Questions about the petition or the election may be directed to the Commission — see The Commission.