BOULDER, Colo. — Some Boulder homeowners could have to pay up to $90,000 to repair their street — thanks to a decades-old agreement many of them didn't even sign.
City staff is proposing an $8 million project along Sumac Avenue in north Boulder. It would include pavement reconstruction, improved drainage, new sidewalks, crosswalks and curbs.
▶️ WATCH: Denver7's Claire Lavezzorio talks with a resident and a city official who breaks down the proposal
Under the proposal, 52 homeowners would collectively contribute $1.8 million toward the cost.
This table shows the range in lump sums homeowners may have to pay:
Some neighbors told Denver7 they've received notifications informing them they owe tens of thousands of dollars.
"I've heard it's from $30,000 up to $90,000 depending on your road frontage," said Mary Giudice, who lives on Sumac Ave. "It's just unbelievable. I think everybody's a little shocked."
The road itself hasn't been repaired in years, according to Boulder City Councilman Mark Wallach.
"Is it usable? Yes, it is usable. And it will only get worse over time, in terms of what's needed there," Wallach said.
Wallach explained the dispute stems from an agreement made when Boulder annexed the Sumac Avenue area roughly 40 years ago. At the time, residents signed a covenant agreeing to contribute to future road renovation. As properties change owners over the decades, those obligations still stand.
And even though the scope of the project has changed, that decades-old agreement could still be enforceable, according to Wallach.
"I don't think anyone had a sense at the time that this would be an $8 million project," Wallach said.
Here's what the city estimates the project will cost:
Wallach said it appears the covenant is binding, though it remains unclear whether the city will choose to enforce it. He also warned the issue could extend beyond Sumac Avenue.
For Giudice and her neighbors, the uncertainty has left them feeling overlooked.
"I think we feel isolated and unheard," Giudice said.
Residents are hoping the city finds a reasonable solution — and that the project does not set a precedent for other older streets across Boulder.
"We don't want to see our neighbors suffer, and this as an imprint across Boulder," Giudice said.
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