Open Douglas County's 2025 tax district and mill levy listing and scroll to any Lone Tree tax district. One line stays the same every time: "City of Lone Tree 0.000." Keep scrolling through the RidgeGate districts and the totals split into two groups. The west-of-I-25 codes come to roughly 132 to 146 mills. The east-side codes, where Lyric at RidgeGate is filling in, run from about 149 to 175.
That gap doesn't show up in a list price, and new construction tours rarely bring it up. But it sits on the parcel, and part of it runs on a schedule set through 2055.
The City Levy That Only Shows Up East of the Freeway
The Rampart Range Metropolitan Districts that serve RidgeGate were split into two operating groups in 2020. According to the Rampart Range Metropolitan District No. 4 2026 budget, districts No. 1, 2, 3 and 7 are the "West Side Districts," and No. 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 are the "East Side Districts." I-25 is the dividing line.
District No. 4 is the unusual one. Under a pledge agreement with the City of Lone Tree dated November 7, 2017, its boundaries were redrawn to cover all east-side property. The district also has to impose what the budget calls a "Contractual Debt Levy" and send that revenue to the City. The budget lays out the terms:
"The Contractual Debt Levy is an ad valorem mill levy in the amount of 8.000 mills for tax collection from years 2024 through 2055."
The levy also moves with Colorado's residential assessment rate. When the state changes the rate, the levy adjusts so the City's revenue is "neither diminished or enhanced." That's why the current figure is 8.869 mills instead of a flat 8.
So east-side property owners fund city services through a mill levy, even though the City's own levy is zero. While the contractual levy is in place, it replaces a smaller 1.000-mill "Regional Improvements" levy that the east-side taxing districts would otherwise send to the City.
Both Sides Carry Debt. The East Side Carries More.
West-side RidgeGate pays a metro district levy too. Districts No. 2 and No. 7 each levy 50.000 mills for 2025 taxes collected in 2026, according to their transparency notices, and No. 3 levies 49.000. The west side still has bond obligations. District No. 7's 2026 budget describes Series 2025 Bonds issued on parity with its Series 2017 Bonds.
East of the freeway, the debt is newer and the levies are heavier:
- District No. 6: 60.423 mills, of which 51.261 goes to debt service
- District No. 8: 67.496 mills, of which 55.224 goes to debt service
- District No. 5: 0.000 mills. It's the East Side Operating District that issues the debt rather than taxing homeowners directly
Those debt-service levies support a $120 million Series 2021 bond issue dated October 5, 2021. The east side is earlier in its build-out, so the borrowing that paid for its roads, water and parks gets spread across a tax base that's still growing.
What the County's Own Tax Codes Add Up To
Here's how the full stack looks for actual Douglas County tax district codes, using 2025 levies collected in 2026. Every code shown includes the same county, Douglas County School District, South Metro Fire Rescue and library levies. The differences come from the metro districts and a few service districts. The dollar column applies the 6.25% residential assessment rate that the district budgets cite for 2026 collection under HB24B-1001. At that rate, each mill works out to $62.50 a year per $1,000,000 of home value.
| Tax district code | Side of I-25 | Metro district levies included | Total mills | Illustrative annual tax on a $1,000,000 home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3498 | West | RRMD 2 | 132.536 | $8,283.50 |
| 3497 | West | RRMD 2, plus South Suburban Park & Recreation | 141.336 | $8,833.50 |
| 3441 | West | RRMD 3, plus South Suburban Park & Recreation and Parker Water & Sanitation | 145.642 | $9,102.63 |
| 3378 | East | RRMD 1, RRMD 6 | 148.715 | $9,294.69 |
| 3728 | East | RRMD 5, RRMD 6 | 157.515 | $9,844.69 |
| 3729 | East | RRMD 4, RRMD 6, Southeast Public Improvement | 168.384 | $10,524.00 |
| 3754 | East | RRMD 4, RRMD 8 | 173.457 | $10,841.06 |
| 3727 | East | RRMD 4, RRMD 8, Southeast Public Improvement | 175.457 | $10,966.06 |
The dollar figures are simple mills-times-assessed-value math for comparison. They aren't a tax bill, and they leave out any exemptions or property-specific charges. Comparing code 3497 on the west with code 3754 on the east, the gap is 32.121 mills. On a $1,000,000 home, that's about $2,008 a year, or roughly $167 a month, before any other difference between the two homes.
The metro districts aren't the only source of the gap. Every east-side code shown carries Parker Water & Sanitation at 5.771 mills, and some carry the Southeast Public Improvement district at 2.000. On the west side, code 3441 also carries Parker Water & Sanitation, while codes 3497 and 3498 use Southgate Sanitation at 0.465.
The math also fits what the builder publishes. Shea Homes' Lyric brochure estimated property tax at roughly 1.06% of a home's sale price. Code 3729 works out to about 1.05% of value at the 2026 assessment rate, and code 3754 to about 1.08%. The west-side codes land between about 0.83% and 0.91%. That brochure dates to March 2023, so use it to check direction, not to quote a current figure.
What the East-Side Levies Are Paying For
East-side property owners are paying for infrastructure that's being built right now. Lyric at RidgeGate, Shea's 700-acre community south of RidgeGate Parkway, is planned for about 1,900 homes. When the Denver Gazette covered RidgeGate's 25th year in June 2026, just over 100 of those homes were finished. Infinity Properties, Lokal Homes and Thrive Home Builders were showing models alongside Shea.
The same story covered the City's new public works center and its justice center and police headquarters, both under construction on the east side, plus a planned 80-acre regional park. The City reports that the 7,500-square-foot Lyric Amenity Center opened in June. Its public café, The Groove Café, shares the building with fitness, pool and gathering spaces reserved for Lyric homeowners. The King Soopers Marketplace at 12600 RidgeGate Parkway is listed as active construction, and the Denver Gazette reported a spring 2027 opening target.
The heavier east-side levies pay for a neighborhood that's still filling in, while the west side's 49 to 50 mills service debt on infrastructure that's largely in place. How much that difference is worth comes down to the household, and it shows up on the tax bill.
Why the Spread Matters More This Fall
Lone Tree-only figures for September weren't available when this was written, but the Denver metro numbers show the conditions any RidgeGate offer is negotiated in. In its September 2026 market trends report, the Denver Metro Association of Realtors said the 30-year fixed rate climbed to about 7.5% by the end of September. Metro inventory reached 4.76 months, and condos and townhomes stood at 7.21 months, with a median close price of $365,500, down 6.28% year over year. In the same report, DMAR Market Trends Committee chair Amanda Snitker said "rate buydowns, seller-paid concessions and adjustable-rate loans are all on the negotiating table right now."
Lyric pricing shows the same pressure. Lokal's website has shown an available condo at $369,990, cut from $427,490, and a townhome at $489,990, cut from $546,450. Those prices change often and should be rechecked. A price cut or a builder buydown happens once, at closing. A mill levy shows up every year, and District No. 4's contractual levy runs through 2055. When you compare an east-side new build with a west-side resale, it helps to put concessions and the yearly tax difference on the same page.
Reading a RidgeGate Parcel Before You Write an Offer
- Find the tax district code. The county assessor record for a parcel lists it. Match that code to the Douglas County levy listing to see every authority in the stack.
- Don't assume which district a Lyric home is in. A City of Lone Tree title report for RidgeGate East Filing No. 5 refers to a purchaser disclosure covering districts 4, 5, 6 and 8, but it doesn't assign individual homes to a district. Ask for the disclosure that applies to the specific lot.
- Add the HOA line separately. Shea's 2023 brochure projected an initial Lyric Owners Association assessment of $240 a month, which is separate from any mill levy. Confirm the current amount with the association.
- Recompute when the assessment rate changes. The $62.50-per-mill figure is tied to the 6.25% rate for 2026 collection. A new rate changes the dollars, and it also changes District No. 4's levy, which is built to adjust.
Common Questions
Is the 1.25% RidgeGate fee a property tax? No. The City lists the 1.25% RidgeGate Public Improvement Fee, enacted by the Rampart Range districts, as its own fee, separate from property tax. It isn't part of any mill totals above.
Do west-side RidgeGate owners pay the District No. 4 levy? The No. 4 boundary was expanded to take in "East Side Property," and the west-side codes shown above don't include it.
Will the east-side levies always be this high? The No. 4 contractual levy is set through 2055 and adjusts with the assessment rate. The debt-service portions of Districts 6 and 8 back the 2021 bonds. The districts publish new budgets and transparency notices every year, so the latest figures are on the Rampart Range district site.
If you're comparing a Lyric new build with a west-side RidgeGate resale, Michael Gordon can pull the tax district code for each address and lay out the yearly mill math next to the price and any builder incentives, so you're comparing the full cost of each home. If you already own in RidgeGate, start with an instant home valuation and ask how your tax district looks to a buyer reading the same county list.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
