Belmar Public Improvement Fee

General Information

The Public Improvement Fee (PIF) is collected and used to finance a portion of the cost of public improvements at Belmar. The PIF is a fee and NOT a tax. Retailers may post the following disclaimer regarding the 2.5% PIF collected on purchases made at Belmar. The disclaimer must read:

Belmar Public Improvement Fee and Sales Tax Reduction

Customers are advised that a Public Improvement Fee (PIF) of 2.5% will be added to all sales transactions. At the same time, the City of Lakewood has reduced the City sales tax collected on the Belmar site from 3% to 1% while the PIF is in effect. The PIF is used to finance a portion of the cost of new public improvements on the Belmar site, such as public parking, streets, utilities, parks, public spaces and public art. The PIF is NOT a sales tax and does not become revenue for the City of Lakewood. It is a fee that becomes part of the price of goods and must be paid as part of the price of all taxable sales transactions. For more information, contact the City of Lakewood Revenue Division at (303) 987-7630.

Licensing

Any entity doing business in Lakewood must obtain a Sales and Use Tax License. This includes businesses conducting retail sales and those providing services only. PIF accounts will be established as part of the licensing process

Form of Waiver of confidentiality

All sales and sales tax information provided to the City of Lakewood is kept confidential. However, Plaza Metropolitan District No. 1 and its Trustee are authorized to obtain this information from the City as described in your Lease, Purchase, or License Agreement. Therefore, every Belmar tenant that is subject to the PIF collection obligation is required to sign a Form of Waiver of Confidentiality.

Assistance

The City of Lakewood, on behalf of the Plaza Metropolitan District No. 1, is available to help you understand the Belmar PIF. If you have questions about PIF requirements, you may seek assistance in person with the Revenue Division at the Lakewood Civic Center South Building or call (303) 987-7630. Account changes may be handled via a written request (email or mail) or directly through the online portal at Lakewood Business Pro at www.lakewood.org.

The Sales Receipt

Sales made within Belmar are subject to both sales tax and the PIF, unless specifically enumerated as exempt under Section 3.01.180 of the City of Lakewood Sales & Use Tax Ordinance (available at www.lakewood.org). Excluded from these exemptions for PIF are sales delivered outside of Belmar and food1 , which are subject to the Public Improvement Fee (2.5%). Please note that the PIF becomes part of the total sales price and is subject to sales tax; therefore, the PIF must be separately stated on the sales receipt and cannot be combined with sales tax. At Belmar, the combined sales tax rate of 5.5% (or 0.5% for Jefferson County on food) is to be collected on the total taxable purchase price. Below are examples of how a sales transaction at Belmar must be calculated.

Tangible Personal Property Purchase

Non-Taxable Purchase

In-person purchase of tangible personal property with delivery to Wyoming

*Purchases that are made in person (i.e via phone, fax, or internet) and delivered outside of Lakewood are exempt from PIF and potentially sales tax (see footnote below)

*Sales delivered outside of Lakewood may be subject to the sales tax of the city and state where the tangible personal property is delivered. 

Food*

*Food means for domestic home consumption as defined by the definition in Section 3.01.020 of the Lakewood ordinance. Please refer to the Food definition for exceptions that remain taxable.

Remitting the PIF

The Sales and Use Tax return is comprised of two schedules—Schedule A for Sales and Use Tax and Schedule B for PIF. Instructions for Schedule B are as follows:

Schedule B - Public Improvement Fee Example

Line 1: Gross Sales and Services: Report all sales made during the reporting period. (This figure must be the same as Line 1 of Schedule A).
Line 2: PIF Deductions: Deduct only those exempted sales allowed.
Line 3: Net PIF Sales: To calculate sales subject to PIF, subtract Line 2 from Line 1.
Line 4: PIF Due: To calculate the PIF due, multiply Line 3 by 2.5%.
Line 5: Excess PIF Collected: Any excess PIF collected must be reported on Line 5 and remitted.
Line 6: Total PIF : To calculate the total PIF due, add Lines 4 and 5.
Line 7: Non-Taxable PIF: Calculate PIF collected on non-taxable items.
Line 8: Taxable PIF: Subtract Line 7 from Line 6. Add taxable PIF to Line 4 of Schedule A.

Filing Options

Sales and Use Tax returns and payments (including PIF) are due by the 20th day of the month for the preceding calendar month. If the 20th falls on a holiday or weekend, the return and payment are due the next business day. Payment must be remitted for the full amount due for taxes and fees as determined on Line 9 of Schedule A (i.e. a separate payment does not need to be made for PIF). Checks must be made payable to the City of Lakewood. All records must be retained for at least three years from filing date and are subject to audit.

Filing/Payment Options

• Online: Create an online user account on Lakewood Business Pro to file, pay, and manage your account.
• In person: Civic Center South Building/Finance Department, 480 South Allison Parkway, Lakewood, CO 80226
• Mail: City of Lakewood Revenue Division, P.O. Box 17479, Denver, CO 80217