What is it like to live in Briargate in Colorado Springs?

Briargate is a large, established master-planned area in north Colorado Springs, with easy access to I-25 and Powers Boulevard. Most of its homes were built in the 1980s and 1990s, so you'll find homes that have been updated and homes that haven't. Most of Briargate isn't in a metro district, and HOA dues are often modest or nonexistent, but many homes pay a small city levy for the Briargate General Improvement District, which maintains the medians and open space. Most addresses are in Academy District 20; verify yours.

Where Briargate is

Briargate covers a large part of north Colorado Springs, roughly between I-25 on the west and Powers Boulevard on the east, north of Woodmen Road. Its master developer describes the Briargate community as about 7,500 acres. Briargate Parkway runs through the middle of it, with shopping at Chapel Hills and the Promenade Shops at Briargate.

Its location is one of its biggest practical advantages: it's close to I-25, which makes it fairly central for getting north toward Monument and Denver or south toward downtown. The Air Force Academy's North Gate is a short drive west via I-25, and Powers Boulevard runs south toward the east side of the city. Two hospitals are on Briargate Parkway in Briargate: Children's Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs, which has a dedicated pediatric emergency department, and UCHealth Memorial Hospital North, which has an emergency department.

Drive times depend heavily on the route and time of day, so drive yours at rush hour before you buy. Commute times by area and neighborhoods by school district give estimated drive times from across the city.

The homes

Briargate developed over several decades. The city created a maintenance district for Briargate's landscaped common areas in 1983, and Census estimates put about a third of the area's homes in the 1980s, nearly a third in the 1990s, and about a fifth in the 2000s. In my view, it was the premier area of the 1990s in Colorado Springs, and it's still a lovely area today, in large part because of its location.

What that means for buyers:

• Mostly single-family homes, in a mix of subdivisions built by different builders, with some townhomes and patio-style homes.
• Some homes are updated, some aren't. Two homes on the same street can be very different inside. A home that still has its original roof, furnace, windows, or water heater will need those replaced at some point, so budget for it. Buying an older home in Colorado Springs covers what to look for.
• Check the year built for each home. The El Paso County Assessor's property record shows the year built and other details for any address.

Parks, trails, and everyday amenities

Briargate's parks and trails are a big part of daily life there:

• John Venezia Community Park, on Briargate Parkway, covers about 30 acres with a playground, a water play area, multipurpose athletic fields, basketball and pickleball courts, picnic pavilions, and paved walking and biking paths through native prairie that connect to nearby neighborhoods.
• Trails and open space along the main roads. The Briargate General Improvement District maintains landscaped medians, open spaces, trails, and walks along Briargate Parkway, Chapel Hills Drive, Woodmen Road, and Powers Boulevard, along with a park and playground.
• Shopping and dining close by, including Chapel Hills and the Promenade Shops at Briargate.

Neighborhood parks and pocket parks vary by subdivision, so ask what's within walking distance of the specific home.

HOA, special district, and property tax costs

Even a paid-off home isn't free. Taxes, HOA dues, special district levies, and insurance continue, so I recommend knowing the full monthly cost of any home before you decide.

• Metro districts. Most of Briargate isn't inside a metro district, the kind of special district that adds a separate tax to pay for infrastructure in many newer Colorado Springs communities. That can mean a lower tax bill than a similarly priced home in a newer area. Still, check each address, because district boundaries don't always follow neighborhood names. What a metro district is explains how to check.
• The Briargate General Improvement District. Many Briargate properties are in this city district, which voters approved in 2021 to replace the older Briargate maintenance district. It maintains the medians, rights-of-way, open spaces, trails, landscaping, and some snow removal along the area's main roads, and it's funded by a small mill levy on the property tax bill. (A separate, older Briargate improvement district that paid for original infrastructure has paid off its debt and no longer collects taxes.)
• HOA dues. These vary by subdivision. In my experience, they're often low in Briargate, and some subdivisions have no HOA at all. Ask for the HOA's documents and dues for the specific home.

Two homes at the same price can still have different tax bills because of the districts they sit in. Why two similar homes can have very different property taxes shows how to compare them.

Schools

Most of Briargate is in Academy School District 20. School district boundaries don't always follow neighborhood names or zip codes, and individual school assignments can change, so verify the district and schools for the specific address with the district before you buy. Neighborhoods by school district explains how to check.

Insurance and wildfire risk

Homeowners insurance in Colorado Springs varies by home: the roof's age and material, hail history, and wildfire risk all affect it. Colorado now requires insurers to give you a wildfire risk score for your property and to consider mitigation you've done, and the Colorado Springs Fire Department's wildfire mitigation program has resources for homeowners. Get an insurance quote for the specific home early in your search. Why insurance varies so much between Colorado Springs homes explains the factors.

How to decide whether Briargate fits

• If an easy drive to I-25 matters to you, Briargate's location is a real advantage. Test the drive at the times you'll actually be on the road.
• If you'd rather avoid a metro district tax, Briargate is worth a look, but confirm the tax area for each address.
• If you're comparing an older Briargate home with a newer one elsewhere, compare the full monthly cost and the cost of updates you'd want to make, not just the price.
• If you want a move-in-ready home, focus on homes that have been updated, and ask for receipts and permits for the work.

What could change the answer

• Whether a specific address is inside a metro district or other special district.
• How updated the home is, and the age of its roof and major systems.
• The HOA, if any, and its dues and rules.
• The exact school district and schools for the address.
• Your commute route and the time of day you drive it.

When to talk with a professional

Check the property's tax districts with the El Paso County Assessor or Treasurer. Get a homeowners insurance quote early. Hire an independent home inspector, especially for a home with original systems. Verify schools with the district. And work with a local real estate professional who can compare Briargate homes with others in your price range, including the full monthly cost.

Sources

• City of Colorado Springs, Special Improvement Maintenance Districts (Briargate, now a General Improvement District): https://coloradosprings.gov/SIMD
• City of Colorado Springs, Briargate GID (2000) history and FAQs: https://mayor.coloradosprings.gov/system/files/2023-06/briargate_gid_website_history_and_faqs_5.15.23.pdf
• KOAA, "What does ballot issue 6B mean for Briargate property taxes?" (2021): https://www.koaa.com/news/covering-colorado/election-watch-what-does-ballot-issue-6b-mean-for-briargate-property-taxes
• Point2, Briargate demographics (year built, from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates): https://www.point2homes.com/US/Neighborhood/CO/Colorado-Springs/Briargate-Demographics.html
• Trails and Open Space Coalition, John Venezia Community Park: https://trailsandopenspaces.org/park/john-venezia-community-park/
• El Paso County Assessor (property records): https://assessor.elpasoco.com
• Children's Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs Hospital: https://www.childrenscolorado.org/locations/colorado-springs-hospital/
• UCHealth Memorial Hospital North: https://www.uchealth.org/locations/uchealth-memorial-hospital-north/
• Academy District 20: https://www.asd20.org
• Colorado General Assembly, HB25-1182 (wildfire risk scores in homeowners insurance): https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb25-1182