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Alpine council tables Fitzgerald annexation after debate over water costs, proposed annexation fee
Summary
The Alpine City Council agreed to table the Fitzgerald annexation petition after staff outlined water-system deficiencies and a proposed annexation fee of about $15,000 per lot to cover part of existing infrastructure shortfalls.
The Alpine City Council on June 11 tabled a petition to annex roughly 20 acres known as the Fitzgerald property after the city and staff recommended more time to finalize an annexation agreement and fee plan.
City staff told the council the area proposed for annexation is about 19.86 acres outside city limits and 0.20 acres inside, and would be zoned CR-40000 with a PRD overlay to yield roughly 12 lots. Staff said the city’s water master plans identify an “existing deficiency” in culinary water capacity — chiefly a planned Grove tank replacement and a new well — with non-growth costs totaling about $4.4 million. Staff recommended charging annexing parcels a share to help address that deficiency and presented a scenario of covering 25% of the deficiency with annexation fees, producing roughly $1 million divided across about 73 likely future lots — approximately $15,000 per lot.
Council members asked for detail on how the 25% figure was chosen and where the remaining 75% of costs would be paid. Staff said the remainder would be handled through user fees, potential bonds, and grant funding; impact fees would pay only the growth-related portion of projects. Staff also noted the city’s annexation ordinance requires water rights or water dedication at the time of annexation.
Because of outstanding legal questions and the need to put the fee proposal and trail and easement language into a written annexation agreement, staff recommended tabling the petition and bringing a finalized agreement back at a later meeting. Council voted unanimously to table the petition and directed staff to draft written annexation agreement language and distribute it to stakeholders and the landowner before the next meeting.
The tabling preserves the status quo while staff refines the fee proposal, documents trail easements and utility obligations, and consults outside counsel as needed.
