Mountain Estates annexation materials posted; council schedules public meetings and awaits counsel draft

Mayor Rok told the council on March 10 that draft cost estimates and revenue projections for the proposed Mountain Estates annexation are complete and will be distributed to council members and posted on the town website. He said the town expects a draft annexation agreement from special counsel by the next day and stressed that the document is being prepared as a contingency and does not indicate a council decision.

Councilman Merrill asked for a tally of total town costs; staff said they are tracking engineering, legal and other expenses and that the town intends to recover annexation-related costs from the developer, though the mechanics of cost recovery require clarification with counsel. The Planning Commission and Water Board raised infrastructure questions — including non-conforming structures, multi-family density and fire protection — and the Water Board held a special March 5 meeting to focus on annexation-related technical questions.

Public meetings are scheduled to gather input: April 8 before the Planning Commission and April 30 before the Town Council, with provisions for virtual participation for residents not yet back in-season. Town staff and board chairs will post further materials and the Water Board is preparing a recommendation memo for the council.

Next steps: staff will post cost and revenue materials on the town website, review the draft annexation agreement from counsel, and present Water Board and Planning Commission memos at the scheduled public meetings.