S.A.L.L. Enterprises, LLC in Alpine has filed a petition for municipal de-annexation. The petition was filed this week with both the Town of Alpine and Lincoln County.
The request for de-annexation is for lots 1-A, 2-A.1, and 3-A.2 of the Palispark Subdivision in Alpine. The amount of property in those lots is approximately nine acres and includes the Tavern on the Greys, the RV park and two and a half acres behind the Bank of Alpine.

According to Diggs Lewis, one of the owners of S.A.L.L. Enterprises, there are a number of reasons he is looking to get out of ‘dodge.’

“The town did not complete earlier agreements prior to our purchasing the property,” Lewis stated in the official request for de-annexation. “The town received a grant from the State Loan and Investment Board with the help of the previous owners for $150,000 which was supposed to have included monies for a sewer lift station on the north side of our property. The town did not install the lift station and used the money instead for other expenses. SLIB forced the town to pay the money back and our property was used as collateral on the grant until it was paid back by the town over a five year period.”

According to Lewis, as a result, the property owners involved had to “spend over $35,000 to upgrade their septic systems because there was not a way to access the town’s system “without spending major capitol.”

Lewis also referred to his belief that the previous property owner had paid a sewer assessment to the town in 2007 “which was supposed to include hook-up fees.”

“The town is now requiring that we pay to hook on to their sewer system with proposed monthly fees of up to $800 per month,” Lewis said. “Our business cannot support this expense and will be forced to shut down.”

According to Lewis, the property in question has its own water system and “adequate approved septic systems.”

“We request that you put this land back into the county,” said Lewis. “We will appreciate your help in this very serious matter.”

According to County Commissioner Jerry Harmon, state statute does allow for property owners to petition for de-annexation. Property owners must first appeal to the town, itself, and then the county.

“We will follow the state statute,” said Harmon. “According to the statute, we have 60 days to prepare a report on the impact of de-annexation. In preparing that report we will also be looking at county land use plans so our Planning Director John Woodward will be involved.”

According to Harmon, the county began working on the report this week.

“First the appeal must be made to the Town of Alpine but we have some due diligence and work that needs to be done on this as well,” said Harmon.

The Town of Alpine has not reached an official decision about which sewer rate and use fee plan it is going to adopt and move forward with. The Alpine Sewer Committee and the Town of Alpine met last Thursday, Feb. 26 to discuss the different sewer rate proposals. Both groups will review information relating to the four plans over the next two weeks.

The next Alpine Town Council meeting is slated for Tuesday, March 17, 2009. It is likely the town will announce its official decision regarding sewer rates and use fees at that time.