All areas included in the annexation policy plan will need municipal. The county policy is that municipal services should be provided by cities and towns, and not by the county. The town desires to utilize a “capital facilities master plan” for water, sewer, streets, parks and storm drainage. This plan would include the area outlined in the annexation policy plan. Line sizes and the like must be increased to include these areas.
(A) Developer pays service extension. In areas where municipal services are not presently extended, services will be extended on an as-needed basis at the cost of the developer. All extensions of municipal services must comply with all town ordinances and policy criteria and will be paid for by the individual developer or property owner.
(B) Annexation agreements. An annexation agreement will be prepared between the town and future developers outlining specific circumstances relating to water, sewer, streets, electricity, telecommunications, fiber optic/broadband and other specific improvements.
(C) Water rights.
(1) Water rights, of the type and quantity acceptable to the town, that can be utilized for underground water rights (culinary, secondary) shall be required to be conveyed to the town as a condition of development, subdivision approval or issuance of a building permit on property annexed into the town limits. It is the intent that land annexed to the town be accompanied by water rights sufficient to accommodate the needs of the existing and potential occupants of said land when development occurs. The water rights conveyance requirements of development shall be in addition to any requirement that may be imposed upon development of the land after annexation and in addition to appropriate town impact fees, if applicable. Water requirements will be established utilizing, among other things, Division of Drinking Water standards. Specific requirements will be contained in the annexation agreement, but the general guideline of one acre-foot of water per residential building permit will be a minimum standard.
(2) The annexation will allow developers of the annexed property access to culinary water and other services; provided, all developments meet town specifications and comply with all applicable development ordinances and all improvements are installed pursuant to the town standards.
(D) Financial implications.
(1) The manner in which these amenities are developed will have a bearing on how they will be financed. Property taxes with increased valuation of property and sales tax will contribute to the general fund to help defray the added expenses the town may incur by annexing these properties. In summary, the newly annexed developing areas shall finance the extension of needed municipal services, such as new utilities, streets, curb and gutters, sidewalks and other capital improvements as development occurs.
(2) It is not anticipated that the annexation will cause any adverse consequences to the residents in the town or in the area annexed, except there may be a slight reduction in general services to the town residents in the present town limits as general services are expanded into the newly annexed territory.
(3) It is anticipated that the residents in the territory to be annexed will experience an increase in their property tax because of the difference in the certified tax rates in the county and the town. It is further anticipated that, as newly annexed territory property taxes are received by the town, the town would expand the total services to include the total community. Additionally, persons in the newly annexed territory may experience reductions in their fire insurance rates and property insurance rates.
(4) As areas grow and become more populated, the demand and need for services increase. Once this policy plan is adopted and areas begin to develop, continual planning by the town will allow development to occur in an economical manner, since homes, buildings, streets, and other amenities will be developed in accord with the town specifications. The plan and time frame for the extension of municipal services will be determined by the interest of the property owners to subdivide and develop their property.
(Ord. 11-13-08, passed 11-13-2008)