County considers new service district

A petition is to be filed with the county commission next week to form a new service and improvement district for Warbonnet Canyon Ranch.

The 476-acre subdivision is ten miles north of Hulett and next door to the 847-acre Warbonnet Canyon Estates, by the same developers.

The ranch consists of ten parcels of around 35 to 40 acres in size, half of which are currently listed as sold. Landowners also have access to the ranch headquarters through homeowners’ association membership, which includes a timeshare-style program for access to the 1560 square foot ranch house, as well as access to a barn and indoor riding arena.

The purpose of the district would be to “repair and maintain the roads” within the defined area and may also provide subdivision governance for homeowners.

The board of directors for the district would be authorized to establish monthly assessments for residents in order to establish a fund for road maintenance and repair and provide any other service or benefit approved by homeowners. The petition states that it is not anticipated that any financing will be necessary in the first year.

The petitioners themselves are three members of Sandcreek Investments 2: John Rasmussen and Angel Fajardo of Las Vegas, Nevada and Lori Huffman of Naples, Florida, all of whom state that they are willing to serve or file as candidates for the initial board, as well as two additional landowners.

The petition has been reviewed by the Department of Revenue and Crook County Assessor’s Office to confirm its boundaries do not overlap with those of any other district or taxing authority that is operating in the county. It was also reviewed by the County Clerk’s Office, which confirmed it was signed by at least 60% of landowners owning at least 60% of the assessed property.

In fact, it was signed by 12 of 13 parcel owners with an assessed valuation of $102,850 of the total of $147,660.

A time will be set for a hearing on the petition on November 4.