By Kristen Taufer
Morris Ercanbrack may finally have a solution to his annexation problem.
For six months Ercanbrack has been trying to annex his property into Orem and rezone for residential development. Tuesday, Nov. 13, night the Orem City Council moved to annex Ercanbrack''s property and rezone it as open space until further debate decides the final fate of the property.
'We knew it would happen. We just didn''t know when,' said Randall Ercanbrack, Morris Ercanbrack''s son.
One of the issues regarding the annexation was the terms of a development agreement stating provisions that needed to be met to develop the land.
Ercanbrack said he was ready to take responsibility for what needed to be done, but his neighbors, who are also involved in the annexation, were hesitant and did not want to be saddled with the development costs since they are planning on selling the land.
Ercanbrack planned to pay for the provision items until the developers who bought his neighbors'' properties reimbursed him, but the neighbors were worried that signing the development agreement would make them responsible for the costs.
In the meeting Orem Mayor Jerry Washburn made it clear if the neighbors sold their property, the responsibility would be passed on to the new owner, absolving the neighbors from any costs.
The final decision of the meeting was to rezone the property as open space until Ercanbrack and his neighbors could come to an agreement about how the cost of satisfying the development agreement would be paid.
Once they create a contract absolving the neighbors from paying the costs when they have sold their land, they can petition to have the land rezoned for residential development.
Another issue was a squabble between Provo and Orem since Ercanbrack''s land falls on the sister cities'' borders.
Washburn said Mayor Lewis K. Billings of Provo sent him a letter Tuesday, Nov. 13, saying the city would drop their lawsuit and hoped the two cities would continue in a relationship of good rapport.
'I think we''re over the rough spots,' Washburn said.
Ercanbrack is just happy to finally have things looking a little clearer.
'Provo has finally seen the light. . . and everything is coming along nicely,' he said.