From the pages of
The Sublette County Journal
Volume 5, Number 16 - 12/14/00
brought to you online by Pinedale Online

Developer Reneges on Packer Creek Deed Restrictions
P&Z upset, but powerless
by Rob Shaul

At the August 17 meeting of the Sublette County Planning and Zoning Commission, developer Ron Saypol agreed to place deed restrictions on the parcels in his new high-end Packer Creek Ranch development just east of the Hoback Rim.

The deed restriction Mr. Saypol agreed to would have prevented the parcel owners from ever grazing livestock on their parcels, and therefore applying to the County Assessor for lower agricultural property tax rates.

The proposed covenants for the 9-parcel Packer Creek Ranch do restrict grazing; however the property owners' association could change the covenants to allow grazing at a later date.

This is exactly what the property owners did at Saypol's Ryegrass Ranch development between Big Piney and Daniel. The original covenants for this high-end development restricted grazing, but last year the property owners' association voted to change their covenants to allow grazing. In the process, the association filed a letter with the County Assessor to get their properties assessed as ag land and therefore qualify for the significantly lower property tax rates.

Deed restrictions cannot be changed by a vote of the property owners' association.

"I'm very disappointed and it just shows us what kind of man he is," said P&Z Board member Suzy Michnevich of Boulder regarding Mr. Saypol's failure to follow through on the deed restrictions. "His word is not good ... I don't want to make a war out of it, but I'm very disappointed."

The P&Z Board did not make the deed restrictions a condition for approval of Mr. Saypol's development. It isn't clear whether the county has the power to make such a requirement for large tract developments.

"I don't like the idea that he said he would do it and then didn't do it," said P&Z Chairman Jim Bond of Bondurant. "I don't know if we can legally make him do it anyway."

Last week, Mr. Saypol briefly said he checked with his attorney concerning the deed restrictions and decided not to implement them. A call to him for further explaination Tuesday was not returned.

As of last week, four of the nine Packer Creek Ranch parcels had sold and one was under contract. The parcels range in price from $375,000 to $675,000. <

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