The District is a quasi-municipal corporation and a political subdivision of the State, created pursuant to the Special District Act. The District was formed by order and decree of the District Court for Summit County, pursuant to the Special District Act and after approval by a vote of a majority of the qualified electors of the District held on November 5, 2002. Under the Service Plan, Alpine Metropolitan District is responsible for managing the construction and operation of the District Facilities needed for the Development, including a water system, roads infrastructure and drainage improvements, parks and recreation facilities, and transportation facilities (which may include, without limitation, a gondola system), and the District is responsible for providing the funding and tax base needed to construct and operate the District Facilities. The Special District Act provides that material departures from the terms of an approved Service Plan may be enjoined by the court approving the organization of the special district. To this extent, the power of the District may be considered limited by the Service Plan. The Special District Act permits amendments of existing service plans by a procedure analogous to that required for their original approval.
The Districts contain approximately 284 acres of territory, and of the 284 acres, approximately 283 acres are within the District and approximately 0.06 acres are within Alpine Metropolitan District.