Utah County is perhaps a step closer to getting another town.

A feasibility study for the Spring Lake area between Payson and Santaquin got the green light Monday from county commissioners. The study only looks at projected revenue vs. expected expenditures as a new town to see if it would be financially viable to incorporate Spring Lake as a town.

The county, which is responsible for the study and paying the bill (likely $10,000-$15,000), is putting together a request for proposals. A contract will be awarded in two weeks and then the study will be undertaken. From there, it's another 30 days to complete the study.

Typically, small areas like Spring Lake seek to annex into cities as more services are requested. But some Spring Lake residents -- at least 51 percent as required in the petition -- instead want to keep their area rural.

"It's a real split," said petitioner Brenda Warner. "There are two or three large land owners in Spring Lake who do not want to become a town."

In April, Santaquin went forward with an annexation policy plan amendment after receiving an annexation petition from people who own property in the south end of the Spring Lake area. Payson's long-term plans also call for the annexation of much of the area.

If the study shows the revenues would exceed costs by 10 percent or more, Spring Lake would become a town automatically by state law. If revenues aren't close to that, Warner said she doesn't see petitioners trying to pass a large tax increase to make up the difference.

"That's why we were so adamant about the feasibility study before we proceeded," she said. "We don't want to be in a mess, we just want to be in a town."

Town revenues would have to come almost entirely from residents, as opposed to businesses. The area has one business -- a trout farm.

If becoming a town is out of reach?

"There's nothing we can do," Warner said. "We will remain county and Santaquin will come after us."

BY THE NUMBERS: Spring Lake

• Size: 620.4 acres

• Real property value: $21,572,906

• Registered voters: 295