The Moab Redevelopment Agency continued to Oct. 10 a hearing Tuesday on a proposal to include 17 acres of blighted property at the south end of Main Street in a redevelopment plan.
The session was brought to a close after nearly three hours filled with questions, concerns and criticism from a small group of citizens.Four of the Moab City Council members, who constitute the Redevelopment Agency, decided to work a little more on what they hope to accomplish in the first proposed survey area. Mayor Tom Stocks, executive director of the RDA, recommended continuing the hearing to allow for more public comment.
Documents and records pertaining to the agency, formed last May, and the proposed Main Street Neighborhood Development Plan are available at city offices.
The hearing included presentations by attorney William D. Oswald of Salt Lake City, RDA counsel, and Richard D. Chong of Chong and Associates planning and design firm in Salt Lake City.
Chong reported findings of a "blight analysis," based on a survey last summer of the seven targeted land parcels.
Surveyors found the entire section blighted according to 17 criteria and said redevelopment is necessary to reverse present trends and allow the area to realize its full economic potential.
The first area that the new development agency has targeted for improvements includes school district property and six privately owned parcels containing four businesses - Bailey's Custom Craft, Auto Tire, Mrs. B's and the Main Street Broiler.
The Grand County High School and vocational center were later dropped because the school district land generates no property or real estate taxes for the city.
Throughout the hearing, RDA members and Stocks defended the plan as an important economic development tool. Critics expressed suspicion it was a move to force improvements on property owners and enhance the city's powers of eminent domain.
Others accused the RDA of scheming to divert from other taxing entities tax dollars that will be generated by the new supermarket under construction off Uranium Avenue and a proposed Ford Co. development on Kane Creek Boulevard.
Oswald said the taxing districts will receive taxes generated by the new development as they normally would at the current rate of assessment for the first year of the redevelopment plan.
That same base amount will continue to go to other taxing districts for the duration of the 25-year plan, while taxes assessed in excess of the base amount will go to the RDA, on a diminishing percentage basis, to funnel back into the study area for improvements.
"The philosophy of the agency is to try to capture funds to use in various ways to try and attract development . . . and try to create jobs and compete for economic development for your community," Chong said.
Oswald pointed out that the RDA cannot receive any of the excess taxes unless it can show indebtedness on a project.
Despite assurances of tax and other types of benefits, only one clear expression of support came after the agency convened as a city council. Mrs. Richard Stucki said she was glad to see anything that might improve the looks of the city, "whether it's one end or the other."
Property owner Marlene Bailey said she felt that a lot of the resistance to the plan was probably from fear of the unknown. Stocks and RDA member Dave Bierschied said it was not the city's intent to make anyone feel degraded by pointing out blight.
"But it feels like that when you have someone pointing at you," Bailey said.