SOUTH SALT LAKE — Residents and business owners who oppose two proposed redevelopment areas along 3300 South may have enough support to make the city reconsider its plans to revitalize the neighborhoods.
The opposition drive is being spearheaded by the Independent Association of Community Councils, whose leaders say they organized because of their concerns about the city's ability to exercise eminent domain within a redevelopment area, not because they are necessarily against the projects.
"The community councils are not out to kill the projects," IACC President Steve Norr said. "We just want to bring a group of property owners that are more informed than any previous group."
Should owners of 40 percent of the property within either proposed redevelopment area officially oppose the project, the Redevelopment Agency (made up of City Council members) would be forced to either adjust the boundaries of the project or put the redevelopment area to a citywide vote.
The two areas proposed as redevelopment zones are as follows:
The 3300 South area would be an L-shaped zone from State Street to 300 West along 3300 South and would extend south to Guest Avenue (3525 South).
The Washington study area would border the north side of 3300 South, extending from Main Street to 300 West, and would then parallel the light-rail tracks along Washington Street.
Norr said that he has received letters from 39 out of the 61 property owners in the Washington study area, although he does not know the exact amount of property they own. The Washington area, which the city is focusing on around the 3300 South light-rail station, has more residential properties than the 3300 South redevelopment area.
Members of the Redevelopment Agency, which will host the first of two public hearings about the redevelopment areas on Tuesday, said that they have proposed the redevelopment zones because they wanted to give residents and business owners a chance to rejuvenate their districts.
"We didn't want to be the ones that told them they couldn't be included in the study," Councilwoman Stacey Liddiard said. "We didn't want to take that choice away."
Council members hope that property owners take the time to learn all the advantages and disadvantages of a redevelopment area before officially opposing the project. One advantage, they hope, is that developing the empty lots and decrepit buildings within the projects would increase the value of existing properties.
"There is always a risk, and nothing is 100 percent guaranteed," Councilwoman Renee Watts said. "But this is worth the risk."
Not all property owners agree that the value of their homes and businesses will increase. If the city decides to undertake the first step of a redevelopment-zone designation — a blight study of the two areas — then values could very well decrease, said Theron Kingston, chairman of the Jordan River Community Council.
Additionally, Kingston worried about proceeding with the redevelopment projects before a developer is secured. Unlike most redevelopment areas, these projects have not had interest for either the deserted Fred Meyer lot or the lots near the light-rail station.
"Why are we strip-mining an area without a plan? If we had a developer, there may be more support," he said. "We don't have any idea what will be there, or if there will even be a developer."
E-MAIL: jloftin@desnews.com