Dear Editor,
SITLA has refused to follow both Grand County’s and Moab City’s land-use codes on SITLA properties that were being developed. SITLA will pretend to honor the county’s or city’s land-use codes only until SITLA receives the infrastructure necessary to increase the value of its property.
SITLA told Grand County approximately eight years ago that it would not follow the county’s land-use code unless the county approved several major changes in the Cloudrock development. The county did not accept SITLA’s threats, and SITLA and/or the developer finally agreed to follow all county codes.
SITLA is currently telling Moab City that it will not follow the city’s land-use code. SITLA is trying to exclude the public from commenting on two major changes to the Lionsback development. The major changes are to increase the size of the hotel from 50 rooms to 150 rooms and to process sewage on the recharge area of the Glen Canyon Aquifer.
Both the city and the county need to be very concerned about working with SITLA on its property next to the proposed USU campus. SITLA is asking for water, sewer and a million dollar intersection on 191. Water, sewer and the 191 intersection will substantially increase the value of the SITLA property in the area. SITLA may reject the county and city land-use codes when it believes that maximum benefits have been received from the county or city.
Both Grand County and Moab City need a contract with SITLA where SITLA promises to follow both city and county land-use codes for all their property adjacent to the university before any taxpayer money for the 191 road intersection is spent.
Grand County and Moab City have been subject to SITLA’s greed on prior projects. Hopefully, they have learned not to trust SITLA on future projects.
