Residents worry over blight poll in Davis
Their daughter, Jody Jones, smiles.
"This is our getaway, it's our haven," she says.
But there is a note of seriousness in her voice. As the children play, the Nielsen clan is discussing a possible threat to their parents' home.
The day before a legislative-imposed moratorium on some redevelopment agency projects was supposed to be implemented, Farmington approved a blight survey that included the Nielsens' property.
Land owned by Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights, and Farmington Councilman Larry Haugen was also included in the study designed as a way to clean up a junk yard and secure protection of a city watershed.
In the final minutes of the 2005 session, lawmakers moved up the RDA deadline, and the blight study was put on hold. The Nielsens are concerned the legislation could be vetoed.
Their property also could be at risk when the moratorium ends next year.
"We are on an isolated island in the middle of public property," said Nola Nielsen. "I was never concerned before, but blight has a great-big, wide definition."
SB184 was designed to tighten that definition, said sponsoring Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo. The bill also eliminates the use of eminent domain to secure RDA projects.
For that, the Nielsens and 26 other families in the area are grateful.
But beyond concerns over a veto, they wonder why their land was deemed worthy of a blight study and about the impact that decision will have on property values.
They also question whether the study was done to benefit Bell and Haugen.
Bell, who sponsored ethics-reform legislation on the hill this year, owns 12 acres in the blight study area. Haugen owns a garage and junk yard in the area.
Residents allege the two worked a deal with the city that would benefit both financially.
The goal is for the two to do a land swap, said Tom Owen, owner of the historic Rock Mill in Farmington. Haugen would take Bell's property and clean up his business, and Bell would develop housing on Haugen's property.
"They will benefit immensely," said Owen, who has been active in Ogden-area RDA wars.
Bell says the city has been working to get rid of Haugen's garage for 25 years. The deal was "legitimate."
Said Haugen, "I have to have so much money to actually move. The city has been after us for 25 years, and the only way I can move out of there and help the waterway is either they RDA it or we put a multitude of houses there."
During debate on the RDA bill on Capitol Hill, Bell disclosed his conflict. But he did vote against an amendment that changed the moratorium from Feb. 24 to Feb. 15.
Comments
- Parks nominee is in hot water 9:30 p.m.
- Burris bows out of 2010 race 9:30 p.m.
- Regulators close Wyoming bank 9:17 p.m.
- Bailout $ may aid small business 9:16 p.m.
- Facebook sued on control of content 9:15 p.m.
- Poor more likely to leave California 9:13 p.m.
- Montana guv blasts GM 9:11 p.m.
- GM exits bankruptcy quickly 9:10 p.m.
- Death near Rockville suspicious 9:09 p.m.
- May trade deficit dropped to $26B 9:08 p.m.
- LDS seminary principal arrested
- Jazz talking Boozer trade?
- Reactions on Boozer speculation
- Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
- Jazz in back of line for free agents
- Blazers offer Millsap 4-year deal
- A primer for the 6th Potter film
- Okur signs two-year extension
- Jazz won't meet Lopez on Europe trip
- Restaurant destroyed by fire
- Letters: Palin mistreated
142 - Bronco collecting a galaxy of recruits
141 - Teachers struggle with district cuts
138 - Jazz talking Boozer trade?
136 - LDS seminary principal arrested
133 - Blazers may offer Millsap a contract
123 - Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
93 - Fairness of BCS debated
81 - Chaffetz eyes challenging Bennett
74 - Letters: Single-payer system best
71
As more and more dads are put out of work in this economy, I've been...
The photographs are mysterious, brooding, dark. They show dimples and...
Utahns PAY for all that stuff, how Californians using that money? What...
Chris - Moon rock samples and personal testimonyies/witnesses aside, do...
time to get rid of both. we need Bosh from Toronto .....trade all 3 including...
Mary Coppins has a new slant these days. I am just so glad he has stopped...
Not one single "Jazz fan" has spelled the name Joel Przybilla correctly, in...
i had awesome this year and she was well....awesome =) i miss her so much...
Yes, I'm rooting for the Y against OK also. Any win by MWC over BCS benefits...
off the hook for this, because he did good things at other times. We are...
"So depending on where you look, you'll get your answer." Well...that's...
Apparently your allowed to bring politics into this "sports" story but if...



You can be the first to comment on this story.