"I don't let it sway my opinion, and they (developers) know that. It's absolutely not a factor," he said.

Bill Colbert, a member of the City Council, said the idea of campaign contributions from developers somehow influencing city decisions is outrageous.

"It hurts members of the council when people say our hands are in the pockets of the developers," said Colbert, who received $3,250 from developers in his 2003 campaign.

Pugh, who was on the city's planning commission in 1999, said the city has always had a bias favoring developers.

"The developers are running rampant. They are running this town," Pugh said.

Matt Haines, who lives directly above the disputed church land, said, "There's too many bizarre and unfair things that have happened in our city for people not to question the intent and the policies of our city administration. There's no rhyme or reason for the way things have been slammed in on this hillside."

Haines said a City Council meeting earlier this month was evidence that city officials were willing to give developers whatever they want.

At the meeting, developer David Mast stood up in protest of a letter written by residents who are against the sale of the church land for townhomes.

Mast told residents he was going to investigate what he called a "premeditated conspiracy to make false representation to the city" and that he would sue certain residents involved in writing the letter.

Haines said the threat of a lawsuit caused many residents not to speak up at the meeting.

"The people are scared to voice their opinion. I'm afraid the city will just cave in and give in to the developer," Robinson said.

Mast has previously filed seven lawsuits against the city of Draper because of disputes over his developments. All of the suits were settled by the city.

"He uses lawsuits like a weapon," Pugh said. "He was intimidating the City Council. He was bullying them."

Mast, however, said he only sued the city because the zoning regulations were unlawful. He added that the reason he is involved in the church land dispute is because he thinks it is unreasonable for the city to restrict the church's sale of the land.

Smith said he and the other city council members were not intimidated or swayed by Mast's lawsuits.

"City council members speak their piece and their opinion based on the facts," Smith said.

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E-mail: estewart@desnews.com