From Deseret News archives:

Couple sues for OK to rebuild cabin

Published: Monday, May 21, 2007 12:07 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
PROVO — When Steven Tyler and his wife, Linda, bought a piece of property at Wildwood Resort in Provo Canyon in 1983, the remote area seemed like a peaceful place to retire.

But now that the couple is ready to rebuild a previously destroyed cabin that occupied their property before the winter of 1983, it seems that they face a legal fight.

The Tylers filed a lawsuit in March against Utah County, hoping to reverse a decision made by the Utah County Board of Adjustment that prohibits the couple from building on their property.

According to the lawsuit, which was filed in 4th District Court in Provo, the Tylers have asked to be compensated $150,000 — the estimated worth of the cabin if it were rebuilt — for the county's decision.

However, the lawsuit also asks the court to order Utah County to approve the Tyler family's application for a building permit for their property.

Steven Tyler says he's not interested in receiving any money. He wants to build his cabin.

"Gee, all I want to do is use our piece of property up there to build a cabin on it," Tyler said. "I'm not interested in undoing laws for other people or anything like that. I have a very singular focus, and I'd like to build a cabin in Provo Canyon."

Story continues below
The Tylers' property lies in a critical environment zone in county territory, and construction is prohibited in Wildwood. The couple say they could have rebuilt the cabin within a year after it was first destroyed by heavy snow, but now that more than 20 years have passed, Utah County is saying the Tylers have lost their chance.

"(Utah County) has an ordinance that provides if a cabin is burned, or if a property is burned and is not rebuilt within one year then they can't rebuild it, and I don't think that serves any public purpose," said Dayle Jeffs, the Tylers' attorney. "What difference does it make if it was built back in '83 or built now?"

The county's response to the lawsuit, which was filed in court Wednesday by attorney Peter Stirba, who is representing Utah County in this case, denies that the Tylers' building permit was rejected solely because they did not immediately rebuild.

But in his response to the lawsuit, Stirba, who did not return a Deseret Morning News request for comment, does not elaborate on other reasons the permit was denied.

The Wildwood Resort was first established in 1906, before Utah County enacted its land-use ordinances in 1942, the lawsuit claims. The Tylers say several other cabins in the resort have been rebuilt since the environmental restriction took effect and now they're seeing a double standard.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Image

Steven Tyler wants to rebuild a cabin on his property at Wildwood Resort in Provo Canyon. But Utah County Board of Adjustment has prohibited construction.

previousnext

Latest comments

how could you find an article about this "trash". Some of us are interested...

HAHA. well if anything, the comments just negate the negative review on this...

It is religious ZEALOTS attacking secular Americans. Their ridiculous war on...

Agreed, what does this comment add to the discussion? Zip. Well, a recent...

Here here! People shouldn't be so quick to throw stones and to say that...

Letters: Palin on the fringe?

To charles: I said absolutely nothing derogatory about Gov. Palin, merely...

Letters: Palin on the fringe?

@1st Pagan 8:09 a.m.: "Why would I vote someone for president when they...

Thanks for the uplifting article. I appreciate the update on both of them....

Florida No. 1, TCU 4 in AP Top 25

I know one thing, when BYU "fan" is scared they attack. Hey BYU fan, you have...

Protests against Phoenix LDS temple

"Temples are a place where the LDS congregation congregates, aren't they?"...

Advertisements