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Show SPECIAL COLLECTIONS r f i u rAH UNiVSna'TY OF j l LibHAFFS r MAR - 2 8 1978 1 i ' SERIALS ORDER DEPT, Petition figures dont add up by Sheri Poe Enterprise Staff Writer Simple arithmetic applied to the law could easily spell disaster for South Jordan's explosive annexation of 22,400 acres of county land. Notwithstanding the fact South Jordan Mayor Ted Lee would like to see the community build a tax base . South Jordan rs commercial tax base consists of a Hungry Jack restaurant , a gas station and soda pop machine, says Mayor Lee. Annexation a can of worms? by Sheri Poe Enterprise Staff Writer Developers and residents arc fast learning the Midas touch they believe annexation will bestow upon their communities isnt quite the pot of gold they expected it would be. First, until the Bonneville petition is voted upon, any annexation is subject to scru- - Investors burned in game scheme by James M. Schutz Enterprise Staff Writer A relatively carefree and steady cash flow investment has turned sour for a least eight Utah investors and no one's sure if the state can help out. It started with a company called First National Credit Corporation marketing electronic gaming machines. The company advertised under the investment opportunities section of the two local dailies' classified ads. A year later, however, those who responded to the ads arc still licking their wounds. Carl Warner, an accountant with UV Industries, was (See SCHEME, page 4) VOLUME 7 NUMBER 39 tiny by the Utah attorney gen- eral, who can easily invalidate any annexation move and return the property to the county's original jurisdiction. Furthermore, developers arc finding their plans for annexed properties dont always measure up to what the city considers to be the plats use once it is annexed. Deal is off Such is the case of Bob Bowles, a Dixie Six developer who provided at least partial impetus in the 15,000 acre annexation to South Jordan not long ago. Although he had a development group willing to sink $2 million into the area, the deal is off now," he told the Enterprise. The city doesnt want that area to be developed for residential use, which was our intent," Bowles explained. A smaller sewage line has been planned to service' that area and we would have had to foot the bill ourselves for the cost difference in the two the newly annexed land, and had tentative agreements to purchase land from several farmers before the annexation. But South Jordan mayor Ted Lee said BowJes should have had the foresight to option the land before the annex- (Sec ANNEXATION, page 4) the petition is under close scrutiny of the county attorney's office for possible violation of the boundaries of the proposed Bonneville City, a closer look at the document reveals it was signed by a mere 15 property owmers within the annexed area. And 15 simply does not meet state requirements for annexation. Petition falls short State law requires that a majority of real property owners sign any annexation petition. Furthermore, those petiof tioners must own one-thir- d the assessed property value in order for the petition to be valid. The South Jordan petition qualifies in neither of these areas. Since there are more than 65 property owners in the annexed area, 15 people do not constitute a majority. And those whose names do not appear on the petition own at least 16,492 acres of the area to be annexed. Assuming all of the undeveloped dry farmland and foothills is of equal value, the petitioners would need to own 7.466 acres to apply for annexation. But 16,492 subtracted from the total annexation of 22,400 means the petitioners could own at most, 6,008 acres. Plat could vary These figures are based on plat ownership published by the county last year, and may vary since land specualtion has created high turnover of property in that area. But since those acquiring the land did not sign the petition and there are still at least 45 in the area, both petition requirements arc still unsatisfied. The largest landowner in the annexed property is the partnership of brothers Cal and William Max Spratling, neither of whom signed the petition. (See FIGURES, page 2) land-owne- rs Rodeway making comeback in SLC Rodeway may be coming back to Salt Lake City. A 100 unii motel under construction at 2070 W. North Temple has received preliminary approval from Rodeway Inns to do business under the Rodeway name. The motel is owned by a partnership, Aurora Pacific Associates. And according to A $2.5 million i--T Mitch Godfrey, project mana- ger at Landmark Development, the builders and original owners of the project, it is estimated to cost upwards of $2.5 million. Also in the works are plans to build a restaurant and coffee shop. Godfrey said the partnership is negotiating with Koppcr Kitchens of Ore gon to manage the restaurant. The motel and restaurant, occupying 42,000 square feet on three acres of land, is for completion scheduled June 1. The complex will be two stories high. Financing arrangements remain undisclosed, but Lee Ingersoll is contractor for the Ron Molcn designed project. motel oeing ouilt on North Temple may operate under the Rodeway name. V lines." Bowles said he had hoped to develop a residential area on the property, originally selling for about $3,500 an acre. The homes would be marketed to young families who can't afford high land costs, he explained. But since annexation, land values have more than doubled to $7,500 an acre. Bowles wanted to create a community of 15,000" on - MONDAY, MARCH 27, 1978 50 CENTS |