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Show Lawsuit Not Affecting JBowntown By GARY R. BLODGETT News Editor BOUNTIFUL -- A civil lawsuit filed against Bountiful's Redevelopment Agency (RDA) is having "absolutely no adverse affect on the progress for a downtown mall," according to RDA Director V.A. (Kit) Bettilyon. "IT'S NOT surprising that such a lawsuit would be filed," said Mr. Bettilyon. "It wouldn't be prudent for those people not to file a lawsuit if only to legally protect their position in this matter. "Others in the redevelopment area have also filed similar lawsuits for the same reasons. But nothing is actually going to transpire until such time as property is being acquired by the RDA and this property is owned by petitioners of the lawsuit." MR. BETTILYON said legal counsel for the RDA has answered the lawsuit - which was filed several weeks ago - and apparently apparent-ly the suit is in limbo at this time. "We haven't made any offers for purchase purch-ase of property owned by petitioners of the lawsuit, nor has the RDA made any proposals that would affect the lawsuit," he said. "BUT THAT doesn't mean that legal action ac-tion won't be taken by these people at the time RDA seeks to purchase property. I'm certain that it will and RDA legal counsel will have to answer those actions at the proper time." Meanwhile, Bountiful Redevelopment Agency has swung its attention to the proposed prop-osed development of a 500-unit motel-convention motel-convention center complex on the Bounti ful-Woods Cross boundary south of 500 South just east of Interstate Highway 15. RDA BOARD of Directors are presently looking at two potential developers of a motel-convention center complex on an eight-acre site. If approved, the project would be developed in cooperation with both the Bountiful and Woods Cross Redevelopment Rede-velopment Agencies. Steve Williams, a property owner within the "target area" of the proposed mall -between 200 and 400 North and 100 East and 100 West - alleges that the RDA definition defini-tion of "blighted area" is vague and supporters suppor-ters of the lawsuit have asked that a state judge intervene to interpret the (RDA) law. THE LAWSUIT was filed by a group of property owners in Second District Court, Farmington, and named the RDAfc mayor and city council member! ; defendants. The mayor and com" prise the RDA Board of Directors. The suit seeks an injunction z Bountiful RDA from any redevelop: their land and questions whether between 200 North and 400 North: tween 100 East and 100 West is ' blighted. AT THE same time, the suit seek cial) damages from the plaintiffs: that the publicity about a proposal' the location of their property has: - damaged their business. Mr. Williams stressed that event of condemnation of property in osed mall area has "created an . affect on their property." |