Dear HCN,
Moab residents have good reason to be concerned about development
of lands managed by Utah’s State Institutional and Trust
Lands Administration (SITLA). “Luxury looms over Moab” (HCN,
3/26/01: Luxury looms over Moab).
According to
SITLA’s Ric McBrier, “this will be a quality project.” Before
buying that promise, Moab residents should view the eyesore on
state lands near Teasdale, Utah, for an example of the quality
SITLA promotes. Here SITLA, in partnership with a Chevy Chase, Md.,
developer, has built a visually and environmentally destructive
road that local residents find offensive. There was no notification
or consultation with local residents or elected officials. County
zoning ordinances were ignored. In the process, an archaeological
site was bulldozed.
Local residents have made
several suggestions and requests designed to mitigate visual and
environmental damage. All were ignored. We even gathered a few
hundred signatures on a petition asking Gov. Leavitt to take some
action. Those, too, were ignored.
When
questioned, SITLA officials simply quote the mandate to maximize
revenue as they retreat to their bunker. However, in this case,
that doesn’t wash. Had they thoroughly analyzed the project,
the agreement with the developer could have been structured in a
manner that would have resulted in more money going to the school
trust.
Utah’s SITLA is an agency in
serious need of an independent oversight review. Don’t look
for one to happen anytime soon. The bunker is well guarded.
Robert G. Williams
Teasdale, Utah
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Don’t buy SITLA’s promises.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
