Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident urges recusal of council members over Canyon Villas developer ties
Summary
A local resident asked the council to distance itself from the Canyon Villas developer, alleging permit violations and that council members have personal connections that create an appearance of partiality.
At the start of public comment, Clayne Tanner told the Hurricane City Council he had reviewed the recording of the Nov. 20 meeting and raised concerns about agenda item Senwood/Canyon Village. Tanner alleged the developer, identified in his remarks as James Jessop, sought fee reductions, variances and zoning changes after poor business decisions and that the developer proceeded without appropriate permitting for a retaining wall that damaged Tanner’s property.
Tanner asked the council to require council members Drew Ellerman and Annette Billing to recuse themselves from further Canyon Villas matters to preserve public trust and avoid the appearance of partiality. He said the city should not use public resources to "save the developer from himself." Tanner also urged the city to prioritize affordable housing through competition and compliance with the general plan rather than subsidizing an individual project.
Council members who responded said they had limited or no current relationships with the developer; one councilmember said his interaction with the developer was from earlier work as a staff member of a neighboring city. Staff and council did not take immediate action on recusal requests during the meeting; the item remained in public discussion and will be part of future agenda work on Canyon Villas and related permitting.
