Cedar City (Utah) Redevelopment agency minutes, 1980-

The city council organized the redevelopment agency in June 1980 for the purpose of revitalizing downtown Cedar City. According to established guidelines (Utah Code, Unannotated, 1991, 17A-2-1101 t 17A-2-1191.51) redevelopment agencies can be organized to improve or rehabilitate blighted areas. In accordance with the law, the Cedar City redevelopment agency selected and defined a project area for rehabilitation. Working with both the city council and the planning commission, the redevelopment agency developed plans and implemented improvements in the downtown area. The redevelopment agency minutes document the formulation and implementation of these plans. The agency's stated goals were to: build a downtown area that would better serve all Cedar City citizens; provide adequate public facilities for city government and a public library; maximize tax revenue; and protect and enhance a downtown business district. These plans involved the demolition of an old jail and other buildings; thedevelopment of a retail area, particularly a retail grocery project; and the development of a city park. Originally the redevelopment agency discussed building an Iron County convention center and talked about getting an MX missile site near Cedar City. Cedar City officials hoped that redevelopment would make Cedar City a regional center. Throughout, the minutes suggest that redevelopment plans were controversial.