Developers have sought for decades to seize on the heavy traffic in the town of about 600, just outside the national park’s entrance. An Italian company appeared poised to make that happen with plans that were themselves grand: a dude ranch, high-end boutiques, five-star hotels, a cultural center, hundreds of homes and a high-density shopping area just off the highway. But Stilo Development Group USA has defaulted on an agreement with town officials, and its application to access land it owns has hit a snag with the U.S. Forest Service. The town hasn’t given up on Stilo, but its mayor has made clear he wants to see some progress soon and a promise to turn over 40 acres for affordable housing fulfilled. Aside from fewer than 10 private parcels, the companies that run the hotels and feed the tourists own the homes in Tusayan. Buying a home in Tusayan has been a dream of some residents since before the community incorporated in 2010. But with many people working lower-wage service jobs, it’s unclear how many can afford a residence of their own. Stilo was supposed to deed the 40 acres to the town no later than April 22 — 14 days after the Town Council approved annexation and rezoning petitions related to three properties that the company owns in Tusayan. The town issued a default notice in early July. The two sides have scheduled a mediation hearing in late September to decide how to move forward, but they hope to avoid it by amending the agreement before then.
Posted on: Thu, 05 Sep 2013 00:00:12 +0000
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