Meet Don Marchant for Cedar City Council 2011

Would you support an ordinance to protect individuals from being discriminated against by property owners?

Can you give me a clearer explanation of what you mean. What is discriminatory to one person might not be to another. How about an example.

Would you support an ordinance to protect private property owners from discriminatory measures pushed by special interest groups or Federal mandate?

That's more of a social issue that is being made into a political hot potato. Generally speaking, I don't favor Federal mandates, period.

How do you feel about impact fees?

Impact fees are necessary to help the City defray some of the infrastructure costs of development and improvement of property. Should they be discounted or reduced during hard economic times? Usually that is an appropriate move to help encourage development and give the construction industry a boost. That, in turn, creates activity in the industry and puts people back to work.

How do planning and zoning affect the property rights of property owners?

Zoning laws were designed to give order to commercial and residential areas. Sometimes they create more of a mess than solve a problem, 100 West in Cedar is an example of that. When you mix zoning, as we find on 100 West, it makes what was once a great residential area into a can of worms consisting of residences and multiple unit dwellings along with commercial establishments, it make everything a mess. What generally happens is that when the original owner of a piece of residential property dies, his family, or estate, sells the property to someone whose interests are more in the commercial prospects of the property rather than the residential aspects. These owners are typically absentee owners and they really don't give a darn about a neighborhood. They want to maximize the value of their property, hence they build an apartment complex or some other kind of commercial building and thus the neighborhood goes to hell. The question can also be asked, what are the rights of the neighbors and the value of their property? Not all of these issues are black and white or right and wrong, which makes zoning a very difficult issue to address favorably for all parties concerned.

Why are you running for City Council?

I was born, raised and educated in Cedar City as were my children. My pioneer ancestors, on my mother's side, helped settle and develop this area. My roots run deep. I am at a point in my life when I have the time, and the experience, to devote to helping make Cedar City a better place to live, raise and educate children and do business. I don't have any specific political agenda, I have no axe to grind, nor am I mad at someone in City government. I think I can make a difference in considering Cedar City's future. I would like the opportunity to do that.

Have you read the Ordinances of your City?

No

Are there any concerns with the ordinances?

Not currently

How do you feel about the Lake Powell Pipeline?

I haven't formed an opinion yet on the Pipeline

How do you feel about the Cedar City Aquatic Center?

I like it. It is a great recreation area that serves many people very well.

What is the best way you feel we can attract businesses to the city?

Let the Economic Development Board do their job.
Cedar City finds itself in an interesting position; we are too small to be big and too big to be small. A lot of the businesses that we would love to have come to Cedar, require more from our community economically, than we are currently in a position to give. As much as we would love to have a Target or a Harmon's or a business that would compete with WalMart, we are not in a position to meet their bottom line criteria. I think the best thing we can do is support, as much as possible, the businesses that are here

Is there anything else you would like to say?

Is this information for the Iron County GOP or special interest segments of the Republican Party?

What is the best way to contact you for more information?

my email address is: donmarchant1946@gmail.com