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Vote set on Fort Pierre riverfront development
• FORT PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- A public vote on breaks for a proposed $16 million riverfront development in Fort Pierre won't include all of the zoning elements proposed by opponents.
• The City Council on Wednesday accepted referral petitions regarding a boat storage area that is planned as part of the Riverwalk Landing project, and set a July 9 special election. However, the council rejected another set of petitions on zoning changes and a deferred $142,000 development fee -- decisions that council members said were administrative in nature and could not be subjected to a public vote.
• "There's no question that our attorneys made it loud and clear that these were not subject to referral," Mayor Sam Tidball said after the meeting.
• "The petition was so broad and ambiguous that it would have been almost impossible to put it on a ballot where people could understand what they were doing. It deals with more than one subject, and that's not appropriate," Tidball said.
• Petitioner attorney McLean Thompson Kerver said her client, businesswoman Diane London, would take the matter to court.
• "I believe these are legislative actions (taken by the council) and the petitions are not ambiguous," Thompson Kerver said. "You could clearly see what our issues were on that petition."
• Riverwalk Landing is to include a marina, restaurant and retail space on the Missouri River. London has said that others who have bought lots and built businesses have not been afforded the same breaks the city is giving the project. Riverwalk Landing developer Glennis Zarecky has said the project will benefit the entire city.
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Media General, Young to combine TV operations
• RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Broadcast companies Media General Inc. and New Young Broadcasting Holding Co. said Thursday that they are combining to create a company that will operate 30 TV stations in 27 markets including San Francisco, Nashville, Tenn., and Richmond, Va.
• The companies said the all-stock deal will give Young shareholders majority ownership, but Media General will initially have the majority of board seats. The headquarters will be in Richmond, where Media General is currently based. Media (Continued on page 16)
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