Utah developer drops lawsuit to build development at Bridal Veil Falls

PROVO, Utah — A developer in northern Utah who wanted to build a drug treatment facility near a natural waterfall has decided to drop a lawsuit against Utah County that was filed after the county blocked private development.

Court records show that developer Richard Losee dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice on Jan. 26, less than a month after filing it in the state’s 4th District Court, the Daily Herald reported.

His attorney Bruce Baird said on Wednesday during the public comment portion of the Utah County Commission meeting that Losee decided to drop the lawsuit and intended to support efforts to make Bridal Veil Falls a state monument.

“(Losee) strongly supports the potential monument proposal now being considered by the legislature,” Baird said. “He believes that that would be a good idea for Bridal Veil Falls. It would help Bridal Veil Falls, it would help the public. He is a strong supporter of that.”

However, Baird said Losee still believes the process in passing the conservation easement was “incorrect” and that officials “didn’t give appropriate notice, didn’t consider appropriate value (and) didn’t recognize the source of the funds being from a limited restricted account.”

The county in December passed the conservation easement, which classified the falls as a “surplus property” because the value of the tourist attraction was more than $1,500. Baird at the time called it “unlawful.”

Republican state Rep. Keven Stratton filed a legislative proposal in January originally titled “Bridal Veil Falls State Monument Designation.” As of Wednesday, the proposal had been re-named “Concurrent Resolution Regarding Bridal Veils.”

Stratton said Wednesday the bill was revised following “some discussion of whether we need to raise the effort and make it a state park, as well.”

It is expected to be made public on Thursday, he said.