<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3l8Ean_198tSJMj00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3l8Ean_198tSJMj00" width="640" height="320" ><figcaption>A developer successfully sued the city of Talent for not upgrading a railroad crossing that would serve a proposed housing development off of Belmont Road, south of the intersection of Talent Avenue.&nbsp;(Rogue Valley Times file photo)</figcaption></figure>Talent View Investments tried to develop 26-acre parcel along railroad tracks since 2014; initially sought $16 millionA jury on Monday returned a $7 million verdict in favor of a local developer who sued the city of Talent for impeding development of a 26-acre housing project along the railroad tracks inside city limits for more than a decade.The 12-member jury in Jackson County Circuit Court sided with Talent View Investments, which reportedly has been trying to develop its privately owned property at the end of Belmont Road, since 2014.Talent View Investments alleged in the civil suit, initially filed in Nov. 2023, that the city failed to apply for an upgraded railroad crossing that would serve the parcel of land on which 49 lots were planned for construction of single-family homes.Following a five-day trial, the jury was asked to decide whether the city breached the 1977 agreement by not submitting a railroad crossing application on behalf of the plaintiff, and whether the city breached its “duty of good faith and fair dealing” under the same agreement.The jury said “yes” on both counts.Attorney Casey Nokes of Portland-based Cable Huston law firm, which represented Talent View Investments in the suit, confirmed the verdict in favor of his client and a $7 million award in the case. Plaintiffs initially sought an award amount of $16,379,609.60, the estimated loss of profit from development of 49 planned homes.Nokes declined to discuss the case in detail but said next steps include that the city could pay the judgement, appeal the suit or seek a settlement.Numerous prior attempts have been made to develop the land since the mid-1990s, but developers faced various hurdles, and the city of Talent has seen over the past decade a frequent change in top leadership.Testimony during the trial, which was tried before Jackson County Circuit Court Judge David Orr, indicated that the developer would be unlikely to pursue the project and believed the city could not allow it to move forward. The trial was set to last for four days but spilled over to Monday with a long list of witnesses; the city called six witnesses, while the plaintiff called eight.“After eight years of trying to develop their residentially zoned land that is within the city limits, the owners of TVI are pleased that the jury returned a substantial verdict,” Nokes told the Rogue Valley Times on Tuesday.“The owners of TVI remain open to overtures from the city on how to resolve this litigation.”Messages to Talent Mayor Darby Ayers-Flood, who testified during the trial, were not returned on Tuesday. Legal counsel for the city in September reported attempts to negotiate with the developer prior to the case heading to trial.A motion for summary judgement in the case had previously been filed by the city in June but was denied, by Judge Orr, in August. In a motion for summary judgement, a party is arguing that there can be no real dispute about material facts and the party filing the motion is entitled to win the case as a matter of law.Talent City Manager Alex Campbell offered a written statement on Tuesday afternoon in response to losing the suit.“The city is disappointed by the verdict,” Campbell wrote. “We will explore the appropriate next steps for the city over the coming days and weeks. We are committed to continuing to provide critical city services to our community, no matter what the ultimate outcome of the case may be.”The suit between the city of Talent and Talent View Investments is one of two large filings in recent years. Award-winning local arborist and founder of OUR Community Forestry Michael Oxendine filed suit in Jackson County Circuit Court last January for $350,000 in lost work and other damages after a series of decisions by former City Manager Jordan Rooklyn. That suit alleges age and gender discrimination, breach of contract, fraud, intentional interference with contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent misrepresentation and promissory estoppel. Co-defendants named in the suit, set for a jury trial in November, include the city of Talent and Rooklyn.Reach reporter Buffy Pollock at 458-488-2029 or buffy.pollock@rv-times.com. Follow her on Twitter @orwritergal.</div></body>

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Talent View Investments tried to develop 26-acre parcel along railroad tracks since 2014; initially sought $16 million. A jury on Monday returned a $7 million verdict in favor of a local developer who sued the city of Talent for impeding development of a 26-acre housing project along the railroad tracks inside city limits for more than a decade.

Talent loses $7M judgment in dispute with developer

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Talent View Investments tried to develop 26-acre parcel along railroad tracks since 2014; initially sought $16 million. A jury on Monday returned a $7 mill

Talent loses $7M judgment in dispute with developer

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