Civil lawsuit stems from non-existent road

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A Flandreau-based family is suing the Flandreau Development Corporation, saying the organization owes it a road on its property.
Bill and Lori Sutton, who live in Sioux Falls and own land adjacent to the southwest side of the city, filed the civil lawsuit against FDC and its predecessor Flandreau Improvement Corporation. The case stems from a real estate agreement from 20 years ago.
As part of the agreement, the Suttons say that the development group agreed to extend Industrial Avenue south and dedicate it as a public street with the purchase of property from Bill Sutton’s mother, Patricia Sutton. They are asking the judge to rule in their favor.

The FDC denies it owes anything under the agreement from 2001.
Sutton’s complaint says Patricia Sutton sold a piece of land for $12,500 to the Flandreau Improvement Corporation for industrial development.
Sutton assigned her rights to the property agreement in March of this year to Bill and Lori Sutton, who live in Sioux Falls.
The development corporation’s answer to the complaint says the property was developed as industrial land under a Tax Increment Financing plan in 2003. The organization also said the issue is past the statute of limitations and that the Suttons lack standing in the issue and the solution of building a road is impractical.