Tag Archives: Phil Rubin

Judge Affirms Mustang’s Development Rights, Revives Claims Against Former Hideout Mayor

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By Miki Mullor
Editor

WASATCH COUNTY, Utah (Oct. 7, 2025) — A Utah judge has handed Mustang Development LLC a significant win in its years long battle with the Town of Hideout, affirming the company’s right to nearly 2,000 homes under a master development agreement and allowing damages claims against former Mayor Philip Rubin to move forward.

Fourth District Judge Jennifer Mabey ruled Oct. 3 that Mustang is entitled to seek attorney fees after the town conceded its original position on density was wrong. The court also granted Mustang permission to file a third amended complaint, reviving claims that Rubin acted in his personal capacity when he allegedly conspired with a town planner to spread false information about the developer’s rights.

Mustang is pursuing more than $100 million in damages, claiming the misinformation campaign killed a $9.5 million land sale and devalued property throughout Hideout. A trial date has not been set.

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Mayor confirms water right shortfall; setups an independent working group 

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By Miki Mullor 

Mayor Phil Rubin has confirmed a water right deficit liability exists, as we reported.  

Rubin shared with the Town’ council that he has set up an independent working group made of experts to look for ways to procure water rights, for the already approved 1,800 or so units, which he contends were approved prior to his first  administration without actually having the water rights to support it.

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Hideout sued for $10 million for refusing Golden Eagle Certificates of Occupancy

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By MIki Mullor

The legal drama over Golden Eagle reached a new level today when Mustang Development LLC, the developer of Golden Eagle, sued the Town of Hideout over its refusal to issue certificates of occupancy (COs) in Golden Eagle.

Mustang claims it suffered damages of at least $10 million dollars as a result of lost sales caused by the Town’s actions, including harm to relationships with individuals that have purchased lots, lost past and future sales and harm to its reputation in the Summit and Wasatch County real estate communities.

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Hideout’s water rights deficit: a $13-25 million water bomb ?

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After the Hideout Comment exposed in our last story another misrepresentation by Mayor Phil Rubin to the town council, his administration trips over itself in attempts to save his credibility.

In the process, the administration alluded to potentially even a bigger problem looming over Hideout: the approval of development without acquiring water rights, a problem that could prove very costly, to the tune of $13-25 million potentially.

Lack of transparency by the administration and Rubin leaves much of the issues in the dark, including the financial viability of Hideout moving forward.

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Hideout’s attempt to hike water rates by up to 54% tests the Mayor’s credibility

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By Miki Mullor

Forced to roll back water connection fees, the Town of Hideout is now proposing water usage increases by up to 54%. Mayor Phil Rubin blamed the rate hike on an increase in the cost of water charged by the Town’s wholesale supplier, Jordanelle Special Service District (“JSSD”).

JSSD has denied it raised rates on Hideout. Documents obtained through a GRAMA request from JSSD show no rate increase in the last two years.

Hideout’s budget proposal for FY24 shows that water costs are in fact expected to be lower than the four year average and lower than FY21 and FY22. Salaries and benefits cost on the other hand is set to increase by 42% compared to last year, and by 226% compared to FY21.

This might be the second time Rubin is relying on misrepresentation to the council to raise public fees. After we published our story on the use of fabricated data to justify gouging water meter fees, the council voted to roll back those fees and issue refunds to impacted residents.

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Hideout gouges water meter fees by $3,500, possibly illegally

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By Miki Mullor 

Facing questions from citizens and the Hideout Comment, Town of Hideout’s Mayor, Phil Rubin, and the Town Engineer Timm Dixon, were unable to support with facts their action to raise water meter fees on new residents by more than 450%. The March 2022 fee hike, approved by the Town’s council, may be violating Utah State law, which protects residents against unreasonable fee hikes.  

The fee hike was initiated by Dixon, who relied on misinformation to justify it, and supported by Rubin, who made questionable public statements on the validity of the fee hike. 

The Town was expected to gain about $445,000 a year from the hike, per the Town’s FY23 budget.  Utah law prohibits cities from generating profits from water connection fees. 

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BREAKING NEWS: Judge rules against the Town of Hideout over Golden Eagle building permits

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By Miki Mullor

This morning Judge Jennifer Mabey of the 4th District Court issued a temporary restraining order barring the Town of Hideout from relying on four of the five reasons it has been using to deny building permits in Golden Eagle. The ruling on the fifth reason was deferred until at least May 19.

The ruling deals a major setback to the Town which has been insisting it is only trying to enforce the law as written, spending so much on legal fees, that it is now expecting a $300,000 to a 500,000 budget deficit next year.

Mustang Development LLC, the developer of Golden Eagle, contended that the Town was abusing it’s permitting power to pressure Mustang on a defamation lawsuit it brought two years ago against Mayor Phil Rubin personally – an argument the judge seem to agree with.

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Judge will give her decision on Golden Eagle tomorrow

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By Miki Mullor

Analysis

On Monday, April 24, at 8:30, Judge Mabey will give an oral ruling on the building permits dispute between Mustang Development LLC, the developer of Golden Eagle, and the Town of Hideout.

The judge is expected, for the first time, to decide which of the reasons used by the Town to deny building permits in Golden Eagle, are valid, and which are not.

Indirectly, this decision may have significant impact on the Town’s finances (already projected to be in a $300,000 – 500,000 deficit), if the Town continues to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on legal fees or possibly be liable for future damages to land owners.

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