P&Z recommends amendment to Hayden City Council

HAYDEN — At their meeting Monday night, Hayden planning and zoning commissioners Shawn Taylor, Corey Anderson, Brian Petersen, Ben Prickett, and Michael Cramer unanimously recommended a zone map amendment on 2.45 acres located to the west of north Atlas Road and to the south of west Hayden Avenue.

Architect Mike Walker of Miller Stauffer Architects asked commissioners to amend Chris and Andy Bjurstrom Investments, LLC’s agriculturally-zoned property to a residential zone, for the purpose of developing the land into lots for single-family residential homes.

The parcel is flanked by residential zones to the west, south, and east, according to city documents. Residential zones require minimum lot sizes of 0.189 acres, or 8,250 square feet. The city’s future zoning map had the land destined for medium density housing, with four to seven homes per acre.

In terms of infrastructure, Hayden Lake Irrigation District said it could serve the proposed subdivision. Northern Lakes Fire Protection District asked the property owner to install fire hydrants and build the subdivision per NLFPD requirements. The property is within the city’s H-5 sewer shed, with sewage flowing south to the lift station at Strawberry Fields.

Senior planner Donna Phillips said no public comments had been received beforehand. None were made at the hearing. Commissioner Michael Cramer summed up the mood by saying, “This is an easy one.” The commission unanimously recommended that the City Council approve the zone map amendment.

However, discussion regarding a homeowner’s special use permit application for a 40-by-50-foot shop was much lengthier. City planner Marie Holladay explained that in order to facilitate additional homes in the future, applicants Glenn and Kathi Westbrook should build their proposed shop set back 43 feet from the western edge of their property.

A paved driveway currently exists at the western side of the property, which leads to a separately-owned lot on which a neighbor is building a single-family home, said Westbrook.

Holladay argued that if property owners there should ever seek to develop the properties into smaller lots and build additional homes there, the Westbrooks’ shop would need to be 43 feet back in order to allow for a private road.

The Westbrooks already have a small shed and chicken coop, but wanted to build the shop in order to store their larger items and work tools. It would not be used for commercial purposes, Westbrook said.

Westbrook explained that in discussions with Phillips and with the NLFPD, there had been no objections to the site of their proposed shop.

Commissioners weighed in by praising the wisdom of the staff recommendations but also stating the fact that the applicants had met the eight standards to receive a special use permit. They unanimously approved the special use permit, without conditions.