Apartment plan shot down
Photos: JUDD WILSON/Press Hayden Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Brian Petersen explains the agenda at Monday night’s meeting to consider a special use permit for the Dakota Ranch project. From left, Corey Anderson, Heather McNulty, Petersen, Alan Davis.
Drew Dittman of Lake City Engineering briefed the Hayden Planning and Zoning Commission on the Dakota Ranch project Monday night. (JUDD WILSON/Press)
The proposed site of a 140-unit apartment complex in Hayden is situated near U.S. 95 and West Hayden Ave. (JUDD WILSON/Press)
The Hayden Planning and Zoning Commission’s decision to deny a special use permit Monday means these empty fields will remain that way for now.
HAYDEN — Several dozen people packed Hayden City Council chambers Monday night for a special use permit hearing on the proposed 140-unit Dakota Ranch apartment complex. The city planning and zoning commission heard the audience’s voices loud and clear, and gave them what they wanted: a resounding “no” to the project.
The Dakota Ranch project would have covered 8.17 acres situated south of west Dakota Avenue, north of west Helen Avenue, east of north Buttercup Lane, and west of the future north Hess Street.
Drew Dittman, principal engineer and owner of Lake City Engineering, said the project has local roots. Special use permit applicant Chad Farley was born and raised in Hayden and has built apartments across the Northwest, said Dittman. According to the permit application, the property is owned by Jean Verna Rowles.
Dittman said the project was in harmony with the city’s comprehensive plan, which had designated the land in question for high-density residential use. Dittman said impact fees would generate nearly $250,000 in revenue, and that the developer had agreed to pay for width improvements, curbs, sidewalks, and landscaping along Hess Street, also called Kirkpatrick Street, and to make improvements on Buttercup Lane and Dakota Avenue.
Dittman estimated the new units would generate 931 car trips per day.
“This project will generate traffic, there’s no doubt about it,” he said.
However, he added that the project is “literally surrounded by streets designed to handle high amounts of traffic.” At this remark, some in the audience shouted in disbelief and had to be gaveled down by commission chairman Brian Petersen.
“We strongly denounce this permit to our neighborhood due to the impact it will have with traffic to and from on our existing roads,” said William and Vicki Kopriva in a written statement to the commission. “Also, the cause for potential crime in the area. We already have enough police being called to the apartment complexes facing Hayden Avenue. We are a small knit community and want it to stay that way!”
John Librande agreed, writing that the new apartments would “create way too much traffic on Shaw Street” and would “more than double the amount of people and traffic in our area.” Librande explained that conditions were “too dangerous for families already living in single family homes. Most are retired. Please deny request.”
Branden Rose told the commission that the new units would negatively impact the property values of new homes built in the area. He also was concerned about the impact of additional traffic.
“Dakota and Reed Road are not wide enough, and they can’t handle that increase in traffic,” Rose said. “This would add approximately 250 cars to the road. Do you realize, we already must stop for pedestrians walking because we have no sidewalks on Reed or stop on Dakota for oncoming traffic because the bushes have over grown the roadway and scratch our vehicles or break our mirrors?”
As the final decision maker in the permit application process, the planning and zoning commission voted unanimously to deny the permit, said Director of Community and Economic Development Connie Krueger.