Stone Creek North tabled for adjustments
A satellite view of the two lots making up the 33-acre proposed subdivision known as Stone Creek North. Citing concerns over traffic ingress and egress, lot size and density issues, the Hayden city council voted Tuesday night to table any vote to approve or reject the proposal, giving developers time to re-work their plans for the lots south of Lancaster Road. (Courtesy city of Hayden)
The Hayden City Council, after hearing a flurry of commentary from its citizens, voted to table the Stone Creek North subdivision until revisions could be made.
The proposed 66-lot subdivision on a little more than 33 acres was the subject of lengthy testimony during Tuesday night’s public hearing. The city had entered 17 letters into the record, and many more had come to voice their displeasure over the proposal south of Lancaster Road near east Maroon Creek Drive. One such voice came from Louise O’Brien, who lamented the impending growth pushing out her idyllic area.
“We live on a Norman Rockwell neighborhood,” she said Tuesday night. “It’s why I love this neighborhood. When you go for a walk, it takes you hours, because our neighbors are on their front porches, talking to you.”
Concerns from residents — many of whom live near the proposed development — ranged from lot size and density to the city’s maintenance of the development’s 5-acre park to a potential decrease in neighboring property value.
“Ultimately, the difference in home quality and lot profiles will decrease our home and neighborhoods value,” Brain and Sara Mudd wrote in a letter of opposition, “will remove much of the valuable open space, natural trees and will bring increased traffic to our neighborhoods.”
Traffic became a running theme throughout the longer-than-two-hour public hearing, with many saying the ingress and egress the new subdivision will bring will be an unmanageable and unsafe burden on the neighborhood.
“Both sides of Buckles Road, with the exception of one block that borders Rocking R homes, don’t have sidewalks or bike lanes,” Rick Palagi of the Stone Creek Homeowners Association testified. “There are quite a few children too that live in homes on or adjacent to Buckles and residents already display signs encouraging drivers to slow down and pay attention. Stone Creek has a number of children, walkers, bikers and senior residents, as well.”
With 76 homes in nearby Stone Creek, the new Stone Creek North — the latter of which shares no relationship or direct financial ties to the former — will not quite double the density in the area. Barry Goldson, civil engineer for the Marks project near Lancaster, came to council Tuesday night to address its connection with Stone Creek North’s approval, a connection tied through sewer lines.
“We need this project to go for our project to go,” Goldson said. “As a matter of fact, it’s necessary for our project to go forward.”
Once the public hearing ended, council deliberated the matters at hand, with councilman Matthew Roetter leading off by commenting on the cost of growth to the city.
“One of the issues we have is the cost,” he said. “For every dollar we collect, we spend $1.06 or $1.08 in growth.”
Council talked about directing staff to look at drainage and snow removal, among other issues, after suggesting developers go back to the drawing board to address lot sizes and traffic relief, among other issues.
“Let’s do things in a better way,” councilman Richard Panabaker said of the traffic concerns, agreeing with suggestions that Lancaster Road be utilized. “We’re tied together — all of us.”
Because the Nov. 10 City Council meeting is packed with two public hearings promising to be equally lengthy, and because the coming Tuesday is Election Day, the City Council will hold a special meeting to further discuss Stone Creek North on Nov. 17 at 5 p.m.