Zone changes seeing changes

HAYDEN - Following an open house that attracted 72 community members and 32 written comments, Hayden city staff are bringing forth amendments to two mixed zones at tonight’s City Council meeting. 

Staff conducted the July 29 event to answer resident questions about the “potential citywide zone map amendment” to include Mixed Use and Mixed Residential areas approved in April.

According to the new code, “Mixed Use” allows for residential multifamily — four units or more per structure — and commercial uses. Mixed Residential, by comparison, is only for housing developments — single, two, or three-family designs. 

After reviewing oral and written comments, the staff is proposing several amendments to the zone standards. With Council support, the revisions would go before a future public hearing. 

“These letters have been a source of concern and questions for many,” a memo from city staff to the Council included in tonight’s agenda packet said. “Staff does need guidance on how to proceed with this process and what a zone map amendment should look like.”

Drafted changes to the code are:

• Dividing the Mixed Use designation into two categories based on location and size of the project site

• Adding clarifying language to the commercial, nonresidential component of Mixed Use design standards

• Updating setbacks on building location and heights to surrounding Mixed Residential or Single Family Residential properties 

• Lowering the maximum number of dwelling units per acre in Mixed Use from 20 to 15 and a base amount of 12 given location, landscaping, and amenities

Mixed Use and Mixed Residential designs come from the Hayden 2040 Comprehensive Plan adopted by the Council in January. According to the memo written by City Attorney Caitlin King, Community Development Director Melissa Cleveland, and Senior Planner Donna Phillips, the zones eliminated the former Multifamily designation and residential opportunities from Commercial areas.

“The only properties the city needs to change at this time are those properties which are zoned Multifamily, since there is no longer a Multifamily zone,” the memo states. “As a part of this process, the City would also be changing numerous properties that are currently nonconforming but would become conforming to a zone change.”

The document notes the city can, but is not required to, initiative zone changes on other properties to implement the 2040 Comprehensive plan. 

Community Development Director Melissa Cleveland said the city hadn’t defined the zone areas yet, and no properties have changed zones. 

“Simply adopting a comprehensive plan does not automatically change the zoning of property,” the memo states. “To implement goals and policies of a comprehensive plan, a city must take additional steps. That is where the city is at today.”

Staff also suggested four options in the memo for Council consideration:

• Only initiate a zone change on properties zoned Multifamily

• Initiate a zone change in Multifamily zones and properties currently not conforming with code

• Move forward with a zone change for all 1700-1800 properties, excluding those that elect to stay in the current zone

• Impose some other limit

The Council will meet at 5 p.m. today in City Hall.