Hayden delays zone change
HAYDEN — In response to hundreds of Hayden residents' concerns on new city zone designations, the City Council unanimously approved an ordinance delaying implementation for up to one year.
Adopting the Imagine Hayden 2040 Comprehensive Plan led to staff developing two new land-use zones: Mixed Residential and Mixed Use, while eliminating Residential Multi-family.
Because of changes to the Hayden Future Land Use Map, hundreds of existing properties are in a state of non-conformance, mainly in the multi-family zone. After learning their property designation could change, residents began voicing their concerns, leading to several workshops and open houses.
On Aug. 10, the council directed staff to outline options on zone changes and address community upset.
During the Tuesday City Council meeting, Senior Planner Donna Phillips presented five possible paths forward:
• A: Follow Hayden City Code as written.
• B: The same process as Option A but include a second public hearing with the City Council.
• C: The same process as Option B but add the second public hearing and notice all property owners within a 300-foot radius of all properties being rezoned.
• D: Don't move forward with the zone map amendment and require a zone text amendment to reinstate some form of the old Residential Multi-family zone.
• E: Council approves an ordinance to reinstate the Residential Multi-family text as it stands for up to one year. In the interim, staff would conduct workshops with the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council, and further address concerns with zone designation. Then a follow-up zone text or map amendment would occur.
As identified in the old code, Residential Multi-family was "established to provide higher density residential housing areas served by collector and arterial streets."
"We've heard resoundingly from the public that they're not enamored with higher density in any way, shape or form," Phillips said Tuesday night.
Phillips said she was personally "not in favor" of Option D, considering the city could rezone 405 of the 532 previously Residential Multi-family properties to fit their existing design better.
"Nearly 80% of the lots in this area do not meet the purpose of (Multi-family) zone," she said. "So I have a really hard time just dumping it back into the thing ... I don't see that as aiding or abetting anybody or making their situation better."
By choosing Option E, Phillips said the additional workshops could help fix those "spot areas."
Mayor Steve Griffitts said he's heard from probably hundreds of residents regarding the zone amendments in the last few months. He said they feel the city tried to do "too much at once" during a period when regional growth is a top concern.
"I think Option E lets everybody take a deep breath," Griffitts said. "Once we communicate clearly with respect to specific zoning, I think it will help all of the community come together in a better way."
After attending an open house intended to inform the public on zone changes, Councilman Roger Saterfiel said the most overwhelming reaction he saw was resident confusion.
Confusion was exactly how Hayden resident Marsa McCusker felt when she learned about the zone change.
"It seems like they made all these major changes to zones that are taking the city in a direction that people like me don't like," McCusker said at the open house on July 29. "It sounds like it's all geared toward developers and growth, not the people who live here."
Like the mayor, Saterfiel hopes Option E will allow for more positive discussions with the public.
"The last option gives everybody a chance to breathe, talk with their neighbors and families to decide what they want," he said.
By approving Option E, Phillips said the next steps for the city would be to conduct planning and zoning hearings and workshops with residents.
"We want to do what's right for Hayden, for the citizens who live here. We're listening," Councilwoman Jeri DeLange said.
Council members also approved:
• The $52 million Capital Improvement Plan, featuring approximately 70 projects scheduled between 2022 and 2026.
• A sewer rate fee increase that primarily finances the city's $9.5 million share of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's mandated upgrades to the sewer treatment plant to meet water quality standards. A portion will also be used to repay $1.4 million in defense costs from the North Idaho Builders & Contractors Association lawsuit over sewer capitalization fees. According to city documents, residential properties will increase monthly rates from $52.50 in 2021 to $58 in 2024 under the new base rate.
• Increases in recreation and special event fees to offset costs of facility rentals, staffing and equipment.
• A revision to the Public Safety Impact Fee Capital Improvement Plan to construct a permanent facility at Honeysuckle Beach to aid marine response on Hayden Lake.