Hayden P&Z OKs new neighborhood

HAYDEN — Plans to turn the Hayden Meadows Soccer Complex into a subdivision received a unanimous recommendation for approval Monday night by the city's Planning and Zoning Commission. 

After acquiring the 10-acre parcel for $1.5 million in October, the property owners — Kulka Land, LLC — purchased two adjacent properties for a combined total of about 16 acres. 

Local youth soccer teams had used the fields for decades before the previous landowners, the Coeur d'Alene School District, announced plans last summer to put that land out for bid. Revenue from the land will help the district financially, Coeur d'Alene School District officials told The Press in an interview last August. 

South of Hayden Meadows Elementary School, east of Maple Street and west of Finucane Drive, the major subdivision named "Hayden Meadows Estates" will include 53 single-family residential lots if approved by the City Council. 

As part of the project, the developer agreed to contract an 18-foot sewer line from Secretariat Lane to the north edge of the subdivision to boost capacity issues with the gravity sewer mains on Hayden and Finucane Drive. While this could typically be reimbursed under Hayden City Code §8-2-6, the developer instead requested a trade that relinquishes the requirement to improve frontage along with Maple Street properties.  

"The improvements wouldn't be more than a small portion of frontage leading to an adjacent property with no right of way connection," said Scott McArthur, the project applicant. "What we're doing with the sanitary sewer and what we're doing with the purchase of this right of way is far better for the city and taxpayers than installing those frontage improvements that go nowhere." 

In terms of planning, having additional sewer pipes installed by the developer would take a significant burden off the public works and engineering departments, Community and Economic Development Director Melissa Cleveland said. 

Commissioner Benjamin Prickett noted that the city continues to have issues with "patchwork" road widenings and sidewalks that "surely lead to nowhere." While it seems like an uncommon trade for the city to make, he believes the commission should trust the advice of city staff.

"Everybody's brought up the cost to the taxpayer," Prickett said. "Well, the developer is going to bear those costs. Ultimately this is saving the citizens' costs without tearing up a bunch of yards and stuff like that."  

The project will average about 3.32 homes per acre with a mean lot size of 9,918 square feet (.228 acres), consistent with the city's 2040 comprehensive plan provisions. 

"This is a typical residential development with large lots in the city of Hayden. We're not creating any trip hazards or concerns for landowners," McArthur said. "To my knowledge, everything that we have proposed is standard development approved by the city of Hayden." 

Board members said they didn't make their decision lightly and that recent stress about growth, traffic and development was a constant reminder throughout the process. However, the detail presented by McArthur and the applicant's willingness to work with city staff was encouraging. 

"I've played on that soccer field my whole life. I want you guys to recognize that this is an important place to me," Commissioner Brandon Bemis said. "That said, the builder gave more details for the standards of approval than any other developer we have ever seen. It was hard to listen to, but at the same point, he did a really good job." 

Commissioner Mary Howard echoed the comments of her fellow board members. In her mind, the Hayden Meadows Estates application was "without question" the most challenging development she has faced during her time on the commission. 

"It's difficult because there are so many issues," she said. "Maple is an issue. We all know that it's too narrow. We all know that it needs to be improved. We all know that it is only going to be improved one piece at a time. At the same time, I understand we are going to grow. We can't stop growth, but we can plan for it. We can do it responsibly."

Hayden City Council will have the final say on the subdivision application after hearing the proposal in an upcoming meeting.