Finding balance in Hayden

HAYDEN - This city of about 16,000 has much to look forward to in 2022.

Hayden City Administrator Brett Boyer said that in the year ahead, Hayden hopes to continue to enjoy low unemployment rates with job opportunities for all ages.

"We will continue to work on the housing issues that affect our entire region," he said. "We hope to alleviate traffic issues by working through our prioritized roads project list."

Popular Honeysuckle Beach will continue to be a focal point for the city. Councilman Matt Roetter is a member of the Hayden Facilities Committee, which has directional authority over city assets such as Honeysuckle Beach. Roetter said city leaders "have been working on how to maintain a quality recreational experience and increase public safety at the beach and boat launch."

He said Hayden has developed ways to seek public input. An open house where people can share their thoughts on the future of Honeysuckle Beach is expected to be held this month, he said.

"The population growth has strained the asset and has been a challenge for many years," Roetter said.

Growth is on many minds as North Idaho moves into the new year. Ed DePriest, incoming Hayden councilman, wants to know what residents want for their community.

"Growth is going to continue and how the city deals with it, as far as most importantly the density, we aren't going to stop it and I don’t want to stop it. That's not what it’s all about," he said.

"I use the term 'responsible growth.' It's a management process. Instead of depending on a 20-year plan where we don’t know what’s going to be happening in 20 years, it's looking into individual projects at that point and time basis.

"Is it best for the city and the people of the city at that point in time? If it can benefit the city, I'm all for it. That's going to be a key."

Hayden City Council President Roger Saterfiel said Hayden's growth rate has averaged about 2.5%, which he considers to be healthy "as no growth harms a city," he said.

"I think there is a misconception about our growth, that it is out of control. It's not," he said, citing traffic issues as coming from outside Hayden, mostly from the north and the west.

"The people of Hayden want to see growth slowed, but at 2.5%, it is difficult to slow it much more," Saterfiel said. "When developers bring new projects to us, it is hard to just say no. You have to have a reason, just like you have to have a reason to say yes."

He said high density is more of an issue, such as apartment buildings, duplexes and small lots.

"Even though rent is high, it is still more affordable than buying a home," he said. "I don't want to see us like Sun Valley where we have to bus our workforce to the city because they can't afford to live here."

That's one reason Hayden's property taxes are so low, he said. Its levy rate is four to five times lower than neighboring cities, but most people don't see that on their tax bill as schools, North Idaho College and the county are all included, he said.

"I am very proud of what we accomplish as a city with the money we get," Saterfiel said.

He said he's looking forward to working with the new council members, DePriest and Sandy White.

"There is a lot to learn about running a city," he said. "I also hope to learn from them, learn from their knowledge and experience."

In the next year, Saterfiel foresees Hayden's comprehensive plan will be a focal point.

"It is new and it does have some flaws, but comp plans are living, breathing documents. They are designed to be flexible," he said. "Balancing growth and property rights is a difficult task, with a load of opinions. You just try to follow the guidance of the people who live here. You try to zone where higher density can be effective without harming our neighborhoods, like zone an apartment complex where your road system can handle the higher traffic counts."

Roetter said his goal "is to preserve the city of Hayden." He formed the Preserve the City of Hayden political action committee not to stop growth, but to slow residential growth and have low-density residential growth.

"Residential growth does not pay for itself," Roetter said. "Due to Hayden's low residential property tax rate, new residential construction costs more in city services than is collected in property taxes. The city goes backward financially.

"I do not support any increase in taxes or fees so that more people can move to Hayden. The cost of residential growth must be paid for by developers, not by Hayden residents."

Other projects ahead are the roundabout on Fourth Street and Honeysuckle Avenue and extending Ramsey Road to Lancaster Avenue. The city is participating in a huge water quality treatment project to remove phosphorus before it goes to the Spokane River.

Work is planned on the new H-6 Sewer Lift Station in the Dakota Avenue-Ramsey Road area, which will help with sewer flows to the north.

City Hall plans to add an elevator to make it ADA accessible. A few other improvements to the upstairs areas will be addressed at that time.

"Hayden is a safe community in a beautiful area with limitless recreational opportunities and a ‘small-town’ feel," Boyer said. "We look forward to a year in which we can gather together again as friends and neighbors, enjoying all that Hayden has to offer."