For the week of Apr. 12 through Apr. 18, 2000

P&Z shouldn’t rush
to judgment

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The Blaine County Planning and Zoning Commission ought to give itself time to properly plan the troubled McHanville area before deciding on a big medical office building there. Approval now would be premature.

The P&Z is facing several sticky issues, but it is being rushed to judgment. It’s had too little time to examine and deliberate on the potential impacts of the building. It needs to have time to take a look at the bigger picture. The issues include:

• The future of the entire mess of non-conforming commercial uses and residences surrounding the hospital should be resolved before an office building is considered.

• The future of Highway 75. Expansion to five lanes at the site has been delayed pending an environmental impact statement.

• The county must resolve the question of whether the nonprofit, non-tax-paying St. Luke’s should be held to its financial commitment to pay for development of five lanes or be released from it.

• The county needs to develop a plan that will prevent any further commercial sprawl along Highway 75.

• Blaine County Commissioner Len Harlig, who has been the hospital’s lead dog, is not running for re-election. A new commissioner—who may or may not have different ideas about commercial office development outside city limits—should have a chance to weigh in.

In the backs of their minds, P&Z members know that if the office building were a K-Mart that threatened to increase highway traffic and wreak sprawl, their meeting room would be filled with placard-waving opponents. That’s what happened in Hailey a few years ago when K-Mart came to town and wanted to build outside downtown.

The P&Z will take up the issue in a hearing next Thursday, April 20, at 6:30 p.m. at the Blaine County Courthouse in Hailey.

There should be no rush to judgment. The P&Z should take its time. St. Luke’s should be patient. In the long run, the valley will be better served.