Hailey revises comp plan
Economic Development section encourages healthy and diverse community
center
By TRAVIS PURSER
Express Staff Writer
The city of Hailey took a step toward ensuring its long-term economic
viability Monday night when the city council unanimously approved a revised Economic
Development section of the city’s comprehensive plan.
The section defines six economic goals the city should strive to
accomplish in the central business district; in service, office park and industrial
expansion; with home businesses; with marketplace standards; and with the town’s
commercial infrastructure.
Those goals represent a significant expansion on the old plan’s
economic development goals of creating "opportunities for diverse economic
development compatible with the community’s environment" and minimizing the tax
burden on city residents.
The four-page Economic Development section is a small part of the 61-page
comp plan written in 1982 that the city began revising four years ago. A comp plan guides
land use for 20 to 30 years, the 18-year-old document’s introduction says.
City planners had been reworking the economic development section since
before 1998, when the P&Z passed along revisions to the city council for final
approval.
Since then, the section has gone through apparently innumerable revisions.
On Monday night, councilman Rick Davis said, "We can finesse this
thing to kingdom come , but we have to be realistic. This thing is as good as it’s
going to get."
#
Separately, city officials worked with Blaine County animal control
officer Kevin McMullin on revising Hailey’s animal control ordinance.
McMullin suggested Hailey begin implementing a graduated schedule of fines
that increase after the first offense.
On first offense, the owner of an impounded animal that is neutered or
spayed would incur $65 in fines and other expenses, while the owner of a non-neutered or
non-spayed animal would pay $145.
On the second offense, the costs would be $75 and $225 respectively. And
on the third offense, the costs would be $125 and $325 respectively.
City attorney Susan Baker said the city could not impose mandatory
neutering or spaying for impounded animals because pets are private property.
Officials also discussed whether citizens should be allowed to impound
stray animals, and if so, whether a fine should be incurred.
Mayor Brad Siemer said that would create a way for disgruntled neighbors
to retaliate against each other.
"I want to make sure we don’t have an ordinance that opens it up
to neighbors against neighbors," he said.
#
Monday night, the city council also gave final approval to a new power
franchise agreement between the city and Idaho Power Co.
The agreement, among other things, provides an incentive for the city and
Idaho Power to work together at burying new and replaced power lines.
The agreement also provides for a 1- to 3-percent franchise fee to be
charged customers on electricity bills.
