For the week of June 13 - June 19, 2001

Hailey annexation paves way for high school

---

By PETER BOLTZ
Express Staff Writer

A further step toward the building of a new high school was taken Monday night with the annexation to Hailey of a piece of property next to Wood River High School’s Homer Field.

In addition to a 17.3-acre parcel the Blaine County School District had requested to be annexed, the city initiated its own annexation of a 5.4-acre parcel of privately owned property located at the toe of the L-shaped property.

The annexation of the land along the north and east sides of the playing field would give a new school the benefit of city water and sewer services. The current high school is inside city limits.

Councilwoman Susan McBryant expressed some concern about annexation of the larger parcel since the applicant is not yet the owner of the property. That concern was calmed by Terry Hogue, attorney for the property owners, and Rand Peebles, attorney for the school district. They confirmed that the sale of the property to the district was close enough to be considered complete.

Because Councilwoman Martha Burke was once married to the parcel’s co-owner Stoney Burke, she recused herself from the discussion and the vote.

The city initiated the annexation of the additional 5.4-acre parcel because without it an island of county property would have been created inside city limits.

That property, composed of five parcels owned by Julie Fox-Jones, Maxine Fox, Mark Pesja and LaRue Tingey, is adjacent to Deerfield and Foxmoor subdivisions.

Hailey City Planner Kathy Grotto said all the property owners had been contacted and that none of them objected to the annexation.

Grotto also told the council that the two annexations did not conflict with the city’s self-imposed moratorium on annexations, approved in February, since they involve a public purpose.

The two annexations were approved unanimously by the council with Burke abstaining.

•

The council also extended its emergency moratorium on wireless communications facilities for another 120 days. Without the extension, the moratorium would have ended June 12.

The extension gives the council time to review a draft of a wireless communications facility ordinance recommended by the Hailey Planning and Zoning Commission.

Without the extension, the city would have to consider applications from wireless communication companies without having an ordinance addressing the facilities.

The council will hold a public hearing on the draft ordinance at its July 9 meeting.

 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.