For the week of May 21 - 27, 2003

Future of Elkhorn
is still unclear

Sun Valley Council delays zoning changes

---

By GREGORY FOLEY
Express Staff Writer

Sun Valley City Council members last week delayed taking action on a set of proposed zoning changes for the city’s two commercial-zoned village centers.

In their second review of proposed changes put forth by the city Planning and Zoning Commission, council members on Thursday, May 15, could not agree on conditions that would require that commercial space be built as a part of new developments in the Commercial Center zoning district.

The City Council last December approved a moratorium on new applications for development projects in the CC district and asked the P&Z to consider how to limit applications that propose only residential uses—rather than the intended mix of residential and commercial uses. The original 120-day moratorium expired last month but was renewed by the council to allow for continued negotiations on the matter.

The CC district includes the cores of Elkhorn Village and Sun Valley Village.

The debate on the proposal Thursday focused on whether the city should require that commercial space and affordable housing be required elements of new projects in the village cores.

Council President Latham Williams indicated he is reluctant to have the city require that commercial space be built as part of all new developments.

Councilwoman Ann Agnew said she wants to mandate that some commercial space is a required element of new projects.

The city’s most recent draft of the proposal would require that 100 square feet of floor space "devoted to retail or service businesses" be required for every residential unit built in new developments.

A contingent of representatives from CG-Elkhorn LLC—the company that is planning to redevelop the former Elkhorn Hotel site—said a survey of Elkhorn residents indicated that there might be demand for up to 9,050 square feet of commercial space in the village core. The survey of 1,400 residents—which garnered 607 responses—showed that local property owners would be most likely to support a restaurant, general store or coffee shop in the village.

Jeff Russell, principal representative for CG-Elkhorn, said the company would be willing to build affordable housing and commercial space but would like some "flexibility" in developing buildings that are 64-feet high—the current maximum in the CC district.

CG-Elkhorn representative David Hennessy concurred, noting that a generous requirement for commercial space could exceed the demand for such property. "We want to do commercial. We think it’s right for the project, it’s right for Elkhorn…We just don’t want to have empty storefronts."

He said the current incarnation of the company’s project calls for approximately 110 residential units in "19 or 20" buildings—only "three or four" of which might reach 64 feet.

Councilman Lud Renick said he was concerned that the city—in discussing the proposed amendments to the zoning ordinance with the CG-Elkhorn representatives—might be "tailoring" the regulations to a single development project.

Officials from Sun Valley Co.—the owner of the majority of Sun Valley’s CC-zoned property—have essentially declined city invitations to participate in discussions about the proposed zoning amendments.

Ketchum resident Mickey Garcia suggested that the city should require affordable housing but let free-market influences govern the development of commercial space. "The city of Sun Valley and the city of Ketchum are doing a poor job at getting affordable housing," he said.

Council members indicated they would resume their discussion of the matter at their next monthly 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.