For the week of June 18 - 24, 2003

P&Z hashes out 
bus barn details

Thursday meeting set for 
other agenda items

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By MATT FURBER
Express Staff Writer

In a final meeting with the Hailey Planning and Zoning Commission, the Blaine County School District Monday, June 16, acceded to 17 recommendations as plans for a new school bus parking structure and maintenance facility passed design review.

The unanimous vote in favor of the plans came after three hours of presentations and deliberation. All other parties on Monday’s agenda were asked to come to a special meeting on Thursday, June 19, at 6:30 p.m. in the conference room upstairs at city hall to have their applications reviewed.

Planning and Zoning Chairman Pat Cooley apologized for the inconvenience.

"This process has been going since December," he said.

The proposed facility is to be built southeast of the high school science building. The maintenance facility would be attached to the science building.

The major points the commission wanted to iron out included slowing traffic near the Aquatic center, rearranging parking by the new entrance to include new ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) regulation spaces, and a number of lighting refinements.

Concerns about circulation patterns were addressed that led to the removal of six regular parking spaces by the proposed entry to the campus, which will accompany the bus parking and maintenance facilities.

It was generally accepted that the plan worked as presented, but that there was room to maneuver if changes needed to be made in the future.

"Only time will tell what the needs will be," said Commissioner John Seiller in reference to guesses about future traffic flow.

Also at the proposed entrance it was agreed that landscaping would be extended to the edges of a strip of land separating the school from residences on Fox Acres Road.

Other issues included the aesthetics of the bus barn’s proposed metal roof and the color of an exposed concrete retaining wall.

The school district agreed to look for a nonglaring surface for the roof and find a suitable color for the concrete.

The district also agreed to remove parking from the south side of the school to increase landscaping.

In addition to the design review the district sought to make an amendment to its planned unit development agreement to establish a gravel trail leading from the school to the playing fields on the west side of the bus facility.

The commission approved the trail, which replaces one that passes through the future location of the bus facility. A spur trail leading to the unofficial "toe of the slope" trail was also approved.

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