For the week of July 2 - 8, 2003

Sun Valley eyes changes to commercial district

Council to review zoning
code update July 17

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"We really want to put affordable housing in. We just want to make it work."

— NED WILLIAMSON, CG-Elkhorn attorney

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By GREGORY FOLEY
Express Staff Writer

Sun Valley City Council members last week suggested they might take action to require commercial space and affordable housing as part of some development projects.

In a four-hour council meeting Tuesday, June 24, council members decided to take a serious look at a proposal to require that so-called "community housing" and designated commercial space be built as part of large-scale projects in the city’s two commercial centers.

The decision came as the council reviewed a set of proposed changes to the zoning code of the city’s Commercial Center zoning district, which includes substantial amounts of land in Sun Valley Village and Elkhorn Village.

Ultimately, council members determined they will conduct a public workshop July 17 to discuss the matter in depth with city staff and other interested parties. The workshop will be held from noon to 2 p.m., at Sun Valley City Hall. (City officials are expected to review a set of draft guidelines for a new community-housing policy as part of a separate workshop yet to be scheduled.)

At issue is a proposed ordinance put forth by the city Planning and Zoning Commission to amend the municipal code as it applies to approximately 85 acres of CC-zoned lands.

Importantly, the proposed amendments seek to alter the defined intent of the CC district by adding language that states the district is meant to "promote a mix of housing types for families of different social and income levels."

Two key components of the amendments seek to establish requirements that new multi-family-dwelling developments on large parcels in the CC district shall designate 10 percent of the units as deed-restricted community housing and shall provide 300 square feet of commercial-use floor space per acre.

The draft ordinance also proposes that new buildings in the zone shall be limited to 44 feet in height, with allowances for 64-foot buildings developed with specified amounts of commercial space, affordable housing or hotel rooms.

The City Council’s review of the proposed ordinance was their third since it was put forth by the P&Z for consideration.

The council last December 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 council made the request immediately after it approved a moratorium on new applications for development projects in the CC district.

The original 120-day moratorium expired in April but was renewed by the council to allow for continued negotiations on the matter. The second moratorium will expire in August, after which the city expects to receive an application by development partnership CG-Elkhorn to develop the site of the former Elkhorn Resort.

Ned Williamson, attorney for CG-Elkhorn, told council members at the June 24 meeting that the company is planning to include affordable housing in its development. However, he said the company would like to see the city reduce its affordable housing requirement from 10 percent to 6 percent.

"We really want to put affordable housing in. We just want to make it work," he said.

Williamson also requested that the city consider allowing developers to establish a percentage of any required affordable housing in an alternate, off-site location. "I do think there is a justifiable reason to have the housing in other parts of the community," he said.

Dick Duncan, director of the Blaine-Ketchum Housing Authority, said he is in favor of the 10 percent community-housing requirement.

Christopher Simms, representing Citizens for Smart Growth, said the organization favors the proposed amendments, but wants the city to require greater amounts of designated commercial space.

Simms said a commitment by the city to ensure the two village centers include significant amounts of space for retail and service businesses would establish the areas as lively, viable neighborhoods, instead of as mere residential centers.

 

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