For the week of July 9 - 15, 2003

Hailey P&Z approves latest changes for Airport West

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By MATT FURBER
Express Staff Writer

In the latest permutations of the Airport West business park patchwork, Hailey Planning and Zoning commissioners approved new plat designations for three lots on three different blocks of the subdivision.

The request for changes are the second in a series of "replats" developers for Airport West Partners have made in the last year to accommodate the needs of various business owners looking at property in the subdivision.

Some of the parcels have sold in entirety and others are shared business areas.

Hailey planning director Kathy Grotto expects one more round of changes with a series of splits to other blocks in the subdivision.

Being close to the airport, the popularity of the location has been high and with that has come more traffic. From the outset neighbors have feared the development would impact the quality of Broadford Road, which is of substandard pavement and a popular walking street, said Grotto.

Access to Airport West is only permitted from Airport Way, allegedly some of the new traffic in the area has been making inappropriate use of Broadford Road. According to neighbors present at Monday’s meeting, the Highland Drive emergency route and Airport West’s Jetstar and Comet streets have been "used a lot lately" by construction traffic.

"Lots of trucks and trailers (have been using the road)," said Airport West neighbor Mark Sliwicky of Broadford Highlands. "It’s been done, and they are doing it."

The city and George Kirk, who is marketing the property, have promised to look into the misuse of the emergency access lanes leading to Airport West.

The three large blocks are being split into smaller sections, which will provide for more diverse development preventing a "wall effect" to the development.

City planning staff was supportive of the changes, although they asked that the commission and the developer address concerns about snow storage. Grotto pointed out that just as Airport West planned for snow storage on new streets, so should developers of the sold properties for their driveways and parking. Zoning ordinances for the property do allow for double-fronted business properties that will allow the deliveries to the "alley" side of businesses, leaving the street side to be more readily "dressed up."

Landscaping in the subdivision is going full tilt, said Kirk. There was some concern that Hailey Nursery, the contractor for the landscaping detail and a plot owner in the subdivision has been using water for business other than Airport West improvements.

In other business, Susan Lidstone of Robin Hood Drive in the Nottingham neighborhood was granted preliminary plat approval for her short plat that will remove a restrictive building envelope, which is more restrictive than regular set backs on residential property. It will allow her to build an auxiliary building on her property. The short plat will go directly to the city council for approval.

Silver Star Drive resident Shannon King was granted a conditional use permit to continue an infant day care business she had run previously with a different group of babies. Because she was closed for six months she had to re-apply for the permit. A neighbor voiced some concern about traffic and the children’s safety on the unfenced property. King said the children are too young to be outdoors and all pick-ups and drop-offs should happen only in front of her property.

"Day cares are allowed with a conditional use permit in certain parts of the city," said commission chairman Pat Cooley.

King will also need to change her exterior lighting to conform with the city lighting ordinance. All businesses and residents are required to comply with the ordinance by August 21.

 

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