The Sun Valley Planning and Zoning Commission continued ongoing discussions with community leaders to consider possible regulations that could require all new developments, including single family homes, to provide a degree of work force housing. Throughout the work session the commission fielded doubts from Sun Valley Co. General Manager Wally Huffman. The hesitation to the possible regulations prompted the commission to compile a list of options that enable flexibility for developers required to provide community housing on subdivision and planned unit developments.
"We have to walk properly before we can run properly. We have to build in flexibility that not only allows the developer, but ourselves, some flexibility," Commissioner Phil Usher said.
The commission continued to explore options for community housing regulation at the City Council's request. In December, the council imposed a 99-day moratorium on the processing of new development applications to give city officials time to draft new ordinances regulating community housing.
The commission recently met with the city's consultant, Melanie Rees, the principal for Rees Consulting based in Crested Butte, Colo., to outline two multifaceted ordinances mandating community housing.
The discussion continued at a special meeting held Wednesday, Feb. 16 at which city officials gathered with Huffman, Michael David, executive director of the Blaine-Ketchum Housing Authority, and County Commission chair Sarah Michael.
"I am forced to vote on eating onions or cauliflower," Huffman said in response to the regulations.
Huffman raised objections to a proposed ordinance that requires developers to set aside a certain percentage of the subdivision and planned unit developments for affordable housing as a matter of public policy.
"Tell me what happens if we do this (impose a mandate on developers), and Ketchum doesn't. Do we do something like the local option tax where it's cheaper to shop in Ketchum, so they shop in Ketchum?" Huffman asked.
David Hennessy, a Ketchum-based partner of the Elkhorn Springs project, pointed to loss of development amenities including open space.
"The biggest tradeoff when the community says the roads are clogged, the prices are high...the biggest trade off tends to be open space," City Administrator Virginia Egger acknowledged.
In order to provide options to the regulation that requires setting aside a certain percentage of the subdivision and planned unit developments, the commission recommended a list of alternatives. The choices include paying a fee in lieu, density bonuses, land dedication, and volunteering a real estate transfer assessment covenant. The covenant commits a percent of the sale of a property to the city for perpetuity.
The discussion generated questions over density relating to the city's proposed comprehensive plan.
"I would like to see us get a little creative...My view is if the city wants 260 units of housing the city is going to look at the comp plan and reassess some of the land uses," Huffman said. "We have to find ways to utilize the land we've got and integrate the units."
The P&Z will continue to discuss requirements for residential and commercial construction at the next meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 22.
