Friday, March 11, 2005

City warming up to Warm Springs plan

P&Z says six tennis courts are adequate, but what about golf?


By GREGORY FOLEY
Express Staff Writer

An estimated $200 million plan to redevelop the 77-acre Warm Springs Ranch property northwest of downtown Ketchum is gradually gaining support at City Hall, although new demands on the project could cause the price tag to climb.

Ketchum Planning and Zoning commissioners informally agreed at a special meeting Wednesday, March 9, that a proposal to develop six public tennis courts, a 37-acre park and a new mountain side hiking trail on the site would collectively provide sufficient opportunities for public recreation.

However, in doing so, commissioners warned representatives from development group Sun Valley Ventures that if the P&Z endorses the project, the Ketchum City Council might ultimately ask for more.

"The million-dollar question is, 'Have we satisfied what the City Council is going to want?'" said P&Z Chairman Harold Johnson. "I truly feel, when it goes to the City Council, they are going to want some sort of golf component."

At issue before the P&Z Wednesday was a proposal by Sun Valley Ventures to redevelop Warm Springs Ranch with a mix of residences, commercial operations and open space.

The key aspects of the development plan call for annexing into Ketchum approximately 65 acres of land under the jurisdiction of Blaine County and completely redeveloping about 11 acres already within the city's boundaries.

The plan calls for constructing a 60-unit boutique hotel, developing 75 condominiums and townhouses, building a new Warm Springs Ranch Restaurant and erecting a 180-vehicle parking structure. All told, approximately 365,000 square feet of structures would be erected.

As part of the plan, a nine-hole golf course and eight existing tennis courts on the property would be decommissioned.

In exchange for approval, the development group has proposed to include in the project several public amenities, including a 37-acre public park—deeded to the Hailey-based Wood River Land Trust—and 30 units of affordable housing.

Sun Valley Ventures is also proposing to complete a $3 million restoration of lands along Warm Springs Creek and to build a public hiking trail to connect existing paths between Warm Springs Village and the River Run base area of Bald Mountain.

The offer to develop six tennis courts on the southeast portion of the property came last month, after P&Z commissioners said they intend to adhere to a stated city policy of incurring "no net loss" of public recreation facilities.

Henry Dean, Sun Valley Ventures project director, has repeatedly told the P&Z that under no circumstances would the development group keep the nine-hole Warm Springs Golf Course in operation. If the annexation application is denied, he has said, the group would go to "Plan B," subdividing the acreage into 40 residential lots with no public access.

Nonetheless, Johnson and other P&Z members said Sun Valley Ventures should consider redirecting some of a planned $2.5 million endowment for maintaining the 37-acre park to a separate fund to support youth golf programs.

Scott Boettger, executive director of the Wood River Land Trust, objected, saying that the funds—which would come over a span of many years—would by no means be a windfall for the nonprofit organization.

"This is not found money," Boettger said. "It's actually a burden on us to take ownership of this property."

Dean announced Wednesday that a plan by Sun Valley Ventures to acquire 1.6 acres of public land bisecting the southeast portion of Warm Springs Ranch is moving forward. The developers intend to acquire the federal Bureau of Land Management property for use as the site of the proposed tennis complex.

"We will put (the tennis courts) on estate property if we do not get BLM approval," Dean said.

The P&Z is expected to make a recommendation to the City Council this spring on whether to approve the annexation. The decision will be made at the full discretion of the council.




 Local Weather 
Search archives:


Copyright © 2024 Express Publishing Inc.   Terms of Use   Privacy Policy
All Rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Express Publishing Inc. is prohibited. 

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.