The Bellevue City Council on Monday voted to send the second piece of a combined 550-acre annexation proposal to the Planning and Zoning Commission for preliminary consideration.
The move came after local developer John Scherer presented the City Council with a conceptual masterplan for developing his portion of the lands proposed for annexation. Scherer owns roughly 280 acres of the 550 acres that are being considered for possible annexation into the city.
At an earlier special City Council meeting on Oct. 18, Ketchum developer Harry Rinker presented the City Council with his own conceptual master plan for developing his portion of the annexation proposal. Rinker's 270-acre property abuts Scherer's property on the north.
If annexed, the combined Scherer and Rinker additions would nearly double the size of Bellevue. The two properties are located south of the Muldoon Ranch subdivision, east of Gannett Road, north of the Griffin Ranch subdivision, and west of the foothills owned primarily by the Bureau of Land Management.
Before the City Council is ready to make a decision on the Scherer and Rinker proposal, though, the city will have to draft and approve a Planned Unit Development ordinance. A PUD ordinance would help guide the application process for the Scherer and Rinker developments, as well as for another annexation proposal also in the works for Slaughterhouse Canyon, which lies just east of Bellevue.
At Monday's meeting, Scherer proposed to develop 350 residential units on his land, many less than Rinker's proposal for 659 units.
"This is a large project," he said. "But it's not an unusual project."
Much like the Northridge and Woodside subdivisions in Hailey, the Scherer and Rinker project likely wouldn't be fully built out for many years, Scherer said. "It would take 10 to 15 years to do that," he said. "It isn't going to grow overnight."
Like Rinker, Scherer said he's prepared to work with Bellevue to make sure an annexation agreement is to the city's liking. The annexation should benefit the city, he said.
"We can't make a deal with you that leaves Bellevue worse off, that leaves Bellevue status quo," Scherer said.
Scherer's proposal for developing his 280 acres would provide two roadway access points off Gannett Road. Access would also be provided from the north through Rinker's property and from the south through Griffin Ranch.
Scattered throughout the development would be a number of pocket parks, pedestrian and equestrian trails and other open green spaces.
Scherer said a portion of the units in the development would be designated as affordable housing. The homes would be made available to teachers, fire personnel and other necessary local workers, he said.
"What we're thinking of doing is spreading it (affordable housing) throughout the project," Scherer said.
