The year 2005 brought with it a variety of major issues for Hailey's elected officials and citizenry to mull over, most being related to growth. From putting the brakes on runaway growth to restraining runaway and leash-free dogs, 2005 was indeed a year to remember.
The top issues in Hailey in 2005 included:
Moratorium on subdivision applications
Putting the brakes on Hailey's rapid growth—at least temporarily—was the 182-day moratorium on subdivision and annexation applications the City Council enacted on July 1. The moratorium is set to expire on Dec. 31. While the ruling didn't affect any previously certified development plans, proposals that would result in any new buildable lots were prohibited under the moratorium.
The primary intent of the moratorium was to give the city time to rewrite the subdivision ordinance to address issues such as affordable workforce housing, historic preservation, city-core density and transportation.
Affordable housing
In 2005, Hailey became only the second municipality in the Wood River Valley to enact an ordinance that mandates developers provide a certain percentage of affordable housing in all new developments. Affordable housing—later redefined as "community housing" by the City Council because they felt the term more correctly captures the essence of the topic—became a hot-button issue in 2005 as residents with widely conflicting views squared off.
To the chagrin of many local developers who claimed mandated affordable housing would harm their bottom line, the City Council on Dec. 12 unanimously approved the much-debated "inclusionary zoning" ordinance. The ordinance stipulates that 20 percent of all new developments in Hailey with five or more units now must be affordable, deed-restricted housing.
Townsite Overlay District
For many, the dreaded "D-word"—density—was perhaps the most contentious of all Hailey issues in 2005. For others—like Hailey resident James Reed and Christopher Simms of Citizens for Smart Growth—density in the city core is something to be embraced.
Opposition to promoting density in the city's townsite overlay district came to a head at a City Council meeting on Oct. 10 when a number of residents showed up to comment on an amendment passed several months earlier. The May 4 amendment—referred to as the James Reed Amendment after the man who originally proposed it—reduced the minimum lot size in Hailey's Townsite Overlay District to 4,500 square feet.
The Oct. 10 meeting served as a wakeup call of sorts to Hailey's elected officials and city staff of the level of concern regarding density in the city. The two opposing sides claim density will either preserve or harm Hailey's charm and character. To give the city ample time to address the concerns of its citizens, the City Council on Dec. 12 voted to enact a moratorium for up to one year on certain development activities in the Hailey Townsite Overlay District.
Annexation proposals
Proposed annexations into the city were another big-ticket issue for Hailey. Two proposals—for the Old Cutters property and Quigley Canyon—dominated the annexation headlines.
The key issue for the 144-acre Old Cutters annexation proposal was a fee study that looked into the potential impacts the annexation might have on the city if it was to be approved. The city accepted the results of the in-depth fiscal impact study on Nov. 9.
Based on the results of their study, California-based Management Partners recommended Hailey charge a combined impact fee of $1,875,920 for the annexation's proposed residential units and duplexes. With the fee recommendation in place, the city has now begun the process of considering the Old Cutters annexation application.
In the case of the 860-acre Quigley Canyon annexation proposal, the city is currently waiting on the owners of the Quigley Ranch to amend their previously filed annexation application. The proposal hit a roadblock in late July when the Blaine County Recreation District backed out of a partnership that would have brought a public golf course and clubhouse to a portion of the property after a study indicated they would be unable to raise the $9 million dollars necessary to build the course. The recreation area would have doubled as a Nordic ski area in the winter.
City elections see low voter turnout
The 2005 municipal elections in Hailey failed to draw any challengers for the city's two City Council incumbents whose seats were up for election. Running unchallenged were incumbents Martha Burke and Don Keirn, who held council seats 1 and 2, respectively.
The lack of challengers likely led to what turned out to be an extremely low voter turnout. Out of 3,435 registered voters in Hailey, only 85 cast their ballots on Election Day, Nov. 8, which translated out to a dismally low 2.5 percent voter turnout. Heather Dawson, Hailey's city clerk and treasurer, said 2005's voter turnout was easily the lowest since 1990. The second lowest voter turnout in that same time period was 16 percent, Dawson said.
Debate over dogs
Yes folks, that's right, dogs. Back in August, the Hailey City Council voted to require dogs to be on a leash anywhere within city limits, not counting their owner's premises. Previously, city code said dogs could either be on a leash or under voice control and within 10 feet of a person. The new law was put in place due to complaints the city was receiving from residents about unruly and at-large dogs.
The passage of the new law wasn't the end of the story, however. Based on a whole new round of complaints by residents who were opposed to the new law, the council agreed to revisit the issue. On Dec. 12, the City Council voted to reverse its earlier decision and re-implement the old law.
