Groundbreaking on the Waterford subdivision in Carey could begin as early as this summer, after the City Council Tuesday gave unanimous approval to the development.
As approved by the council, the Waterford subdivision will consist of 66 single-family homes located on 26.4 acres of open farmland in northeast Carey at the intersection of Mountainview and Lakeview drives. The development is the largest subdivision ever approved by the city of Carey.
The Waterford subdivision is being developed by Waterford Partners LLC, which is comprised of Wood River Valley developers Charlie Holt, John Scherer and Dick Duncan.
Carey first received the development application for the Waterford subdivision in October 2003.
During lengthy discussions that stretched late into the night Tuesday, Carey Mayor Rick Baird summed up the general attitude of the city's elected officials in regard to approving new developments that have the potential to impact the city's residents.
"Our responsibility as a City Council is to take care of the citizens who live here," Baird said. "We don't want to approve something that will cost the people who already live here."
In line with that desire, the City Council held fast to a number of requirements they deemed necessary for Waterford to be approved. Among other things, the concessions will require developers to construct a number of water-system infrastructure improvements, including several water transmission lines and a new well built to the standards of the Carey Water and Sewer District. The Waterford developers will also have to pay $75,000 for sewer plant upgrades so the capacity of the plant can be increased to meet the new demands created by the subdivision.
Representing the Waterford developers is Ketchum attorney Jim Laski.
During the meeting Tuesday, Laski requested that the council ask the same requirements of future Carey developers as they have of them.
"We just don't want to be treated less equally than everybody else," he said.
