Local option taxes, franchise fees and development impact fees have been collecting in Ketchum's coffers, and the city is making plans to put them to use.
Ketchum City Administrator Ron LeBlanc presented to the Planning & Zoning Commission Monday a capital improvements program for fiscal years 2007 to 2012.
Last year the city implemented impact fees for parks, streets, fire and police, LeBlanc said, in addition to those in the water and sewer categories, which were already being collected.
In spite of the October 2005 development moratorium—which prohibited new applications for all-residential condominium projects or single-family units in the commercial core—the city has collected more than $434,000 since Aug. 1, LeBlanc said.
Ketchum is the only Idaho city to use all categories to collect impact fees as permitted by Idaho law.
Ketchum voters approved a 3 percent franchise tax on power, which will go toward pedestrian lighting and burying power lines in the commercial core.
Next year, all revenue sources for capital improvements will be in place, LeBlanc said.
"By 2007, we'll be on all eight cylinders," he said. The formation of an urban renewal district, set to be approved by the City Council next month, will negate the need for a local improvement district, LeBlanc said.
"It's going to take a lot of the argument out of that," he said.
Plans for a business improvement district to tackle things such as snow removal also gained approval from P&Z commissioners.
This summer, a few interim projects will be completed, he said, including a temporary sidewalk on First Avenue between Hemingway Elementary School and Perry's Restaurant, as well as repairs to Warm Springs Road and the bike path there.
"Three or four sections are very bad," LeBlanc said.
Residents can also expect water line replacement in the southeast quadrant of the community core and street construction near The Community Library.
Next year could bring streetscape improvements as suggested by the downtown master plan now in the works.
Community housing and parking is being eyed for city-owned land throughout the city, LeBlanc noted.
"The beauty of community housing in this plan is, as you sell the units, the money goes to the next housing project," he said.
"I think you're making a lot of improvement," said P&Z Chairman Harold Johnson. "I just say, keep going."
The plan will come back before the P&Z on April 10.
The City Council will review the capital improvement plan on May 1.
