Friday, September 22, 2006

Are neighborhood business districts in Hailey's future?


By JASON KAUFFMAN
Express Staff Writer

Small neighborhood commercial centers may soon be allowed near select residential areas in Hailey under a series of zoning ordinance amendments given preliminarily approval by the Hailey Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday.

The changes approved by the P&Z would allow areas of limited commercial use within a newly created zoning district called the Neighborhood Business district.

In addition to their approval of the new zoning district, the commissioners also on Wednesday said yes to a number of other revisions addressing such things as permitted, conditional and accessory uses within various zoning districts. Previously, on Monday, the commissioners deliberated late into the night before adjourning without making a decision on the proposed zoning ordinance amendments.

With the P&Z's unanimous approval in hand, the amendments now will be forwarded to the Hailey City Council for final consideration. As of Thursday afternoon, Hailey Planning Director Kathy Grotto hadn't announced the date when the City Council will first consider the zoning ordinance amendments.

Council members are currently in the midst of a busy fall meeting schedule.

Within the new Neighborhood Business zoning district, only commercial uses that don't negatively impact surrounding residential neighbors would be allowed by the city.

The new zoning language approved by the commission states that "uses in the NB (Neighborhood Business) district will be limited commercial uses that will not conflict with the residential nature of the area."

Permitted uses allowed within the Neighborhood Business zoning district would include:

· Dwelling units within mixed-use buildings.

· Day care businesses.

· Professional offices, excluding veterinarians.

· Personal service establishments.

· Restaurants, catering services and bars.

· Mercantile (wholesale and retail).

· Home occupations.

· Semi-public uses.

· Laundromats and dry cleaners.

Several conditional uses for the new Neighborhood Business district are also listed. They include outpatient animal services, churches, temporary structures and personal wireless service facilities and wireless communication facilities. Freestanding and lattice towers would be prohibited, however.

In a related matter, commissioners also approved three amendments to the city's zone district map. One of these amendments would change the zoning on a series of lots located both east of Woodside Boulevard between Antelope Drive and Baldy View Drive and immediately north of Copper Ranch on Woodside Boulevard from Business to the new zoning designation of Neighborhood Business.

Another change included in the P&Z's Wednesday approval of the zoning ordinance amendments is the creation of a new Central Core Overlay district. Although not technically a zoning district, the designation is meant to promote the preservation of Hailey's downtown core.

Essentially, the overlay district would encourage economic development and conserve existing buildings within a several-block radius that surrounds City Hall. To achieve this, businesses located within the district would be subject to a number of less-stringent parking space requirements.




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