The Sun Valley City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission held a joint conference work session this week to review suggested revisions to the city's Commercial Mass and Scale Regulations. Focus of the discussion Wednesday, Jan. 17, centered on the city's commercial district.
The conundrum facing city officials is how to construct evaluation standards that encourage growth and improve Sun Valley and Elkhorn's commercial core, while maintaining the quaint mountain resort-town feel that drew residents to the northern Wood River Valley in the first place.
The pitfall is "we are striving to write the perfect ordinance, and no matter what someone will still come in with a project people will hate," P&Z commissioner Ken Herich said.
"The objective is to get it done and to get out of the moratorium," Mayor Jon Thomson said.
Sun Valley implemented a commercial moratorium in January 2006, halting future construction in the commercial core until the city was able to amend the comprehensive plan and design regulations.
The thrust of the debate focuses on proposed changes to the maximum allowable height of residential and commercial buildings.
"Height change suggestions bring down the maximum height, but allow for variation in certain circumstances," Community Development Director Mark Hofman said.
Hofman said a reoccurring complaint has been that the P&Z is "not giving us enough flexibility ... You are designing our projects for us."
The hope is that the new design review standards will "give architects articulation" instead of forcing them to squeeze a project onto a lot, Hofman said.
David Hennessy, a Ketchum-based partner of CG Elkhorn development group, voiced concern over the proposed height restrictions.
"My concern is the drop in height from 64 to 44 feet," Hennessy said. "Of the five new developments in Elkhorn, four of the five are over the proposed height limit."
It should be noted that the 44-foot limit applies to residential and commercial buildings in the service commercial districts only. They are zoned for low-intensity commercial activity outside the actual commercial center. The commercial center allows for greater height and is designed to act as the focal point of the community and consist of a mixture of commercial and residential uses.
The original 64-foot limit is based on the height of the Sun Valley Lodge, the traditional centerpiece of Sun Valley.
As City Councilman Nils Ribi points out, "we need to understand that 64 feet is significantly high in this valley—higher than anything allowed in Ketchum, Hailey, Bellevue or Carey."
"I think it (the proposed changes to mass and scale) are right and bring heights in the commercial core back to 44 feet, where they should be."
The issues will be revisited, possibly as early as February, and the City Council and P&Z urge Sun Valley residents to participate in the discussion. For more information, visit sunvalley.govoffice.com or call Sun Valley City Hall at 622-4438.
