Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Old Cutters plan gains partial OK

Hailey leaders express frustration with Blaine County


By JASON KAUFFMAN
Express Staff Writer

The approval process for the Old Cutters subdivision in northeastern Hailey has been a long, rough and obstacle-filled road.

First, the annexation process took nearly three years to complete. The Hailey City Council finally approved annexation for the 142.62-acre property in March 2006.

Since then, one issue after another has stymied the planning process for the development.

Neighbors surrounding the project, Hailey officials and, most recently, Blaine County all have objected to various aspects of the development. As proposed, the subdivision would include 149 multi-family and single-family homes spread across a total of 116 lots.

On Monday, both sides finally gained some measure of resolution when the Hailey City Council granted preliminary plat approval for the southern portion of the Old Cutters subdivision in a phased build-out plan proposed by Hailey City Attorney Ned Williamson.

Preliminary plat approval for the northern portion of the development is dependent on resolving a roadway dispute involving Blaine County.

The preliminary platting process essentially lays out where the lot lines, roadways and other essential components of a subdivision will be located.

A City Council vote on the preliminary plat seemed virtually assured only several weeks ago.

The council was scheduled to vote on the matter at a meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 30. However, Blaine County Commissioner Tom Bowman and county Administrator Stan McNutt appeared at the meeting to urge the council to allow more time for the city and county to study the impact that creation of the subdivision would have on Hiawatha Drive.

They said the road is within the county, which would be obligated to upgrade it to support increased traffic.

They also expressed concern about the configuration of the intersection at the proposed subdivision's north end. Bowman said that when the adjacent Buttercup subdivision was approved in the 1970s, no one involved anticipated an application such as the one for Old Cutters subdivision.

On Monday, a clearly frustrated City Council voiced displeasure with Blaine County's last-minute objections.

Proper regional planning requires local governments working together in good faith, Hailey City Council President Rick Davis said. "In this case, I think bridges are being burned." Davis indicated his support for Williamson's recommendation to condition preliminary plat approval for the north half of the Old Cutters subdivision on achieving a successful resolution to the roadway dispute.

"The phasing, I think, would help," he said.

Preceding Davis's statements, the attorney representing the Old Cutters Subdivision, Jim Speck, implored the City Council to approve the preliminary plat in its entirety so his clients could begin building when snows recede this spring.

"There is no reason to delay the preliminary plat one more day," Speck said. "The most important thing is they be able to start work."




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