The much-debated future of the McHanville area—a wedge-shaped sliver of land between St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center and state Highway 75 south of Ketchum—will be the focus of a public meeting next week.
The meeting will be held at Hemingway Elementary School gymnasium at 111 Eighth Street West in Ketchum from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 26. The meeting will be a follow-up to a July 10 workshop held at Carol's Dollar Mountain Lodge in Sun Valley, where consultants hired by Blaine County conducted a public polling session meant to elicit opinions on what the future of the area should look like.
In addition to the McHanville area, the future of nearby areas is also being considered throughout the process, which is being spearheaded by Jeff Winston, of Winston Associates based in Boulder, Colo. The areas include the undeveloped bench along Cold Springs Road west of the hospital, the large area between Broadway Run Road and state Highway 75 and the intersection next to the hospital and Gimlet Road.
In all, four separate development and rezone scenarios for the large area were highlighted during the several-hours-long workshop in July. The options ranged from alternative A, which would retain existing zoning throughout the area, to alternative D, which would include considerably higher densities.
At least initially, polling seemed to suggest that the public generally favors higher density in the McHanville and surrounding areas.
At next week's meeting, Winston will present a preferred master plan land-use scenario based on public input he and his associates received using a key pad polling process during the July workshop.
Winston and his associate, Paul Glasgow, will also provide an update to questions received during the previous workshop and request input on different land-use scenario options.
