Ensuring control over growth is proving no simple task for the Hailey Planning and Zoning Commission.
At a meeting on Monday, Oct. 1, City Attorney Ned Williamson pointed out that if the commission doesn't come to an agreement with Blaine County concerning a transfer of development rights program, then it could forfeit having a say in how the lands surrounding the city are developed.
In the TDR system, property owners would get units of development credit for "sending areas," where sensitive property remains undeveloped. Developers would buy those rights and use them in "receiving areas," where the city has determined it prefers density.
This system would be incorporated into Hailey's Area of City Impact, which would designate areas outside of the current city limits that are appropriate for annexation or the preservation of open space.
As in a previous meeting on this issue at the beginning of September, commission members voiced a number of concerns. Commission Chair Stefanie Marvel wondered if the developer with the "deepest pockets" would be able to determine city density, and Commissioner Owen Scanlon asked if requiring TDRs would place such a financial burden on potential developers that they would find it cost-prohibitive to annex into the city.
Blaine County Regional Planner Jeff Adams said that the city could set a maximum density for annexations when establishing its area of city impact. Adams also added that that the county has no plans to build a TDR program around Hailey without getting input from city officials.
"This should be a long and thought-out process," Adams said at the meeting. "We should look to do what we can commonly to make this a stronger community."
Adams explained that the county would take into account the city's recommendations on where TDR sending and receiving areas should go, but cautioned that it would go ahead with a program even if the commission asked to have no receiving areas in the area of city impact.
"We are a planning and zoning board, and we're here to control growth," Scanlon said, adding that coming to an agreement with the county on TDRs would help the board do just that.
Commissioner Nancy Linscott said she would like to hear more public opinion, especially from residents whose homes are in or near receiving zones. City Planning Administrator Beth Robrahn said she would notice property owners within 300 feet of the proposed area of city impact prior to the commission's meeting on Monday, Nov. 5, when the subject would be revisited.
