Despite verbal support for a deal that would extend Hailey's sewer lines to a proposed subdivision in Croy Canyon, the City Council chose to wait for further public comment before making a decision.
At a meeting on Monday, Nov. 26, the council deliberated a draft agreement in which the developers of the Spring Canyon Ranch, located in Blaine County, would receive the right to connect 125 units to the city's sewer system in return for impact fees. In addition, the developers would donate both $1 million in cash and 10 acres of property to the Croy Canyon Ranch Foundation, to assist with the development of the eldercare facility.
During a previous meeting on the issue in October, Barry Luboviski, representing the Spring Canyon Ranch developers, said the impact fees would amount to $3,500 per unit on top of the connection fee for city residents, which is currently $2,140. As well, each user would pay a 10 percent premium on the monthly wastewater bill.
The developers would bear the entire cost of installing the pipes to connect to the system, as well as a new bridge on Croy Creek Road over the Big Wood River, estimated at a cost of $1 million.
However, that was seen by a number of Hailey residents as insufficient compensation for what the city would be providing.
"I appreciate that they're giving land to Croy Canyon Foundation, but it's not in the best interest of the city because the buy-in is too low," said Geoff Moore, a member of the public who recently ran for a seat on the council. "How many Hailey residents will be caught short down the road?"
Fellow resident and frequent council meeting attendee Peter Lobb agreed with Moore, raising a concern that the deal might open the way for extending water services in the future.
Councilman Don Keirn said that while he would never considered sharing the city's limited water supply, he has been an advocate of extending sewer service in order to decrease the negative impacts septic systems can have on the environment, adding that the city has the capacity to handle the subdivision.
Councilwoman Carol Brown said she thought the agreement was important, especially because of the positive benefit it would bring to the eldercare facility, but asked what would happen to the donation if Croy Canyon Ranch didn't move forward or wasn't successful.
"We're going to do what we can to make it succeed," Luboviski responded, adding that the developers couldn't wait around to see if the facility was successful before giving the money, as they would be giving the cash upon final plat approval of the subdivision.
Since the issue hadn't been noticed as a public hearing, Brown asked that it be continued to the following council meeting on Dec. 10 to give residents an additional opportunity to comment.
