Even critics of Bigwood at Thunder Spring's proposed project don't deny that there is a real need for affordable housing in Ketchum.
However, the question is whether or not the spit of land between the southern end of the Bigwood Golf Course and the Ketchum Cemetery is the appropriate location to begin filling the void of workforce housing the north valley.
At a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on Friday, June 6, David Hutchinson, of Ketchum-based Valley Properties Inc., representing the developers, was on hand for a review of the project's design.
In the packed council chambers, Hutchinson found little support for the 19-unit subdivision, with much of the opposition coming from residents of the Bigwood subdivision and homeowners on nearby Stirrup Lane.
While the purpose of the meeting was to consider the architectural details, landscaping and other site configuration issues, this didn't keep some members of the public from expressing their displeasure at the commission's recommendation in April to allow the rezone of the four-acre parcel from Rural to Low-Density Residential.
The project would be split into two parts, totaling 15 single-family homes and two duplexes, with the nine-unit first phase being built by the developers of the Residences at Thunder Springs as a delayed substitute for housing commitments made as part of the original Thunder Spring planned-unit development.
As well, this construction would fulfill the balance of the housing requirement not provided onsite at the Residences at Thunder Spring, an approved new project of 24 fractional units scheduled for completion in about two years.
The original PUD for Thunder Spring called for 4,800 square feet of community housing and 5,000 square feet of office space for nonprofit organizations. However, Hutchinson said 2,500 square feet of housing was proposed in place of the office space. At the meeting in April, he said the cost would be about the same and there is a greater need for housing.
The portion being built in accordance with the requirement from the Residences at Thunder Spring would be just less than 4,000 square feet spread over three units, with another four units of employee housing built on-site at the residences.
Hutchinson said completion of the 10-unit Phase 2 would depend on other developers, perhaps those looking to fulfill community housing requirements offsite. However, he said they would have to follow the overall master plan for the property to ensure a consistent design throughout.
The two- and three-bedroom, wood-sided cottages would use the same materials as the buildings already on the neighboring cemetery property.
Each unit would have a covered parking space in one of the communal carports, a change in the design resulting from concerns voiced by the commission during April's meeting.
One of the primary objections raised is the fact that the original Thunder Spring plat note mandated that the piece of land in question remain open space in perpetuity, with the one exception being an expansion of the golf course.
However, attorney Stephanie Bonney, a land-use specialist retained by the city for this project, said that this open space was never dedicated, meaning that the owner has the legal right to develop the land.
Bonney said that the plat note regarding the open space could be changed with an amendment to the development agreement, as long as both the city and the owner approve.
Other concerns included the project's sole access from state Highway 75, which has yet to be approved by the Idaho Department of Transportation, the proximity to the cemetery and the lack of notification to neighboring residents who live farther than the 300-foot notice requirement.
However, Rebekah Helzel, director of ARCH Community Housing Trust, said that she has received enthusiastic feedback from members of her organization, as well as from the Wood River Economic Partnership.
The proposed income categories for the housing, which would be split between categories three and four, equivalent to 60 to 100 percent of Blaine County's median annual income. Hutchinson said the units would sell for under $200,000.
"The reason we're doing this is because the city said there's a real need here and that these are the income categories we desperately lack," Hutchinson said in an interview on Monday. "We've agreed to do this even though it's much harder to make this work financially than higher category developments."
This need was echoed by Gary Rapport, executive director of the Ketchum Community Development Corporation, who only recently moved to Ketchum and said he will be looking for a home for his wife and three children.
"Perhaps the design isn't perfect, but with such (an affordable housing) crisis, we need to get it done. We can't disallow every project because of a few problems." Rapport said. "For all intents and purposes it's a great project and the perfect place for starter homes."
The design review was continued to July 7, as the developer has to stake out the building envelopes and mark which trees would be removed.
In the meantime, the City Council will hear the application for the rezone at a special meeting on June 30.
Opponents noted that holding the commission's design review process before the council had rendered its decision was equivalent to putting the cart before the horse, as the project requires the approval of the rezone to move ahead.
Courtesy graphic
Nineteen proposed units of affordable housing between the Bigwood Golf Course and the Ketchum Cemetery have given some Ketchum residents cause for concern. The Planning & Zoning Commission is currently reviewing the project’s design.
