Sidewalks, flood mitigation and public access topped the list of concerns at the first of the Hailey Planning Department's "neighborhood workshops" to update the city's comprehensive plan.
The plan will set goals and guide development in the city over the next 20 to 30 years. Zoning and ordinance changes will reflect the objectives set out by the comp plan, which was last updated more than five years ago.
The workshop (the first of five planned for this month) was attended by several residents of west Hailey, from the China Gardens, Della View and North Star neighborhoods.
Two Della View residents expressed a desire to build culverts on War Eagle Drive to prevent flooding, as occurred during a "100-year flood" in 2006.
City Administrator Heather Dawson said the city is working to find grants for such a project.
"We have not forgotten about you," she said.
Tim East, a resident of Croy Street, said the planning department should take steps to secure public access to the Big Wood River, especially across the "Caplow property," a parcel of about 10 acres between China Gardens and the river owned by developer Mark Caplow.
"We are a city with no river access, even though we live on a river," East said.
East and others questioned the city's proposed "Complete Streets" sidewalk plan, which calls for the building of sidewalks in the city's rights of way on both sides of all city streets.
"For one of my friends, the sidewalk would come right to the edge of her house," East said. "I'm not anti-sidewalk, but how about just on the major thoroughfares."
Several workshop attendees expressed a need for more police patrols.
Hailey Planning and Zoning Commissioner David Lloyd, speaking only as a North Star resident, said he would like to see the city's downtown core expand to the east and west rather than continue to develop as a commercial strip, "like Blue Lakes Boulevard" (in Twin Falls).
Planning Director Beth Robrahn, who conducted the workshop, said many of the ideas brought forward are consistent with the city's existing comprehensive plan.
"This will not be a re-write. We are only making adjustments," she said.
The next neighborhood workshop will be open to all residents from North Woodside (north of Baldy View) and East Hailey (all subdivisions east of Wood River Trail). It will take place Thursday, Oct. 8, from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Community Campus, rooms 301-302.
For more information, call the Hailey Planning Department at 788-9815.
Tony Evans: tevans@mtexpress.com
Neighborhood workshops
· North Woodside (north of Baldy View) and East Hailey (all subdivisions east of Wood River Trail): Thursday, Oct. 8, 6-7:30 p.m., Community Campus room 301-302.
· Hailey Townsite and Northridge: Thursday, Oct. 15, 6-7:30 p.m., Wood River Middle School.
· Central and South Woodside (all subdivisions south of Baldy View Dr.): Thursday, Oct. 22, 6-7:30 p.m., Woodside Elementary School library.
· All commercial areas: Thursday, Oct. 29, 8-9:30 a.m., Hailey City Hall.
