Hayden Planning & Zoning Commission considers updates to the Comprehensive Plan
Hayden Planning & Zoning Commission considers updates to the Comprehensive Plan
The commission meeting drew protestors who balked at Chairman Alan Davis's proposed changes before the upcoming Nov. 7, 2023 election
On Monday, Oct. 23, 2023, the City of Hayden Planning & Zoning Commission held a special meeting to discuss revisions to the City’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Before the meeting began, a number of local citizens gathered outside of City Hall with protest signs. Protestors voiced concerns about the Planning & Zoning Commission considering changes to the 2040 Comprehensive Plan before the upcoming Nov. 7 election for City of Hayden mayor (Alan Davis vs. Luke Sommer) and one contested City Council seat (Roger Saterfiel vs. Tom Shafer).
The meeting began with a roundtable discussion led by Commissioner Mary Howard who provided comments on what amendments to the Comp. Plan could look like. After 30 minutes of discussion on Howard’s ideas, Chairman Alan Davis delivered a prepared presentation.
Davis’s presentation indicated a desire to overhaul the Comp. Plan’s vision, goals, and policies.
Davis began his presentation by proposing an amendment to the Vision Statement of Hayden’s Comp. Plan. His proposed vision statement:
“Hayden is a well-managed Idaho town that prioritizes responsible growth and mature infrastructure planning practices to provide a variety of housing options, to encourage small business development, and to protect her natural resources.”
The existing Comp. Plan vision statement for comparison:
“Hayden is a regionally connected city with a small-town feel, defined by responsible growth and planning. The city maintains strong systems that align with the values of its citizens, including top-tier K-12 schools, an efficient roadway system that manages traffic well, and plentiful open space. The city maintains a small-town feel by concentrating high-impact development at nodes and along corridors and preserving natural open space. The city also encourages a small-business culture to enhance and encourage a healthy, connected, family-friendly community.”
Proposed Comprehensive Plan goal changes
Davis’s proposed revisions would pare down the Comp. Plan’s goals from 19 down to 10. (See pages 8 and 9 in the current PDF.)
Simple changes
Goals #1 and #2 would swap places. Davis stated his belief that it makes sense to lead the Comp. Plan’s Goals section by underscoring the necessity for the city to have a Comp. Plan based on state statute.
Remove Goal #12 (“Establish a balance between jobs and housing…”).
Goals #14 and #16 would stay unchanged (related to protecting the environment and private property rights).
Complex changes
Goals #3, #5, #7, #11, #17 would be conflated into a single goal.
“While protecting and strengthening existing neighborhoods, maintain an attractive and balanced mix of land use zones and housing options that promote responsible growth decisions. All development will consider and implement adequate parks and open leisure space for each neighborhood. Parks and leisure space will provide a variety of recreational opportunities and compliment their associated neighborhood."
Goals #4, #8, #10, #15 would be combined into a single goal.
"Developed land will be serviced by adequate, planned, environmentally-sound public facilities and utilities to maintain infrastructure integrity and provide reliable service. Ensure infrastructure development costs are shared equitability. Hayden will prioritize developing land inside her borders ahead of seeking adjacent land annexation."
Goals #6 and #7 would be conflated into a single goal:
"Solidify a Central Business District (CBD) that encourages and supports locally-owned businesses and provides Hayden citizens employment opportunities. Augment the CBD by maintaining commercial uses along Hayden's primary transportation corridors."
Goals #13, #18, #19 would be combined.
“Promote neighborhood pedestrian and non-motorized interconnectivity between neighborhoods and throughout the Central Business District (CBD). Establish neighborhood nodes that reduce traffic and increase community."
Next steps for Comp. Plan Updates
After Chairman Alan Davis’s presentation, the commission discussed next steps. The Commission members seemed to be unanimous that they should proceed with Davis’s proposals and they attempted to schedule the next P&Z meeting to solidify the language before submitting to the Hayden City Council for consideration.
City Councilman Ed DeDriest (in the audience) suggested scheduling the next P&Z meeting in early-November.
At the time of publishing, the next P&Z meeting is scheduled for Nov. 6, 2023, at 5pm.
Resources related to the Oct. 23, 2023 P&Z meeting
Jump to Alan Davis’s presentation during the meeting
The Comp Plan was voted on in the Spring of 2021. It expires in 2026. But NOW, just 2 WEEKS before the election, Alan Davis has BOLD ideas about changing it! The timing is impeccable! What a FRAUD. His biggest 2 donors are multimillionaire developers. I wonder why they prefer him over Luke Sommer. A few questions: a) Do Hayden residents want a central business district like half of CDA? b) Do they want "neighborhood nodes" (aka 15 minute cities)? c) Did you notice how Alan Davis didn't discuss bringing back the Special Use Permit (SUP) requiring developers to get city council permission for their projects? Hayden mayoral candidate Luke Sommer has pledged to fight to bring back the SUP. Like the protester's sign says: ALAN: Too Little, Too Late.
I watched this entire meeting online. Alan’s presentation was completely bogus, a nothing-burger. The expected discussion of the Future Land Use Map – which needs to be revised for lower densities – didn’t happen. Alan didn’t discuss bringing back the Special Use Permit to require developers to get city council approval for developments. I don’t want a central business district, that’s what half of CDA is now. Alan Davis has been on the Planning and Zoning Commission since 2016, so he’s part of the problem. If you want to keep small-town Hayden, join me in voting for Luke Sommer as Mayor of Hayden on Nov 7th.