Steamboat Pilot & Today

The proposed Dry Creek Village subdivision is the first major project subject to new standards ensuring Hayden development will pay for itself.

That's why the Hayden Plan-ning Commission should be comfortable with an agreement to annex 47 acres for the project along Routt County Road 37, Town Manager Russ Martin said Thursday.

The Planning Commission recommended the Hayden Town Board next week approve the annexation and the first filing of the project, or 26 homes. The subdivision is south of Crandall Avenue.

Some members were hesitant. Chairwoman Donna Hellyer initially wanted to postpone the decision until agreement details were in place.

The details or conditions based on the town's new land-use code require developers to provide a certain amount of land for schools and parks or fees in lieu of land.

In the case of Dry Creek Village, it's more logical for Jim Woods and partner Jon Peddie to pay fees toward future land purchases for schools and parks or improvements to existing parks, Martin said.

The land-use code also requires that developers pay the town $1,200 per residential unit to help offset the costs of maintaining roads and providing services in the subdivision. The funds will help the town promote commercial growth and a tax base to balance residential projects.

Woods and Peddie also must agree to share in the cost of re-aligning C.R. 37 from U.S. Highway 40 to Crandall Ave--nue.

Martin emphasized that the development had clear public benefit.

"If they are willing to sign such an agreement, I don't know why we wouldn't," he said.

Commission mem----bers Chuck Ve-Depo and Alicia Tuck remained firm in their positions that Dry Creek Village is not consistent with the comprehensive plan, which calls for annexing land adjacent to existing development and having new commercial development to offset residential costs.

"This just seems to be removed from the community, like a little island out there," VeDepo said.

Commission member Tom Rogalski said the town needs more people to create a need for more businesses.

The commission agreed to recommend approval for the first filing of the 150-home subdivision as a way to ensure development keeps pace with the market.

In other business, the Planning Commission approved a gas-sign proposal for the Bear River Valley Co-op/Cenex.

Co-op representatives have said they need a more visible sign to stay competitive with Kum & Go/Conoco, about two blocks away.

The company requested to build a 12- by 8-foot pole sign about 33 feet tall on the northeast corner of the lot at Spruce Street and Jefferson Avenue. The Planning Commission discouraged the same design several months ago because it did not adhere to the comprehensive plan, which calls for low-key signage in the town's historic downtown district.

At the commission's suggestion, co-op representatives had pursued designs for a short monument sign near Jefferson Avenue, but they found that it would impede with Colorado Department of Transportation right-of-ways as well as traffic in and out of the business.

Still, commission members said Thursday that the proposed sign was too tall and big and that they'd hoped for a new design.

"I'm a little bit disappointed you came back with the exact same sign that gave us heartburn the last time," commission member Karl Koehler said.

The commission compromised, allowing a sign no larger than 10 feet by 7 feet that can be seen from Chestnut Street and Jefferson Avenue (the location of Kum & Go) but is no taller than 30 feet.

-- To reach Tamera Manzanares, call 871-4204 or e-mail tmanzanares@steamboatpilot.com