Hayden City Council adopts Hayden Canyon Park plan as addendum to 2040 Parks Master Plan

HAYDEN, Idaho — The Hayden City Council voted unanimously July 8 to add the Hayden Canyon Park master plan to the city's 2040 Parks Master Plan, a procedural step that allows the city to move forward with developer negotiations and to make the site eligible for future impact-fee funding.

The adoption establishes the park concept in the official parks planning documents; it does not obligate the city to spend money on park construction. A staff presenter told council the action "would be to adopt the plan as presented to council as part of the current ... 2040 master park plan as an addendum to that, so including this plan." The presenter said the adoption would "allow us to engage with the developers of Hayden Canyon on their area of build out that they're required to do as part of the PUD as well as ... their annexation agreement."

Why it matters: Amending the Parks Master Plan is a required step before the city can list the project in its capital improvement program (CIP) and make it impact-fee eligible. Council members repeatedly emphasized that adopting the plan tonight was a policy/plan decision, not a commitment to city funding for construction.

Council discussion focused on financing, scope and timing. Council Member White asked when budgeting and city expenditures on park amenities would begin; staff replied that the city would incur costs only when it accepted improvements constructed by others and that the timeline is not yet known. The presenter explained that the developer is required under existing agreements to build a "base level" park (described in the city's adopted parks standards as a baseline package), which the presenter summarized as including basic elements such as turf/grass. "The developers are required to, under their agreements, do base level park ... grass," the presenter said. Council members stressed that anything beyond the developer's baseline would be a separate decision requiring funding authority from the council.

Council members asked about cost estimates included in the plan and supporting memos. The presenter identified two figures discussed during the meeting: an estimated Phase 1 base package total of $6,295,411.49 (listed on page 28 of the consultant materials) and a project grand total shown elsewhere in the presentation of $13,000,005.47. The presenter said the document contains cost estimates intended only as planning-level guidance and that final costs could be higher or lower depending on timing and selected amenities.

Staff also said some portions of construction are expected to be covered by the developer, but "not all of them," and that if the city chose to add amenities beyond the baseline, the city would need to identify funding for those additions. The presenter recommended next steps: adopt the plan into the Parks Master Plan, then negotiate an agreement with the Hayden Canyon developer that would set which improvements the developer will deliver and the anticipated schedule; any agreement would be brought back to council for formal acceptance.

Action taken: Council Member Tom moved to approve the "Hayden Canyon Park master plan update to the 2040 Parks Master Plan" resolution; a second was made, and roll-call votes were read as "yes" by Council Member White, Council President Roeder, Council Member Schaeffer and Council Member DePries. The motion passed unanimously.

Process and limits: Multiple council members pressed for clarity that tonight's adoption does not itself obligate city funds. The presenter confirmed the amendment is a prerequisite for CIP listing and impact-fee eligibility: "You have to do this before you can put in the CIP, before you can ... make an impact fee eligible and have it in the methodology." Council members noted the need for later decisions about funding, project phasing and whether the city will contribute beyond the developer's baseline.

Next steps and timeline: Staff said adoption allows negotiation with the developer over which park elements the developer will construct and the schedule. The staff presenter said there is not yet a firm timeline for construction or for when the city would budget for any non-developer-funded elements. Any resulting agreement or construction acceptance would return to council for formal approval.

Votes at a glance: - Consent calendar: motion to accept the consent calendar as read (items included: meeting minutes for 06/24/2025 and 06/26/2025, agreements and change orders, acceptance of dedication and easements, electric service extension agreement, payroll and bills). Motion passed by roll call: Council Member Schaeffer (yes), Council President Roeder (yes), Council Member Caprice (yes), Council Member White (yes). - Hayden Canyon Park master plan update to the 2040 Parks Master Plan: motion to adopt resolution. Motion passed by roll call: Council Member White (yes), Council President Roeder (yes), Council Member Schaeffer (yes), Council Member DePries (yes). - Motion to move into executive session for personnel and legal discussion: motion passed by roll call: Council Member Schaeffer (yes), Council Member White (yes), Council Member de Priest (yes), Council President Roeder (yes).

What council did not decide tonight: Council did not set a construction timeline, finalize which park amenities the city will pay for, nor approve any funding beyond the developer's baseline obligations. Council members asked staff to return with clarifying agreement language and numbers before committing city funds.

Reported materials and public access: The council referenced consultant materials and a technical memorandum with cost tables (pages 26'28). Several council members noted the cost figures are planning-level estimates in current dollars and subject to change based on phasing.

For the public record: The presenter and council repeatedly framed the vote as a procedural step to adopt the plan concept into the 2040 Parks Master Plan so the city can move forward with developer negotiations and potential impact-fee alignment; no construction contracts or city appropriations were approved at the July 8 meeting.