In April, Hayden Planning Commission members passed a comprehensive plan about how they wanted Hayden to grow and how they wanted it to look.

At Thursday night's commission meeting, they proved to anyone present that the words on that document meant something. They referenced it often as they listened to a proposal for a gas station sign and plans for a 150-home subdivision and possible annex.

Based on the comprehensive plan, commissioners agreed a 33-foot sign that members of Bear River Valley Co-op want to put in front of their station on Jefferson Avenue does not meet the new standards of appearance for the Hayden historic downtown district.

"It took us a long time to form a cooperative vision of what we want Hayden to grow into, and we have to stick to our guns, especially at the beginning of the process," Commissioner Andrea Hayden said.

With instructions to create a sign proposal that fits into Hayden's new historic downtown, commissioners found the plan to be straightforward and easy to use as a base for decisions. Applying it to a proposed subdivision turned out to be much more difficult.

Developer Jim Woods came before the Planning Commission in April with a sketch plan for a 150-unit, single-family-home "planned community" on 47 acres along Dry Creek. He is requesting an annexation of the property from the town.

The commission approved the plans on the condition of several requested changes. On Thursday, Woods returned, along with Landmark Consultants Inc. engineer George Gonzales and builder Steve Barnick of deMorgan Communities.

Barnick specializes in building affordable-home neighborhoods, such as the one planned for Dry Creek Village.

Barnick's previous projects mostly are located in Florida, but he currently is the builder of the Red Hawk Subdivision in Stagecoach.

The homes Woods and Bar--nick plan to build in Hayden would sell for $225,000 to $300,000. All homes would come with two-car garages.

Among the requested changes, the commission wanted to see an emergency exit built into the development in case the main entrance was closed off. In its preliminary plans, all traffic empties from Dry Creek Village onto Routt County Road 37. After a second exit was added to plans, commissioners turned their attention to the increase of traffic that would be generated by the new development, as well as their concerns that the two-car garage is the visual focus of the proposed homes and that the timing of the development does not fit into the town's new comprehensive plan.

Commissioners also were worried about Woods' request to build a series of trails in lieu of 4-foot sidewalks, which have been required for other developments in the Hayden area.

Commissioner Tom Rogalski wanted to make sure the playing field remained level. He liked the idea of trails that lead to open space but wanted to make sure the money Woods would be saving on sidewalks would be spent elsewhere, such as on landscaping.

In the end, the Dry Creek Village plan was tabled until the Sept. 8 Planning Commission meeting.

Dry Creek Village developers were asked to return in September with drawings that shift the prominent focus of the homes away from their two-car garages. For the next meeting, Hayden Town Manager Russ Martin wants to see a phasing plan, a landscaping plan and talking points that will "explain why or why not Dry Creek Village fit into Hayden's comprehensive plan."

-- To reach Autumn Phillips call 871-4210

or e-mail aphillips@steamboatpilot.com