The Steamboat Pilot & Today

The Hayden Town Board and Planning Commission will review the latest and nearly final draft of the town's new comprehensive plan during a joint work session Thursday.

The comprehensive plan is meant to help encourage healthy growth that will preserve the town's character.

Public input gathered during a series of community meetings has been a key component of the process, and town leaders hope interested residents will continue to share their feedback during the final stages.

"The window of opportunity is shrinking because of the fact that we are getting closer to the final document," Town Manager Russ Martin said.

Although not a regulatory document, the comprehensive plan helps direct officials' decisions regarding development proposals and overall land use. The plan also provides a basis for zoning and subdivision regulations.

The newest version of the plan is about 50 pages and incorporates details discussed by the Planning Commission last December. It also includes graphics and text boxes to help readers easily scan information and identify larger issues, Martin said.

The input gathered Thursday will be incorporated into another draft, which will be presented during a public hearing. That hearing will be scheduled in March or April, depending on the amount of feedback, he said.

Drafts of the plan are available at the Hayden Town Hall, the Hayden Public Library and at www.yampavalley.info/government043786. asp.

Residents can request a copy of the draft on a CD ROM by calling 276-3741.

The work session will be at 7 p.m. at the Hayden Town Hall.

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