Hayden Town Council approved a permit for a new live-work unit development at Valley View Business Park last week, and town officials say a similar development is currently going through the planning process.

Interest in Hayden’s existing industrial park is seen as a good sign for the larger business park project Hayden is tackling near the Yampa Valley Regional Airport.

“There’s growing interest,” said Tegan Ebbert, Hayden’s director of planning and zoning. “It’s really complementary to our bigger business park that our smaller one is filling up.”

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The permit, unanimously approved Thursday, Feb. 2, calls for Almaras Ventures to construct a 3,000-square-foot shop with two live-work units above the shop that would be rented to employees. Emmanuelle Almaras, who grew up in Craig, said the shop would house his plumbing and heating business.

“I moved to Denver because I was going to school and now I came back and started a business,” Almaras told the town board. “I like Hayden. I like where it is going. It’s definitely more affordable.”

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While housing in zones planned for industrial development isn’t always ideal, it is allowed with Town Council’s approval. Ebbert said live-work units aren’t just allowed in Hayden, but they are something the town encourages.

She anticipated that another similar live-work unit in the Valley View Industrial Park would be coming through the town’s planning process shortly.

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“We encourage it and I’ve talked to a number of people about it,” Ebbert said. “I anticipate another live-work unit coming through shortly out there.”

Also working its way through the development process is the town’s Northwest Colorado Business Park, which received a $5.2 million grant from the federal government last year. Ebbert said the business park near the airport is currently going through the platting process.

The park could spur development in the valley and help Hayden diversify its economy and tax base ahead of the closure of the Hayden Station later this decade. When the plant closes, taxing entities such as the school, fire and cemetery districts could see significant reductions in property taxes, but local officials hope the business park can fill that gap.

Ebbert said Town Council would see an item to rezone land for the business park during its next meeting. The proposal process to find a contractor for the infrastructure work on the project is ongoing, but the hope is to break ground later this year, Ebbert said.

“We’re hoping that we can get some responses to (the proposal process) and get the work started when the snow melts, whenever that is,” Ebbert said.

To reach Dylan Anderson, call 970-871-4247 or email danderson@SteamboatPilot.com.