Hayden Mayor Alan Davis highlighted “what we’re challenged with, what we’re focused on and what we’ve accomplished together” during his State of the City address Thursday.

Davis spoke in front of more than 120 people attending the Chamber of Commerce’s Business and Connections lunch at the Best Western Plus Coeur d’Alene Inn.

Housing costs and sustainable growth were the primary focus of Davis’s address.

“We need smart policies to manage the urban sprawl while preserving Hayden’s rural character,” Davis said.

Davis said he’s encouraging the development community to consider working class families in addition to connecting neighborhoods through walking and biking paths.

“I hope to never see another development where it’s plain to see that it was built to maximize the number of homes and little else,” Davis said.

Davis added that Hayden is growing “much slower than its neighbors” and that most building permits issued in 2024 stemmed from the Hayden Canyon project.

“I know some people are seeing homes being built without realizing that the paperwork may have been completed years ago,” Davis said.

New construction in Hayden has been overwhelmingly single-family dwellings, as opposed to apartments or high-density housing, Davis said.

Davis told attendees that he’s working on an initiative that would provide property tax relief while also identifying better funding for law enforcement, road projects and other services.

“I know it’s going to take a few years if it comes to fruition, but know that it’s being worked on,” Davis said.

Davis also touched on infrastructure, noting several projects intended to improve traffic conditions in several areas of the city.

Such projects include a traffic light on West Hayden Avenue, a roundabout on Honeysuckle Avenue and congestion relief along Government Way. An analysis of the city’s major arterials is also underway.

Davis said that as Hayden looks toward the future, his “focus will remain on sustaining a connected community.”

“I invite you to participate when we fly kites, teach children at Arbor Day or consider dropping a thank you note to our streets and parks teams,” Davis said.