Planning and Zoning – April 24, 2025

Meeting Minutes

P&Z Members in attendance:

☒Caleb Davis, Chair     ☐ Wade Purdom, Co-Chair     ☒David Hollabaugh     ☒John Cranor
☐Rob Voywood       ☒Scott Fuller            ☒Bill Benage
☒Adam Isaac    ☐ Ron Self

Chair Davis called the meeting to order at 5.30 p.m. Roll call: Commission members present are noted with an “X” in the boxes above. Commissioner Hollabaugh attended via telephone conference call. Also in attendance: Acting Zoning Administrator Clare Marley, Associate Planner Tess Vogel, Planning & Zoning Administrator Ben Jones, and members of the public.

Planning staff announced the cancellation of the Conditional Use Permit hearing for Heritage Foundation, LLC, File #25-0051, due to a request by the owner to remove it from the agenda. The applicant will be submitting a revised application, according to staff.

Consent Agenda: Commissioner Cranor moved to approve the minutes of March 27, 2025, and Commissioner Isaac seconded the motion. The Chair declared the motion approved on a unanimous voice vote.

Land Use Code Update and Priorities Discussion: Planning staff and the Commissioners reviewed a list of possible code updates for zoning and subdivision laws. The Commission discussed the urgency, progress to date, and degree of work involved in preparing each of the code topics. They ranked the possible updates on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being a high priority. The Commission developed the following ranking:

• #1 Priorities: code enforcement.
• #2 Priorities:
  o  Subdivision procedures to streamline plat processing, clear up exemptions, and allow certain files to be considered administratively.
  o  Expiration dates for residential placement permits to allow permits to be transferred to new owners and adding a two-year expiration date, similar to commercial permits.
  o  Private road standards for new subdivisions, to tie into the subdivision update. Considerable work has been done to prepare the road standards for review by the Commission and Board of County Commissioners, but the actual drafting of the ordinance needs to be completed, according to planners.
• #3 Priorities: Procedural updates, to match state code requirements, and to address the P&Z appointment process, bylaws, calendars, appeal processes, and erroneous references to state code.
• #4 Priorities:
  o  Update to use tables to correct conflicts, address types of uses in various zones, and review language of the table and Section 15. Though complex, it is important, the Commission determined.
  o  Subdivision lot design. Substantial work remains to complete a draft of this code to address flag lots, “crazy quilt” designs, and lot width, staff noted.
• #5 Priorities:
  o  Comprehensive plan map update, to forecast future growth and planning rather than matching current zoning. Update the map with recent amendments and provide a wider scope of densities.
  o  Commercial uses review, to determine what uses might be administratively permitted with development standards, and where allowable uses may need to be reconsidered or be more restrictive where conflicts are obvious.
• Unranked: Codification of county codes. Staff advised this is being examined, but would be a decision of the county commissioners.

Planning and Zoning Commission Bylaws Discussion: The Commissioners and staff reviewed the requirements of Idaho Code and county land use codes regarding the procedures and actions of the Commission. The Commission reviewed suggestions from the Chair and examples from staff of topics typically included in bylaws. They discussed voting practices, timing and process of appointments, absences, the name of the Chair and Co-Chair or Chair and Vice Chair. The Commission asked staff to return with some bylaws examples and follow up with advice from the county attorney for the next meeting.

Updates & Announcements: At the request of Commissioner Isaac, Chair Davis requested staff place consideration of the cancellation of the July’s regular meeting on the May agenda for consideration.

The Commission asked that continued discussion of the bylaws and the framework for the code update be included on the May agenda.

Adjournment: The Chair declared the meeting adjourned at 7:01 p.m.