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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOMP PLAN DRAFT 11.16.2007 - 08-00292 - Comprehensive Plan - 2020 AdoptionMadison Countv 2020 Madison County Madison County 2020 Comprehensive Plan OUTLINE 1) Title Page 2) Adoption Ordinance 3) Table of Contents 4) Acknowledgements 5) Introduction and Community Vision Statement 6) Population and History 7) Private Property Rights 8) Schools and Transport 9) Economic Development 10) Land Use and Agriculture 11) Natural Resources and Hazardous Areas 12) Transportation 13) Public Services, Facilities, and Utilities 14) Parks, Recreation, and Open Space 15) Housing 16) Special Areas or Sites 17) Community Design 18) Impact Area 19) Implementation Madison County - Draft 11116107 Title Madison County Madison County "2020" Comprehensive Plan Draft 11/17/07 Madison County - Draft 11116107 2) Adopting Ordinance ORDINANCE FOR ADOPTION OF MADISON COUNTY 2020 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Ordinance No. WHEREAS, on the _ day of 2008, the Board of County Commissioners for Madison County, Idaho was duly convened upon notice properly given and a quorum was duly noted; and WHEREAS, the appropriate public hearings have been held before the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners with regards to amendments to the Madison County 2020 Comprehensive Pian, Dated —Day—, _Month_, 2008; NOW THEREFORE, by resolution duly adopted on the date first above written, be it resolved by the Board of County Commissioners and the Planning and Zoning Commission the following: Madison County, Idaho does hereby accept and adopt the recommendation of the Board of County Commissioners and the Planning and Zoning Commission concerning adoption of the Madison County 2020 Comprehensive Pian. RESOLVED this day of 2008. Board of County Commissioners, Madison County, Idaho name, title Madison County • Draft 11/16/07 3) Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Chapters 1) Introduction and Community Vision Statement 2) Population and History 3) Private Property Rights 4) Schools and Transport 5) Economic Development 6) Land Use and Agriculture 7) Natural Resources and Hazardous Areas 8) Transportation 9) Public Services, Facilities, and Utilities 10) Parks, Recreation, and Open Space 11) Housing 12) Special Areas or Sites 13) Community Design 14) Impact Areas 15) Implementation List of Maps Map 1. County Boundary and Location Map 2. Schools Map 3. Econ maps Map 4. Land Use Map 5. Zoning Map 6. Natural Resources and Hazards Map 7. Transportation Map 8. Public Facilities Map 9. Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Map 10. Housing map Map 11. Special Areas locations Map 12. Community Design Districts Map 13. Impact Areas List of Figures Figure 1. m Figure 2. c Figure 3. d List of Tables Figure 1. m Figure 2. c Figure 3. d Madison County- Draft 11116107 4) Acknowledgements ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Board of County Commissioners Name, Chairman, district Name, district Name, district Planning and Zoning Commission Name, Chairman, district Name, district Name, district Name, district Name, district Name, district Name, district Staff Brent McFadden, Planning and Zoning Administrator Shauna Ringel, Planning and Zoning Coordinator Craig Rindlesbacher, GIS Others? l ray �"V&4$ (P14 t�menst/ Consultants � /-14-tri ��S�tri1 Cooper Roberts Simonsen Associates Lewis Young Robertson and Burningham Madison County - Draft 11/16/07 5 5) Introduction and Community Vision Statement 1) INTRODUCTION AND COMMUNITY VISION STATEMENT Community Vision Statement Madison County is a community of values. These values include family, community, affordability, recreation, environmental quality and the protection of agriculture in the county. Preservation of the rural character of the community is of utmost importance to county residents. Residents are proud of their unique close knit community and its idyllic natural setting. Madison County desires to guarantee the perpetuation of these unique qualities into the future. Growth affects Madison County in many significant ways. The opportunity now exists to accommodate increased growth in an appropriate manner. The corollary challenge facing the county is to reconcile the demand for growth with the core values of the community. The primary vision of the Madison County Comprehensive Plan is to ensure that this challenge is met and the values of the community are preserved and respected. Continued economic growth is essential to many aspects of Madison County's future. Among the issues tied to economic growth, employment growth is of utmost importance to the community. With an increasing county population and increasing enrollment at Brigham Young University - Idaho, job growth is essential to providing opportunities for Madison County residents to remain in the county and to attract university graduates to live and work in the county. Providing for this desired economic and job growth in a way that is sensitive to the other values of the community is a special opportunity and challenge facing Madison County. By guiding development in a manner that is compatible with the values of the community and conducive to the overall quality of life, the livability and prosperity of Madison County will be protected and increased for the future. With growth in population and economic activity comes increased demand for transportation infrastructure. The vision of the Madison County community is for a comprehensive Madison County - Draft 11116107 Madison County wishes to ensure a balance between private interests and those of the community at large. Comprehensive planning requires a careful examination of all land use regulations and requirements to find and protect this balance. The County is committed to creating a regulatory framework that ensures that land use policies, restrictions, and fees do not violate private property rights, excessively impact private property values, or create unnecessarily technical limitations upon the use of property which will constitute an unconstitutional taskiag of private property rights. Tate +son -C -e of a strong educational aspect of its community and is committed to supporting the county' tw public school districts as well as BYU-Idaho in increasing the quality and availability of a ucational resources to all residents in the county. ye [Qre. f u 5 r D 15013 M � rh Within Madison County there are many diverse land uses. Among these varied uses are those that the community finds desirable and those that are viewed as detrimental. Residents support the retention and expansion of agriculture, appropriate residential and commercial development as well as certain technological and light industrial land uses. Uses that are viewed as inappropriate include high impact mining or extractive industries, noxious or heavy industrial manufacturing and residential subdivision development on agricultural lands. t Few factors affect the livability of Madison County more than its housing stock. The community's vision for the future includes a diverse and high quality housing stock that meets the needs of the full range of county residents and contributes to the quality of the built environment. Of prime concern amid the current cycle of growth in the county is affordable housing. Madison County takes pride in being a family centered community, and affordable housing for all is vital to maintaining the county's focus on family. Additionally, the vision for the future includes housing for all cycles of life; enabling all ages and types of people to enjoy the opportunity of residing in Madison County. Continued economic growth is essential to many aspects of Madison County's future. Among the issues tied to economic growth, employment growth is of utmost importance to the community. With an increasing county population and increasing enrollment at Brigham Young University - Idaho, job growth is essential to providing opportunities for Madison County residents to remain in the county and to attract university graduates to live and work in the county. Providing for this desired economic and job growth in a way that is sensitive to the other values of the community is a special opportunity and challenge facing Madison County. By guiding development in a manner that is compatible with the values of the community and conducive to the overall quality of life, the livability and prosperity of Madison County will be protected and increased for the future. With growth in population and economic activity comes increased demand for transportation infrastructure. The vision of the Madison County community is for a comprehensive Madison County - Draft 11116107 5) Introduction and Community Vision Statement transportation network serving the needs of all residents and visitors. Choices in transportation infrastructure investment have a substantial but often overlooked effect on urban form. Therefore, the choices made in regards to transportation must be evaluated by their effect upon the form of the county's built and natural environment. Madison County residents support development within or proximate to established cities and town centers. This paradigm reduces the cost of new development while leveraging greater value from the community's Investment in existing infrastructure and reducing maintenance costs. It is extremely important to Madison County residents to provide for all modes of transportation including pedestrian, bicycle and feasible transit facilities. This plan will provide the framework for meeting the transportation demand with inducing greater demand and adversely affecting the cherished character of the community. Madison County is home to a number of special areas and sites. These places are special for a number of reasons ranging from historical importance and community identity to religious or spiritual significance. These sites are unique elements of Madison Coun y and serroe to provide a special identity for the community. Often special areas and sites are community touchstones that bring residents together to celebrate their unique community identity. The protection, preservation and interpretation of these areas and sites is a key component in protecting the quality of life for all citizens of Madison County and providing a heritage of strong community identity to future generations. Public utilities and related infrastructure must also be addressed to ensure a safe and prosperous future for Madison County. Among the most important utilities are culinary water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer. The community vision contemplates coordinated systems for the provision of these utilities. The community's vision of centralized, sustainable development creates opportunities for centralizing utility service and provides tremendous efficiencies in the construction and operation of these utilities. These utilities are essential to prevent resource contamination and depletion by private septic and well systems. The continuing development and maintenance of these systems is essential to the protection of the county's natural resources and quality of life. Agriculture is the largest land use in Madison County. Residential and commercial development is concentrated primarily in the cities and town centers. County residents overwhelmingly advocate continuing this practice. Preservation of agricultural land use is a top priority. Growth should be centered within the areas of city impact and existing town centers. The community opposes the development of agricultural and natural areas outside of these areas. This comprehensive plan will establish policies and objectives to achieve this end. Recreational opportunities abound within Madison County. It is the vision of the community to preserve and expand recreation within the county. These recreational opportunities not only serve residents but provide an attraction to tourists and visitors. County residents support greater access to park areas through pedestrian and bicycle facilities and the distribution of parks and informal open space throughout developed areas. This vision also includes the need for a centralized recreation and community center that could provide new and increased recreational opportunities to Madison County residents and visitors. Madison County is also rich is natural resources. The use and stewardship of these resources is of prime importance to the future of the quality of life in the county. Conversely, the county must work to mitigate the effects of natural hazards by developing and designing with nature and not in opposition to it. County residents also value the clean water and air that are hallmarks of their rural environment. Preserving these resources is a key concern for Madison County. Through recommendation of policies and procedures, this comprehensive plan will light the path to a future of sustainable growth and environmental stewardship. Missing Community Design vision ti Madison County -Draft 11/16/07 Introduction and Community Vision Statement Planning Area Included The Madison County Comprehensive Plan shall have jurisdiction over all the lands within the unincorporated boundary of the County. The Comprehensive Plans of Rexburg, Sugar City shall have jurisdiction over lands within their municipal boundaries, and unincorporated lands within their designated Areas of City Impact. Additionally, the communities of Teton and Newdale, while lying just outside of Madison County, have designated Areas of City Impact that extend into Madison County. The comprehensive plans of those two communities shall have jurisdiction over lands within their designated Areas of City Impact that fall inside Madison County boundaries. How to Use this Comprehensive Plan Purpose and Authority Idaho state law requires that each city and county prepare and adopt a comprehensive, long- range plan to identify and plan for present and future needs of the community as well as address growth and development of land within the community. Idaho Code citation A Comprehensive Plan sets out to capture and articulate a common vision for residents, businesses, property owners, and city and county staff and officials for future growth and development of the community. It is a guiding document adopted by the community to help decision -makers evaluate development proposals and implement a desired future for the community. According to The Practice of Local Government Planning, First, it is a physical plan. Although reflection of social and economic values, the plan is fundamentally a guide to the physical development of the community. It translates values into a scheme that describes how, why, when, and where to build, rebuild, or preserve the community. A second characteristic of the general plan is that it is long-range, covering a time period greater than one year, usually five years or more. A third characteristic of the general plan is that it is comprehensive. It covers the entire city geographically - not merely one or more section. It also encompasses all the functions that make a community work, such as transportation, housing, land use, utility systems, and recreation. Moreover, the plan considers the interrelationships of functions. Finally, a general plan is a guide to decision-making by the Planning Commission and governing board, mayor, and/or manager. A comprehensive plan typically has a life of around five years, but looks forward at least twenty years to anticipate how the community will accommodate changes in population, demographic, economic, and social trends. Developing the Madison County Comprehensive Plan is an opportunity to consider the community as it is today, determine what is working well, and what needs to change to make it better. The General Plan also gives Madison County an opportunity to plan for anticipated changes in community priorities, transportation options, and changing demands for various land uses such as housing, commerce, and open space. Planning Process The Madison County Comprehensive Plan Update process began with a kickoff meeting with an advisory committee. At this meeting a schedule for updating the plan was established and a preliminary list of issues and ideas was compiled. The advisory committee, which met Madison County - Draft 11/16/07 5) Introduction and Community Vision Statement monthly throughout the process, was comprised of representatives from the following jurisdictions, organizations, and groups: Madison County Commission Madison County Planning and Zoning Commission Madison County Staff Rexburg Mayor and City Council Rexburg Planning and Zoning Commission Rexburg Staff Sugar City Mayor and City Council Sugar City Planning and Zoning Commission BYU-Idaho Madison School District Sugar -Salem School District Since the purpose of a comprehensive plan is to define a vision for the future of a community and develop a guiding framework to implement that vision, public participation is a critical component of the planning process. To solicit public input, three public workshops were held in Sugar City and Rexburg. At the workshops, members of the public were asked to place land use chips on a map on the county planning to accommodate the projected population growth for the next thirty years. A survey was circulated in additicn to the formal workshop exercise to give members of the public additional opportunities to comment. The ideas and comments gathered from the public and the County staff and officials, were used to develop a community vision statement for the County, a set of goals and objectives for the comprehensive plan, and a draft future land use map. These plan components were refined and updated through the planning process as planning concepts were explored. [Fill in Process as it occurs] Upon completion of a draft Comprehensive Plan, a public open house was held to present the draft plan concepts to the community Public hearing and recommendation from P&Z to Board of County Commissioners for adoption. Public hearing and adoption by Board of County Commissioners. Updating the Comprehensive Plan Update every 5-10 years 20 Year scope Should be a living document - every 6 months to land use ply 6509 Madison County - Draft 11116107 Review goals and policies annually, minor revisions allowed n map. Text may be amended any time - Idaho Statute 67 - 6) Population and History 2) POPULATION AND HISTORY History The first inhabitants of the Madison County area were Bannock, Snake, Lemhi, Blackfoot and Crow Indians, who lived there for short periods of time, hunting and resting en route to trading rendezvous. The first white men to pass -"h the area were members of Andrew Henry's party of trappers, who spent the wint r o 1`180 a short distance from what is now St. Anthony. We Sr For the next seventy years, trappers harvested pelts from all over the U per Snake River Valley. "Beaver Dick", Richard Leigh, was the most famous, He lived wi his first wife, Jenny, an Eastern Shoshone, and his six children on the Snake River five mile from Rexburg. In 1876, a smallpox epidemic took the lives of his family. He married another Indian woman, Susan Tadpole, and they had three children. Leigh knew the area well and once guided Theodore Roosevelt on a hunting trip. A county park monument and picnic area we s of Rexburg are named for him. kSuSL�Y�S� OF Av `l,, e' v4i f t ar+=�-�-y c + In President John Taylor of the Ghurch called Thomas E. Ricks to be ish3o of the Bannock L.D.S. Ward, which included all of eastern Idaho. Ricks set out �l `immediately to select "a central point for religious, educational and commercial enterprises, and to prepare the way for rapid colonization of the country." A site was selected and when word of the settlement got back to Utah, people were eager to come. Surveyor Andrew 0 2'. Anderson, Ricks and William B Preston set up survey lines for a new town March 11, 1883 and named it Ricksburg (This was later changed to Rexburg in conformity with Ricks' German stem name). Mormon Church members were called by their leaders to settle many areas, but this wasn't true of the Upper Snake River Valley. Volunteers arrived to settle the country as fast as the land could handle them, despite poor wagon roads, treacherous river crossings and a very difficult journey from Utah" By the end of 1883, there were 815 members on the Bannock Ward records and by the end of 1884, there were 1,420".Many large counties were carved up in Idaho's history before the present boundaries were established" Madison County area was within Oneida County from 1864 to 1885; within Bingham County from 1885 to 1893 and within Fremont County from 1893 to 1913. There had been some contention between St. Anthony and Rexburg over which city should be the county seat, and finally Rexburg's leading citizens started a drive to divide the county. After much political haggling and a public election, Madison County was created November 8, 1913. (This narrative was based on information collected and contributed by Louis S. Clements, Harold S. Forbush and Debra Holm) insert Susie Becker's population section. Madison County - Draft 11116107 Priva to 3) Private Property Rights Vision Statement Excerpt Madison County wishes to ensure a balance between private interests and those of the community at large. Comprehensive planning requires a careful examination of all land use regulations and requirements to find and protect this balance. The County is committed to creating a regulatory framework that ensures that land use policies, restrictions, and fees do not violate private property rights, excessively impact private property values, or create unnecessarily technical limitations upon the use of property which will constitute an unconstitutionaktackirig of private property rights. Goals and Objectives % Goal 1: Balance private property rights with planning, public health and safety needs within the accepted confines of national, state, and local laws. Objective: Review all land use decisions, policies, procedures, and ordinances in keeping the goal of balancing private property rights with public health and safety. Policy: Ask and answer the six questions respecting private property rights development by the Attorney General when making any land use policy decision. Constitutional Requirements and a Balance of Interests Both the federal constitution and the constitution of the State of Idaho provide that private property may not be taken for public use without just compensation as prescribed by law. Idaho Code sections 67-6508 (a), 67-8001, 67-8002, and 67-8003 establish a review process which the City or County uses to evaluate whether proposed regulatory or administrative actions result in a taking of private property without due process of law. However, Section 67-8001 states that it is not the purpose of the chapter to expand or reduce the scope of the private property protections provided in the State and federal Constitutions. Section 67-8001 states that nothing in the section grants a person the right to seek judicial relief requiring compliance with the provisions of the chapter. Any laws or regulations governing private property should heavily depend upon the government's authority and responsibility to protect public health, safety, and welfare. Based upon this premise, courts have supported the limitation of the use of private property through land use planning regulations such as Comprehensive Plans, Zoning Ordinances, Subdivision Ordinances, and Environmental Quality Acts. County Policy It shall be the policy of the Madison County that County staff shall consider the following questions, as outlined by the State of Idaho Attorney General's Office, in reviewing the potential impact of a regulatory or administrative action on specific property. While these questions provide a framework for evaluating the impact proposed regulations may have generally, takings questions normally arise in the context of specific affected property. The public review process used for evaluating proposed regulations is another tool that the city should use aggressively to safeguard rights of private property owners. If property is subject to regulatory jurisdiction of multiple government agencies, each agency should be sensitive to the cumulative impacts of the various regulatory restrictions. Madison County- Draft 11/16/07 Private Although a question may be answered affirmatively, it does not mean that here has been a "taking." Rather, it means there could be a constitutional issue and that staff should carefully review the proposed action with legal counsel. 1. Does the regulation or action result in a permanent or temporary physical occupation of private property? 2. Does the regulation or action require a property owner to dedicate a portion of property or to grant an easement? 3. Does the regulation deprive the owner of all economically viable uses of the property? 4. Does the regulation have a significant impact on the landowner's economic interest? 5. Does the regulation deny a fundamental attribute of ownership? 6. Does the regulation serve the same purpose that would be served by directly prohibiting the use or action; and does the condition imposed substantially advance that purpose? The following summary and recommendations, published by the American Planning Association (APA), can be found at the APA's website: btti)://www.i)lanning.orci/i)olicyguides/takincts.html Land Use Law Background The "takings" issue is addressed in the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which reads in part, "nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation." In the context of the times that language was clearly directed toward the actual seizure of private property for public use. Modern methods of eminent domain embody the principles set forth in the Fifth Amendment, allowing governmental bodies to claim private property when necessary but requiring that those entities pay "just compensation" when they do so. About seventy-five years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court extended that principle beyond the physical seizure of property, holding that "The general rule at least is that, while property may be regulated to a certain extent, if regulation goes too far, it will be recognized as a 'taking."' Although the case involved was complex, the concept is not. Clearly if a government uses regulation to accomplish what it should do through eminent domain, the result should be the same as if the government had used eminent domain. For exar%le, if the government were to issue regulations requiring that landowner permit a portion QQ KO land to be used as part of a public road or that another landowner permit -the public to enter onto his property to use it as a recreation area, the net result for the property owner is about the same as if the government had physically seized the property. Most rational citizens would support the affected lando5ner n a claim for compensation. n- / For -roughly sixty years, if a court determined that a regulation amounted to an unconstitutional taking, it would simply invalidate the regulation — thus leaving the property owner free to do as he or she could have done before the new regulation was imposed. That was certainly a reasonable remedy for the local government — its unconstitutional action was simply made void, without other serious cost or penalty to the community or its citizens. The local government could then adopt a new regulation, presumably one that would respond to the court's adverse findings on the previous regulations. When that remedy was granted relatively swiftly and not appealed, it was also a reasonable result for the landowner. As delays in litigation have become more common (one "takings" case was in court for nine years before the U.S. Supreme Court more or less resolved it), the remedy of overturning the regulation became less acceptable to landowners. In that context, attorneys for landowners began asking the courts to treat an unconstitutional regulation as being equivalent to an Madison County - Draft 11/16/07 7) Private Property Rights action in eminent domain — thus requiring that the local government buy the regulated land. The Supreme Court in 1981 finally adopted a compromise position, accepting the notion that some damages might be due to the landowner but giving the governmental er�ticy a choice between two options: buying the land as it would under an eminent domain proceeo'ng; or repealing the unconstitutional regulation and then compensating the landowner for the loss of use of the property while the regulation was in effect. That is the law today. Recommendations There are a number of different ways in which communities concerned about fairness and balance for all citizens in addressing the "takings" issue can protect themselves against potential "takings" claims. These include the following: Establish a sound basis for land use and environmental regulations through comprehensive planning and background studies. A thoughtful comprehensive plan or program that sets forth overall community goals and objectives and which establishes a rational basis for land use regulations helps lay the foundation for a strong defense against any "takings" claim. Likewise, background studies of development and pollution impacts can build a strong foundation for environmental protection measures. • Institute an administrative process that gives decision -makers adequate Information to apply the "takings" balancing test by requiring property owners to produce evidence of undue economic impact on the subject property prior to filing a legal action. Much of the guesswork and risk for both the public official and the private landowner can be eliminated from the "takings" arena, by establishing administrative procedures for handling "takings" claims and other landowner concerns before they go to court. These administrative procedures should require property owners to support claims by producing relevant information, including an explanation of the property owner's interest in the property, price paid or option price, terms of purchase or sale, all appraisals of the property, assessed value, tax on the property, offers to purchase, rent, income and expense statements for income - r producing property, and the like. Establish an economic hardship variance and similar administrative relief tt� provision that allow the possibility of some legitimate economically beneficial 11 _� use of the property in situations where regulations may have an extreme result. These procedures help to avoid conflicts in the first place by allowing for early consideration of all alternatives that may be satisfactory to all concerned. However, vt relief should be granted only upon a positive showing by the owner or applicant that there is no reasonable economic use of the property as witnessed by evidence produced as outlined in No. 2, above. Remember that the landowner has the burden of proof on hardship and "takings" issues. Take steps to prevent the subdivision of land in a way that may create economically unusable substandard or unbuildable parcels. Subdivision controls and zoning ordinances should be carefully reviewed, and should be revised if they permit division of land into small parcels or districts that make development very difficult or impossible --for example by severing sensitive environmental areas or partial property rights (such as mineral rights) from an otherwise usable parcel. Such self-created hardships should not be permitted to develop into a "takings" claim. • Make development pay its fair share, but establish a rational, equitable basis for calculating the type of exaction, or the amount of any impact fee. The U.S. Supreme Court has expressly approved the use of development conditions and exactions, so long as they are tied to specific needs created by a proposed development. The use of nationally accepted standards or studies of actual local government costs attributable to a project, supplemented by a determination of the Madison County- Draft 11/16/07 7) Private Property Rights actual impact of a project in certain circumstances, may help to establish the need for and appropriateness of such exactions. Avoid any government incentives, subsidies, or insurance programs that encourage development in sensitive areas such as steep slopes, floodplains, and other high -hazard areas. Nothing in the Fifth Amendment requires a government entity to promote the maximum development of a site at the expense of the public purse or to the detriment of the public interest. Taxpayers need not subsidize unwise development. At the same time, consider complements to regulation such as incentive programs that encourage good development, when regulatory approaches cannot alone achieve necessary objective without severe economic deprivation. While not a legal requirement, such programs can help take the sting out of tough, but necessary, environmental land use controls. Madison County - Draft 11/16/07 8) Schools and Transport 4) Schools and Transport at"t t Vision Statement Excerpt / Madison County is proud of a strong educational aspect of its community and is committed to supporting the county' two ublic school districts as well as BYU-Idaho in increasing the quality and availability of a ucational resources to all residents in the county. Goals and Objectives Goal 1: Increase the quality and accessibility of education irc Madison County. Objec!ive: Expand opportunities for partnerships between school districts, alternate education such as private and home schools, the college, the cities and the County. Policy: Work with business organizations and educational institutions to provide a link between business needs and educational training and programs. Policy: Explore opportunities to expand continuing education offerings in the county through existing educational institutions. Policy: Increase coordination between educational organizations and the community through exploring opportunities for shared facilities. Objective: Expand opportunities for education to all areas of the County. Policy: Support technology and communication infrastructure to help expand the use of technology as an instrumental tool, and expand opportunities for distance learning. Policy: Encourage educational organizations to offer summer and online courses and continuing education to traditional and non- traditional students. Objective: Participate and collaborate with school districts in discussions regarding the placement or location of new schools.- . ,. Policy: Regularly attend school district meetings regarding long-range'-, school district planning. Insert LYRB's chapter text Madison County - Draft 11/16/07 Economic 5) Economic Development Vision Statement Excerpt Continued economic growth is essential to many aspects of Madison County's future. Among the issues tied to economic growth, employment growth is of utmost importance to the community. With an increasing county population and increasing enrollment at Brigham Young University - Idaho, job growth is essential to providing opportunities for Madison County residents to remain in the county and to attract university graduates to live and work in the county. Providing for this desired economic and job growth in a way that is sensitive to the other values of the community is a special opportunity and challenge facing Madison County. By guiding development in a manner that is compatible with the values of the community and conducive to the overall quality of life, the livability and prosperity of Madison County will be protected and increased for the future. Goals and Objectives Goal 1: Improve and diversify the local economy in order to ensure a sustainable economic base while supporting the economic goals of Rexburg and Sugar City. Policy: Promote a tourist -friendly culture and implement tourist -friendly signage. Objective: Maintain and support the agricultural industry as a key component of the County economy. Policy: Identify key agricultural areas for protection in a Madison County Future Land Use Plan. Policy: Explore the employment of agricultural preservation tools such as conservation easements, and transfer of development rights to support agricultural landowners in their choice to continue farming. Policy: Encourage complementary development in agriculture -related fields, such as potato processing. Objective: Retain and expand the availability of local jobs and commercial opportunities within the County. Madison County - Draft 11116107 Objective: Market and develop Madison County as a tourism and recreation destination. { Policy: Work with neighboring jurisdictions and public land management r 7 agencies to jointly promote the Upper Snake region as a recreational destination. (y" t Policy: Adopt and implement County practices encouraging recreational development in appropriate places. Policy: Provide information to make visitors aware of the resources available within the County (recreation, shopping, dining, etc.). Policy: Gather research data regarding current tourist demographics, purpose of visit, and satisfaction levels. Policy: Promote a tourist -friendly culture and implement tourist -friendly signage. Objective: Maintain and support the agricultural industry as a key component of the County economy. Policy: Identify key agricultural areas for protection in a Madison County Future Land Use Plan. Policy: Explore the employment of agricultural preservation tools such as conservation easements, and transfer of development rights to support agricultural landowners in their choice to continue farming. Policy: Encourage complementary development in agriculture -related fields, such as potato processing. Objective: Retain and expand the availability of local jobs and commercial opportunities within the County. Madison County - Draft 11116107 Economic Policy: Support individuals, business, economic developers, planners, r. grant applicants, local government and other customers by developing and distributing demographic and eccnomic materials to assist in business, education and economic decision-making. Policy: �E4 ' Objective: V a Y f i / 4 € +" Policy 4 `-N 4 'r 4 f Policy: k Policy: Work with BYU Idaho and alumni to proactively recruit new "`J (�. businesses to the area. .F„,„.__.- Develop a plan to proactively market the County as a retail and recreational location. Be a resource for businesses regarding potential financing, Including gra0s, incentives, funding programs and financing options. Expand the property tax base through basic sector industries and manufacturing that will have high personal property values (i.e., plant equipment) and that will create supporting jobs in non -basic sectors. Work extensively with state_=nomic_tQyelopment e.[ganizations.to proactively attract basic sector industries to Madison County as part of a systematic recruiting program. Provide assistance with the development process and land assemblage in order to enable development that will bring higher -paying jobs into the community. Provide allowances for development of targeted industries near needed resources. Policy: Support infrastructure that will attract and support industries with c t higher -paying jobs, including expansion of the airport, high- technology fiberoptics, and transportation connections to key highways and arterials. Objective: _Develop top-quality schools in order to be competitive in attracting new '"� business development V f VV Policy: q Policy: 5 tr Objective: /policy olicy 1k,1 Policy Objective: Encourage community involvement with local schools. Expand opportunities for continuing education and vocational education. Support entrepreneurial development. Provide information and technical assistance to those interested in starting a business in Madison County. Help companies identify new market opportunities. Encourage entrepreneurship through education, workforce training, business incubation opportunities, grants, cost sharing, and incentives. Upgrade public facilities necessary forjob creation. Madison County - Draft 11/16/07 Economic Policy: Aggressively pursue grants to construct and rehabilitate public facilities such as sewer, water, streets, etc. Insert LYRB's chapter text Madison County - Draft 11/16/07 10) Land Use and Agriculture 6) Land Use and Agriculture Vision Statement Excerpt Growth affects Madison County in many significant ways. The opportunity now exists to accommodate increased growth in an appropriate manner. The corollary challenge facing the county is to reconcile the demand for growth with the core values of the community. The primary vision of the Madison County Comprehensive Plan is to ensure that this challenge is met and the values of the community are preserved and respected. Within Madison County there are many diverse land uses. Among these varied uses are those that the community finds desirable and those that are viewed as detrimental. Residents support the retention and expansion of agriculture, appropriate residential and commercial development as well as certain technological and light industrial land uses. Uses that are viewed as inappropriate include high impact mining or extractive industries, ncxicus or heavy industrial manufacturing and residential subdivision development on agriculturzl lands. Agriculture is the largest land use in Madison County. Residential and commercial development is concentrated primarily in the cities and town centers. County residents overwhelmingly advocate continuing this practice. Preservation of agricultural land use is a top priority. Growth should be centered within the areas of city impact and existing town centers. The community opposes the development of agricultural and natural areas outside of these areas. This comprehensive plan will establish policies and objectives to achieve this end. Goals and Objectives Goal 1: Preserve the quality of life and existing rural character of Madison County. Objective: Preserve agriculture as a key component of Madison County's economy, while still accommodating future rural development in appropriate areas. Policy: Adopt a future land use map that reflects the needs and values of the community and guides future growth. Policy: Use a variety of accepted administrative tools and programs to preserve and protect existing open spaces and agricultural lands. Objective: f)A it n ( Policy: r, r a� Policy: Ili ipt is I }4. � CIN, �.ddu.� Focus new development within city impact and existing community center areas. Adopt a neighborhood center zoning ordinance for application in unincorporated areas of the county. Adopt a rural residential cluster development zoning ordinance Ak (4 <, G to ensure open space preservation while accommodating growth in appropriate areas. Objective: Provide for a graduated transition between the land uses of City of Rexburg, Sugar City, and unincorporated community centers and those of agricultural lands. Policy: oordinate with the City of Rexburg and Sugar City to rezone Areas of City Impact with County zoning designations, and the development of a new Area of City Impact overlay zone to r consistency in development standards. Madison County - Draft 11116107 10) Land Use and Agriculture Policy: Update the County zoning map to ensure future development of lands likely to be annexed into a municipality in the reasonably foreseeable future is appropriate and compatible. Objective: Minimize the negative impact of certain heavy industrial land uses. Policy: Develop a set of guidelines to be applied at the time of permit to all gravel excavation, hot mix asphalt operations, and other heavy industrial operations within the County. Goal 2: Preserve key natural and open space areas. Objective: Establish and maintain wildlife corridors. Policy: Work with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to develop standards to minimize detrimental impacts to wildlife as development occurs. Objective: Ensure continued public access to river corridors and public lands. Policy: Establish standards prohibiting development from cutting off public access to public lands and significant river corridors. Objective: Preserve natural and agricultural open spaces and minimize potential negative impacts of development. Policy: Develop a sensitive lands overlay zone to apply additional protections to sensitive lands including wildlife habitat, wetlands, floodplains, steep slopes, or areas with geotechnical hazards. IPASE A t f Goal 3: Ensure efficient use of land, public infrastructure, and tax dollars. Objective: Minimize capital improvement costs by encouraging new development to occur near similar developments or existing infrastructure systems where possible. Policy: Develop a Planned Unit Development ordinance for large development projects near Highway 30 and the impact areas of the City of Rexburg and Sugar City. Policy: Discourage "leap -frogging" and development in isolated areas. Options and tools may include developer incentives in areas more appropriate for development, or disin a es such as � more stringent requirements for development in less /r appropriate areas for development. Background Madison County is highly agricultural and relatively flat, with a raised bench running through the Rexburg area. The area has a high percentage (approximately 29.1%) of public land in and around the county, used for recreational and grazing purposes. The private land (70.9%) is used primarily for agricultural purposes, either for farm or range land. The preservation of historical and customary agricultural and range use is important to Madison County. Maintaining viable tracts of prime agricultural and range land is a goal for local leaders and citizens. Madison County - Draft 11/16/07 Land Use and The County has two incorporated communities, the cities of Rexburg and Sugar City, which are home to 71.4% of the county residents. 2% of the land in the county. Sugar City is mainly a residential community, with a few commercial uses located along the state highway corridor. Rexburg serves as a major economic hub for the area offering a range of residential, commercial, industrial and educational opportunities. Public and semi-public uses are spread throughout the communities Including city buildings, city parks, city well sites and pump stations, school complexes, senior center, churches and meeting halls. The county also has small community centers of Plano, Hibbard, Thornton, Salem, Archer, Burton, Lyman, Moody, Sunnydell, Independence and UwjdaU—All have minor commercial uses serving residents in the immediate area. ,'r Existinv_ Land Uses P, riculture Madison County is home to a diverse array of land uses, yet is dominated primarily by agricuhure. The eastern two thirds of the county is composed of agricultural and public lands. The majority of developed areas are concentrated in the west third of the county, centered on ;_ R' d crit. Rexburg and Sugar City. Single family residential is the largest land use in both cities. Older commercial properties exist along Main Street in Rexburg and new commercial development is focused along the freeway corridor. Throughout the vast majority of the county, single family homes are spread throughout farm and rangeland. In addition a number of disconnected subdivisions have appeared in recent years. Commercial and Industrial Commercial and industrial use in Madison County has traditionally been located along the state highways and in the Rexburg area. Recent commercial development is locating within the Rexburg and Sugar City impact areas, where the demand for such services is greatest. The county is experiencing a recent surge in applications for gravel extraction and hot mix asphalt operations. These heavy industrial uses are creating conflicts with some residential areas, particularly in the northern part of the county. Residential Madison County has experienced tremendous population growth in the last ten years, and with that increase has come an increased demand for residential development. While it has been the goal of the County to encourage residential development to locate within existing city boundaries and impact area, the relative inexpensiveness of land in the unincorporated county, the lack of impact fees, and less restrictive land use regulations has resulted in an increasing amount of development pressure in the unincorporated county. Parks and Recreation Madison County residents have the opportunity to enjoy and participate in a number of forms of recreation, and have convenient access to several recreational resources within and nearby Madison County. Situated at the southwestern gateway to the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, Madison County residents need only drive a couple hours to enjoy some of our nation's most spectacular scenery. In addition to these destinations, Madison County is on the way to several additional tourism areas including: Craters of the Moon National Monument, the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (Department of Energy), Jackson Hole, Island Park, Ririe and Palisades Reservoirs, Sand Hills and the historic Teton Dam site. The County's location creates a prime opportunity for capitalizing on tourism and regional travel and visitation. Despite the convenience of these incredible resources, Madison County residents have access an abundant selection of recreational opportunities without having to leave the county. Currently the County can boast the following public and semi-public recreational facilities: Madison County - Draft 11116/07 /3:C 1`�r'S `� ,. ^4__„°L C`t �a Wks l4 ✓A't'11-0k`1+.,.f is -A -a }F" �Y•f' f`'"�ae'f'4� ��i �c:�� f7i,UMw f +i4r�'. �PaI'i'� Parks /{ tI11 t1.F E" :7 r P6A4 y / i> �-/�.l` I. (�,er-k dr• 04', Twin Bridges Park - This park provides overnight camping at no fee; a nature trail, boating, swimming and day use activities such as picnicking. The facility contains picnic areas, firepits, and restroom facilities. Expansion of this park is planned and awaiting funding. Beaver Dick Park - This park provides overnight camping at no fee, and day use activities such as picnicking* The facility includes picnic areas, firepits, restrooms, a nature trail, boating and grass play areas, City/County Facilities Madison County Fairgrounds - these grounds, located in Rexburg, contain an indoor arena and two outdoor arenas used on a continuous basis for livestock oriented activities, a fairgrounds site and three animal barns, All of these facilities are used for community activities and social/cultural events throughout the year. City/County Golf Courses - The Teton Lakes Golf Course (18 hole) and the Rexburg Municipal Golf Course (9 hole) are available for public use in Madison County. There are another 9 holes planned at the Teton Lakes Course in the future. During the winter the two Madison County Rexburg golf courses are regularly used for cross country skiing activities. Trails Kelly Canyon Cross Country Ski Trails - located in the vicinity of Kelly Canyon, over 20 miles of trails are available to the skier. Snowmobiling Trails - Madison County has 240 miles of groomed trails into the Big Hole Area from Rexburg. In addition, using the old railroad right of way (an undeveloped trail) at Tetonia or the trails in the Big Hole Mountains, snowmobilers can access all the trails in Teton and Fremont Counties. The trails within Madison County are groomed by County Parks and Recreation personnel, County Bikeway System - Awaiting funding from the State Parks and Recreation Department and the Idaho Transportation Department, this trail system would include a series of bikeways throughout the county providing for transportation alternatives for county residents. These could also be used for cross country trails in the winter months. Greenbelt Development - A planned multi -use trail system along the Teton River to Rexburg has been identified and a section of the trail has been completed. Natural Areas Lime Kiln Canyon - This historic area, where limestone was mined in the late 1800's, is visited regularly by locals. Twin Buttes - These volcanic buttes clearly seen in the western part of the county, are an interested example of local geomorpholo y. In addition, some ind d ancient Native American writings. n p ►�\ F_j k 11 1 Teton and Snake Rivers - Both rivers provide opportunities for fishing', boating, water skiing, swimming and other water related activities. Big Hole Mountains - located within easy driving distance from Rexburg, these mountains provide all types of activities including snowmobiling, skiing, horse riding, motorbike trails, fishing and hunting. t.te T M Madison County - Draft 11116107 r' d'�;0� 10) Land Use and Agriculture The Green Canyon Hot Springs - a covered swimming pool with natural hot water and camping area (operated privately) is located here. Rainbow Lake - a private Recreational Vehicle Park and fishing area located south of Rexburg. Hunting - Hunting and trapping is allowed on most state and federal lands and on private property with permission, Typical game includes deer, antelope, elk, moose, bear, fox and mountain lion. Water areas provide hunting opportunities for upland game birds and waterfowl. School, Churches, Misc Miscellaneous activities offered on other public facilities include parachuting at the City/County airport. Hobby farming School playgrounds and churches Future Land Use Plan The Madison County Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Map is a graphic illustration of the community's desired future. This map shows what land uses the comm_r,ity would like to see in the County in the future, and where those land uses should take place. This map is a guide for County staff and officials as they are evaluating development proposals or revisions to County policy. This map differs from the County zoning map in two ways: 1. First, the land use designations on the Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Map may or may not match up with existing zoning classifications, they are simply describing the character and type of land use that is desired for a certain location in the County. There is not a Rural Cluster zoning classification, but is a land use designation as described in this plan. 2. Second, the Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Map does not legally entitle a landowner to develop their property in a certain way. Landowners may find that their property is identified as "Townsite Square" on the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map, but the County Zoning map identifies their land as zoned for Transitional Agriculture (TA). In this hypothetical case, the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map simply shows that the county would eventually like to see that area be developed in a way that is consistent with the character and manner of a Townsite, as described in this plan. A landowner may need to apply to the County for a zone change if they would like to develop their property with some commercial or residential use consistent with the "Townsite Square" description. This Comprehensive Land Use Map is intended to be a long term vision for land use within the County. Although Idaho State Law allows of updating of the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map every six months, it is not advisable to update the plan with this frequency. If prepared correctly, the plan should maintain its effectiveness as a guide for the County for many years. The Madison County Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Map has a number of key components worthy of elaboration and explanation. These key components are described below. Madison County - Draft 11116107 Land Use and wnsite Develooment Madison County is home to a number of historic townsites including Plano, Hibbard, Thornton, Salem, Archer, Burton, Lyman, Moody, Sunnydell, and Independence. These communities will serve as nodes for future neighborhood development within the county. It is the vision of this plan for these townsites to develop within the framework of their historic gridded plats. Utilizing the regular and predictable framework provided by the historic grids will prevent uncoordinated and sprawling development, and will preserve a sense of local community and connection. By completing development of the original townsite plans, new development will integrate appropriately into these communities and strengthen their historic form. Townsite development will provide opportunities for residents to dwell in a small town setting, while providing needed services, amenities, and public facilities in an effective way. Residential development within townsites will be primarily traditional scale single family homes. Neighborhood scale commercial development, as well as social and cultural facilities such as parks and churches will provided for in the center of each townsite. These "neighborhood squares" will provide for basic social and cultural needs and cater to local business. The scale and amount of development will be regulated to maintain the small community character and strengthen each townsite's unique sense of place. The clustering of new development around these existing townsites will generate positive efficiencies in the delivery of services and leverage existing infrastructure investments into increased tax revenues. Additionally, this pattern of cellular, nucleated, neighborhood development complements and mirrors the future development patterns outlined in the Rexburg Comprehensive Plan ensuring a coordinated approach to land use planning. Insert townsite illustrative plans Insert a description of each townsite. n Soace Prese One of the most common concerns cited by county residents during the master plan process was the preservation of open space. This open space consists of agricultural, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, county, city, and private land located throughout the County. The unique quality of life that Madison County residents enjoy is directly tied to the abundant open space and natural land in the county. Agriculture is a customary and traditional use in the County and represents the history and origins of the county. This land combined with other open space lands represent /n�]l Ll water quality, wildlife habitat, biological diversity, and a nomic_e and cultural C U li , mainstay in the County. Madison County is laced wit r demand stream corridors. These riparian areas provide for unique and irreplaceable habitats and recreational resources. Preservation of these waterways is a key element and objective of this land use plan. By encouraging development within existing areas of city impact and around designated townsites, meaningful and functional open space will be preserved. Integration of open space into new development is also a critical component of this plan. Focused development must include useable open space as a direct amenity to residents, employees and visitors. Examples of these types of spaces include neighborhood and pocket parks, greenways, trails, small plazas, squares, parkways etc. Centralized Commercial and Industrial Developmen The majority of commercial and industrial development within the County currently occurs within the Rexburg and Sugar City impact areas. Madison County is supportive of expansion of these economic sectors, and encourages new commercial and industrial development to be focused primarily within city impact areas. ........................................................................... Madison County - Draft 11116107 24 10) Land Use and Agriculture The county should work with Rexburg and Sugar City to create opportunities for new commercial development within these areas. This development will capture tourism and local retail spending. Freeway and highway corridors in Madison County should be protected from sprawling commercial and industrial strip development. Industrial development should occur in designated cluster areas. Industrial uses comprise one of the few land uses which is appropriately separated from others in most cases. By clustering industrial uses, efficiencies in transportation and infrastructure are created. Aesthetic quality will also be preserved as freeway and highway corridors and the views from them are protected from sprawling, linear development. Rural cluster resid Demand for rural residential development in Madison County has increased steadily in recent years. Rural residential should be developed on a limited basis and should be clustered in specifically defined areas. The clustered form of these developments should provide extensive preserved open space. This development form will meet consumer demand and maintain the rural character of the county while ensuring well planned and coordinated development. Agricultural preserve The preservation of agricultural land is a key component of Madison County's future. Across the county agricultural land is being converted to residential development. This developed land is nearly impossible to return to agricultural use. Despite the current economic concerns related to agricultural production, the value and importance of agricultural should increase over time as transportation costs increase and population grows and becomes more sensitive to issues of sustainability. Some new residential development but keen close to cities New residential development should occur in close proximity to the existing cities and should continue the historic pattern of development by extending and completing the original street grids of the cities. Land Use Classifications The Madison County Comprehensive Plan Map contains a number of land use designations Agriculture Agricultural lands used for grazing, crop farming and hobby farming and related uses are included in this category. These lands are intended to remain in their customary agricultural use for the foreseeable future. Agricultural land is a vital part of the outdoor space required to provide food, air, and water necessary for continued quality of life. Agriculture/Recreation The Agriculture/Recreation designation applies to lands of agricultural character of historical agricultural use that are now primarily used for recreation and cabin or ranch living. Agriculture/Recreation land is not intended to be subdivided for intense residential development, but may be developed as rural cluster residential. Open Space Single-family residential Madison County- Draft 11/16/07 10) Land Use and Agriculture Rural Cluster Neighborhood Center Commercial General Industrial Light Industrial Insert Future Land Use Map Insert discussion of Development Code and Zoning Map Madison County - Draft 11116107 11) Natural Resources and Hazardous Areas 7) Natural Resources and Hazardous Areas Vision Statement Excerpt Madison County is also rich is natural resources. The use and stewardship of these resources is of prime importance to the future of the quality of life in the county. Conversely, the county must work to mitigate the effects of natural hazards by developing and designing with nature and not in opposition to it. County residents also value the clean water and air that are hallmarks of their rural environment. Preserving these resources is a key concern for Madison County. Through recommendation of policies and procedures, this comprehensive plan will light the Fath to a future of sustainable growth and environmental stewardship. Goals and Objectives Goal 1: Protect the health, safety, and welfare of Madison County residents by directing growth away from hazardous areas and sensitive lands. Objective: Protect property and residents from natural hazares including: flooding and other flood events, seismic events, landslides, rockfall, or subsidence. Policy: Develop and adopt a sensitive lands overlay zone to regulate development in hazardous areas. Policy: Maximize retention of hazardous areas as open space by identifying these areas as open space in a Madison County Future Land Use plan. Objective: Policy Policy: ' Madison County - Draft 11/16/07 Protect sensitive lands (wetlands, riparian corridors, wildlife habitat, waterbodies and rivers, and other unique natural features) from the impacts of development. Employ appropriate land use regulatory tools and conservation programs to protect sensitive lands and critical open spaces. Develop and adopt a sensitive lands overlay zone to regulate development in sensitive lands. 12) Transportation 8) Transportation Vision Statement Excerpt With growth in population and economic activity comes increased demand for transportation infrastructure. The vision of the Madison County community is for a comprehensive transportation network serving the needs of all residents and visitors. Choices in transportation infrastructure investment have a substantial but often overlooked effect on urban form. Therefore, the choices made in regards to transportation must be evaluated by their effect upon the form of the county's built and natural environment. Madison County residents support development within or proximate to established cities and town centers. This paradigm reduces the cost of new development while leveraging greater value from the community's investment in existing infrastructure and reducing maintenance costs. It is extremely important to Madison County residents to provide for all modes of transportation including pedestrian, bicycle and feasible transit facilities. This plan will provide the framework for meeting the transportation demand with inducing greater demand and adversely affecting the cherished character of the community. Goals and Objectives Goal 1: Provide a coordinated, connected transportation network to accommodate the accessibility and mobility needs of all Madison County residents, visitors, and businesses. Objective: Create a county -wide transportation master plan that includes multiple transportation modes, and anticipates future transportation needs. Policy: Maintain a Madison County Transportation Master Plan Map detailing the location of current transportation infrastructure and planned future expansion. Policy: Work within the framework of the Comprehensive Plan and the Madison County Transportation Master Plan to guide locations of future roads, discouraging building sites that will interfere with the orderly development of the road system. Policy: Discourage inward facing subdivisions with few connections to surrounding developments, and require all new development to provide clear connection to existing and future transportation networks and neighborhoods. Objective: Maintain the "farm to market" viability of key county roadways. Policy: To provide reasonable but not unlimited access onto county roads, especially those considered arterial, collectors or "farm to market" roads. This may require frontage roads on some major county thoroughfares. Objective: Develop, comprehensive design standards for the construction and maintenance of transportation infrastructure. Policy: Adhere to the five year maintenance and capital improvements schedule for county roads. Policy: Require all new development to provide sufficient transportation means to serve that development, through subdivision and other ordinances. Policy: Require all weather surfacing of all of Madison County's streets through subdivision design requirements and other methods. Policy: Require standard turnarounds for emergency and county equipment at the ends of all roads. Madison County - Draft 11116107 Goal 2: Goal 3: Objective: Coordinate planned development of new transportation infrastructure. Policy: Ensure that right-of-way requirements are sufficient to meet not only current needs but future needs as well. If additional right-of-way is needed for an existing road, the County should use any available tools to obtain it, such as placing requirements as conditions of a building permit. Policy: Coordinate with the State Transportation Department and the cities of Sugar and Rexburg in planning, maintenance, and construction of transportation infrastructure. Objective: Provide an integrated system of sidewalks, bike lanes, and multi -use paths, Policy: Require new development to provide or demonstrate accommodations for pedestrians and bicycles and access to existing pedestrian/bicycle facilities. Objective: Work with school districts to ensure their transportation needs are taken into account in all County transportation planning decisions. Policy: Integrate safe walking and biking routes to schools into the Madison County Transportation Plan. Leverage investment in transportation infrastructure to generate and promote increased economic development. Objective: Consider the availability and type of transportation infrastructure in the land use decision making process. Policy: Locate land uses in areas where transportation infrastructure is tailored to the character of the land use, locate the right business in the right place. Encourage and facilitate non -vehicular transportation modes such as biking and walking. Objective: Policy: Objective: Minimize avoidable automobile travel by locating economic and public activity centers within walking distance of residents. Focus development of residential, commercial and public facilities within city impact and town center areas. Promote pedestrian friendly site design in economic and public activity centers. Madison County -Draft 11116107 13) Public Services, Facilities, and Utilities 9) Public Services, Facilities, and Utilities Vision Statement Excerpt Public utilities and related infrastructure must also be addressed to ensure a safe and prosperous future for Madison County. Among the most important utilities are culinary water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer. The community vision contemplates coordinated systems for the provision of these utilities. The community's vision of centralized, sustainable development creates opportunities for centralizing utility service and provides tremendous efficiencies in the construction and operation of these utilities. These utilities are essential to prevent resource contamination and depletion by private septic and well systems. The continuing development and maintenance of these systems is essential to the protection of the county's natural resources and quality of life. Goals and Objectives Goal 1: Promote efficient development and stewardship of domestic water resources. Objective: Consolidate wells and create distribution systems in other town center areas. Policy: ? Create a county water conservancy district to manage water distribution, rights and claims. Policy: Require development within Areas of City Impact to connect to municipal water systems. Goal 2: Promote coordinated development of wastewater treatment facilities. Objective: Reduce the number of existing septic systems, and minimize new construction of individual septic systems and associated environmental and water quality risks. Policy: Create a County -wide Local Improvement District to manage wastewater and coordinate development of new wastewater treatment facilities. Policy: Consolidate septic systems in town centers, wherever possible. Policy: Require development within Areas of City Impact to connect to municipal wastewater systems. Goal 3: Promote retention and natural infiltration of storm water in new and existing development. Objective: Decrease public burden of maintaining natural drainage facilities. Policy: Require all new development to provide on site storm water management. Policy: Develop and enforce standards for the ownership, maintenance, and landscaping of detention basins and storm water management systems within private developments. Objective: Support development of new storm water management technology. Policy: Implement a storm water utility fee based on amount of impervious surface contributing to off site storm water runoff for each existing developed parcel. Madison County -Draft 11116107 13) Public Services, Facilities, and Utilities Policy: Offer credits or total exemption from fees for property owners that implement strategies to reduce or eliminate off site storm water runoff. Goal 4: Maintain and increase the quality and level of service of existing County facilities for the community, and work to develop new community services and facilities. Objective: Develop a Madison County Facilities Master Plan to identify and plan for maintaining and improving public facilities such as the fairgrounds, airport, library, hospitals, and recreation facilities. Objective: Conduct a needs analysis to identify and prioritize needed improvements in community facilities. Insert LYRB's chapter Text Madison County - Draft 11/16/07 31 14) Parks, Recreation, and Open Space 10) Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Vision Statement Excerpt Recreational opportunities abound within Madison County. It is the vision of the community to preserve and expand recreation within the county. These recreational opportunities not only serve residents but provide an attraction to tourists and visitors. County residents support greater access to park areas through pedestrian and bicycle facilities and the distribution of parks and informal open space throughout developed areas. This vision also includes the need for a centralized recreation and community center that could provide new and increased recreational opportunities to Madison County residents and visitors. Goals and Objectives Goal 1: Provide and promote a wide array of quality recreational opportunities and facilities for Madison County residents and visitors while protecting the natural environment and agricultural uses. Objective: Minimize conflicts between agricultural activities and recreational uses. Policy: Educate county residents and visitors concerning private property rights and asking permission to enter. Objective: Maintain a Madison County Trails Plan outlining a network of multi -use trails connecting urban areas, rural areas, businesses, schools, parks, recreational areas, public lands, and the Teton River. Policy: Work with the Trails of Madison County committee to maintain and expand access to appropriate county roads and to new and established trails. Policy: Maintain and expand opportunities for non -motorized, recreational trails throughout the County, and specifically in the Green Canyon and Teton Lake Golf Course areas. Objective: Preserve and pursue additional public access opportunities to public waterways. Policy: Work with federal and state officials in defining areas for public access acquisition and development. Policy: Maintain a constant dialogue with public land management agencies to maintain and protect public access and use. Objective: Collaborate with the City of Rexburg and Sugar City on County -wide recreational facilities. Policy: Study partnerships opportunities with the cities of Rexburg and Sugar City for a joint community recreation facility. Objective: Maintain and enhance county facilities and parks. Policy: Develop a capital improvements plan to prioritize maintenance and improvement needs for parks, the county fairgrounds, and other community facilities. Policy: Work closely with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Idaho Parks and Recreation Department on development and funding of future county parks and recreation areas, and expansion of the Twin Bridges Park, specifically. Madison County - Draft 11/16/07 14) Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Goal 2: Preserve and protect natural open spaces Objective: Work with private landowners, public land managers, and other stakeholders to promote open space preservation and encourage responsible development of private land. Policy: Employ a variety of open space preservation tools such as conservation design, cluster development, transfer of development rights, purchase of development rights, bonding, and conservation easements. Policy: Identify areas important for preservation on a Madison County Future Land Use map. Policy. Develop ? crroL.riate zarh;g po!ide; to implement the county's open s. �: pi eservation goals, aed ensure future development is consistent %virlh and respectful of the area's natural &z.racteristics. Policy: Maintain the areas west and south of Beaver Dick Park as natural open space, including Menan Buttes. Madison County - Draft 11/16107 11) Housing Vision Statement Excerpt Few factors affect the livability of Madison County more than its housing stock. The community's vision for the future includes a diverse and high quality housing stock that meets the needs of the full range of county residents and contributes to the quality of the built environment. Of prime concern amid the current cycle of growth in the county is affordable housing. Madison County takes pride in being a family centered community, and affordable housing for all is vital to maintaining the county's focus on family. Additionally, the vision for the future includes housing for all cycles of life; enabling all ages and types of people to enjoy the opportunity of residing in Madison County. Goals and Objectives Goal 1: Preserve the current quality of life by maintaining an appropriate range cf housing options and choices. Objective: Maintain a reasonable range of housing types and affordability. Policy: Adopt County policy that allow for a variety of housing types including apartments, townhomes, and mother-in-law apartments in appropriate places to meet affordable and senior housing demands. Policy: Implement flexible land use regulations, through a planned unit development process, allowances for mixed-use and other zoning techniques to encourage a range of housing types and densities within a single development. Objective: Promote upgrading of and reinvestment in existing housing stock and Goal 2: Ensure proper integration of new residential development and a smooth transition between housing types. Objective: Implement design guidelines applicable to housing development within the areas of city impact and town centers. Madison County - Draft 11/16/07 neighborhoods. Policy: Employ a variety of funding tools and programs to jumpstart private reinvestment in existing neighborhoods. Objective: Encourage multi -family residential and higher density single-family development to occur within town centers and existing developed areas. Policy: Update zoning ordinances to guide higher intensity development to occur near existing developed areas. -e ' Objective: Ensure plans for new developments t ke service nd worker housing into consideration in their designs. Policy: Update zoning and subdivision ordinances to ensure accommodation for service and worker housings is included in development plans, specifically those located in somewhat isolated areas. Goal 2: Ensure proper integration of new residential development and a smooth transition between housing types. Objective: Implement design guidelines applicable to housing development within the areas of city impact and town centers. Madison County - Draft 11/16/07 Objective: Encourage creative development schemes for housing outside the areas Of city impact to preserve agricultural land. Policy: Discourage development of large independent residential areas outside of city impact zones. Insert LYRB's chapter Text Madison County-- Draft 11116107 16) Special Areas or Sites 12) Special Areas or Sites Vision Statement Excerpt Madison County is home to a number of special areas and sites. These places are special for a number of reasons ranging from historical importance and community identity to religious or spiritual significance. These sites are unique elements of Madison County and serve to provide a special identity for the community. Often special areas and sites are community touchstones that bring residents together to celebrate their unique community identity. The protection, preservation and interpretation of these areas and sites is a key component in protecting the quality of life for all citizens of Madison County and providing a heritage of strong community identity to future generations. Goals and Objectives Goal 1: Protect special areas or sites with cultural, historical, or local significance for the enjoyment of future generations. Objective: Ensure future development does not negatively impact special areas and sites. Policy: Update existing County policy to specifically call out the avoidance and protection of areas special interest in development projects. Policy: Research the possibility of nominating new sites to the National Historic Register. Objective: Minimize loss to areas of special interest when impacts are unavoidable. Policy: Maintain a record of special sites and areas for future generations. Policy: Consider the development of a marker or plaque program to commemorate special sites that may have been lost. Policy: Mitigate losses through educational interpretation, or relocation if possible. Madison County- Draft 11/16/07 17) Community Design 13) Community Design \Vision statement Excerpt Goals and Objectives Goal 1: Maintain and promote Madison County as a high quality and aesthetically pleasing place to live, work, and visit. Objective: Develop and implement County design standards for high quality development and maintenance of public and private property. Policy: Develop and adopt design standards for signage, landscaping, Policy: and commercial and residential development. Develop a code enforcement to program be run by County staff to enforce compliance with county codes on individual properties. Objective: Encourage beautification projects and practices throughout the County. Policy: Develop and capital improvements program to identify and prioritize county beautification projects. Policy: Develop standards for residential and commercial development to ensure projects are of high quality and reflect the vision of the Madison County community. Policy: Explore opportunities for grants or other funding sources for community beautification projects. What Makes Madison County Special Why Community Design Madison County Community Design Guidelines Commercial • Setbacks Height • Massing and scale • Streetscape • Pedestrian amenities • Landscaping gyral Residential • Setbacks • Height • Massing and scale • Streetscape Madison County- Draft 11/16/07 17) Community Design • • Pedestrian amenities • Landscaping • Open space preservation Townsites • Setbacks • Height • Massing and scale • Streetscape • Pedestrian amenities • Landscaping • Village square Agricultural • Setbacks • Height • Massing and scale • Streetscape • Landscaping • Open space preservation Agriculture Recreation • Setbacks • Height • Massing and scale • Landscaping • Open space preservation • Resort facilities Madison County - Draft 11/16/07 14) Impact Areas Introduction Idaho state Code citation and summary - Idaho Code §67-6526 Inter -jurisdictional agreement, ordinance citation Ordinance citation on agreement on how to zone and enforce land use. regulations Definition An unincorporated area bordering a municipality, governed under coordinated standards, mutually agreed upon by all affected local governments, to: 1) Protect the health, safety, and welfare of Madison County resident;• 2) Ensure protection for municipalities and landowners against adacent incompatible development; , 3) Plan for orderly and consistent development where annexatiol-: is an, 4) Guide the efficient and prudent expenditure of local governmental resources; 5) Organize and manage growth; and 6) Minimize undue environmental degradation and loss of open space. Area of City Impact boundaries can accommodate changes in growth patterns and growth rates, natural and environmental constraints and concerns, and community interests. Impact Areas Rex unq Imoa t Area Sugar City Impact Area TetonTetonI�� Newdale Imoa t Area Impact Area Delineation Guidelines The following guidelines are intended to aid the Governing Boards and Joint Commission in definition and delineation of area of city impact boundaries. A) In defining an area of city impact, the following factors shall be considered: a. Trade area, defined as the region from which a city can expect the primary demand for a specific product or service, and which may cross County boundary lines; b. Geographic factors; and Madison County- Draft 11/16/07 Area c. Areas that can reasonably be expected to be annexed into the municipality within a range of ten to fifteen years or less, and where the city is prepared to provide and maintain infrastructure. B) Whenever reasonable, area of city impact boundary lines, at the discretion and negotiation of the affected governing bodies, should follow one or some combination of the following boundaries: a. Natural and geographic boundaries (i.e. waterways, heavily wooded areas, geologic features); b. Man-made boundaries (i.e. road, utility, train rights-of-way, survey section lines, private parcel lines); and c. Other similar clearly defined boundaries. C) Pursuant to Idaho Code §67-6526, area of city impact boundaries shall remain fixed until all affected governing bodies agree to renegotiate. D) Expansion or realignment of an area of city impact may be considered under the following scenarios: a. Limited developable space within existing area of city impact and boundary including lands within the existing city boundaries. Limited developable space is defined as: i) Lands within the boundaries are at least 70% built out. Lands within the boundaries are not sufficient to accommodate a maximum of 20 years of projected growth based on current zoning. Population projections, data on average household size, and zoning densities should be used to determine expected geographic demand for new development. b. Regularly scheduled comprehensive plan update. Pursuant to Idaho Code, §67-6509, the land use map component of a comprehensive plan may be updated every six months. c. Regularly scheduled boundary update. The local governments of Madison County have agreed to review areas of city impact boundaries every three years. Impact Area Renegotiation Guidelines Adhering to the standards and guidelines in section 1.3 of this ordinance, the local governments of Madison County agree to the following process for expansion or realignment of areas of city impact: 1) Establishment of a Joint Commission, comprised of representatives of all affected Planning and Zoning Commissions (Madison County, Rexburg, Sugar City, Teton, and Newdale), for purposes of reviewing proposed impact area expansions or realignments. 2) Identification of a proposed expansion or realignment of an area of city impact by a municipality or county, or regularly scheduled review. 3) Submission of questions by the Governing Boards to the Joint Commission for recommendation. 4) Review of Governing Boards' questions by the Joint Commission. 5) Noticing and public hearing before the Joint Commission. 6) Recommendation by the Joint Commission to the Governing Boards on proposed area of city impact renegotiation. 7) Noticing and public hearing before the Governing Boards. 8) Adoption of ordinances by the Governing Boards on adjusting the area of city impact boundaries. Madison County - Draft 11/16/07 9) Adoption of Comprehensive Plan, and Zoning Ordinance updates as necessary, by all affected Governing Boards Annexation Procedures Adhering to the standards and guidelines in sections 1.3 and 1.4 of this ordinance, the local governments of Madison County agree to the following process for expansion or realignment of areas of city impact. 1) The local governments of Madison County agree to follow the requirements and procedures for annexation recorded in Idaho Code §50-222, §67-6525, and F_:r7-6526. 2) Idaho Code §67-6526, states that, " Subject to the provisions of §50-222, an Area of City Impact must be established before a city may annex adjacent territory." All affected municipalities shall limit their annexation to those lands within their areas of city impact. If a municip,)lity wishes to ansa: lands outside of its area of city impact, it shall renegotiate its area of city impact boundary with Madison County in accordance with Idaho Code §67-6526(d) and the procedures outlined in this agreement, unless renegotiation is not required pursuant to Idaho Code §50-222, Annexation by Cities, Category A. [Renegotiation is not required by the state for Category A annexations, should we make renegotiation a self-imposed requirement of this inter -jurisdictional agreement?] Madison County- Draft 11/16/07 19) implementation is) Implementation Implementation Tools Zoning Ordinance and Map Subdivision Ordinance Transfer of Development Rights Conservation Easements Madison County - Draft 11/16/07 notes NOTES: Madison County- Draft 11/16/x7 I ,