HomeMy WebLinkAboutWanless Southwick - PermittedUseTable Input 10-17-2023 (23-00622) Permitted Uses — Development Code Amendment
This proposed amendment to Rexburg's development code wants to consolidate all the permitted use
tables from the various zones by combining them into one huge table showing all zones and all
permitted uses.
This is a bad and dangerous idea, because:
1. It is difficult to condense fine details and nuances of meanings into a rigid, comprehensive table
format.
2. Putting permitted uses into a giant table emphasizes rigidity and the heavy hand of government
control over its citizens.
3. City staff may use the huge table as a crutch to give "black and white" interpretations of what
citizens are allowed to do on their own property.
4. This giant combined table (a spreadsheet with over 15,000 cells) is more difficult to understand
than the current permitted use tables for each zone.
5. Necessary abbreviations used in the table are not plainly defined.
6. It is dangerous because transcription errors are easy to make in such a complicated table.
7. It is easy to perpetuate mistakes, especially when broad changes are made to the development
code,for example:
a. This proposed table contains obsolete information.
b. Recent changes to the development code are not included in this proposed table.
Such a giant table may be useful as an administrative tool and as an index to permitted uses, but it is
confusing for the public and should NOT be made part of the official code of regulations.
10/17/2023—jws