HomeMy WebLinkAboutRexburg City Center District Strategic Vision and Development Blueprint 2050 12182019REXBURG CITY CENTER DISTRICT
STRATEGIC VISION & DEVELOPMENT BLUEPRINT 2050
ADOPTED DECEMBER 18, 2019
2 | City Center Vision
CITY CENTER REXBURG DISTRICT
STRATEGIC VISION & DEVELOPMENT
BLUEPRINT 2050
Elected & Appointed Officials
Mayor: Jerry MerrillRexburg City CouncilRexburg Planning & Zoning CommissionCity of Rexburg City Center Steering Committee
City StaffEconomic Development Director: Scott JohnsonEconomic Developer: Daniel TorresCity Planner: Alan ParkinsonPlanning Technion: William Klaver
Special thanks to Craig Rindlisbacher & Val Christenson
City Center Vision | 3
Residents of Rexburg have chosen to live here because they enjoy the current quality of life. The preservation of their quality of
life is of the utmost importance to residents and business owners. The City of Rexburg is a community that respects its history.
Rexburg views itself as a city where residents, tourists, businesses, and government come together to create an attractive,
safe, and well-maintained community where people can live, learn, work, and recreate.
The City Center Vision recognizes these desires, and acknowledges the following relationships between these residents,
employers and employee aspirations:
1. Community wants businesses,
2. Businesses want talent,
3. Talent wants place,
So... Community needs Place.
Therefore, this community needs to build great places, in Rexburg the City Center is that Place.
This City Center Vision Document provides a strategy for building on existing strengths while promoting growth. This document
defines the vision and goals collected from past planning efforts, as well as input from residents, elected leaders, and city
staff; it outlines proposed strategies identified herein to realize the Vision. This City Center Vision is based on an overarching
statement of the community’s values and is consistent with community-formulated City Center goals.
This Vision Document does not seek to limit or bind future planning efforts to the enumerated Strategies listed herein, rather, it
is anticipated that the City Center Vision Strategies will serve as guide posts for the City Center Vision, and that where needed,
pivots in strategies should occur.
The City Center Vision describes the results of several public outreach efforts including the 2004 Downtown Rexburg
Revitalization Blueprint, the 2008 Vision 2020 Comprehensive Plan and the ongoing 2013-2014 Envision Madison process.
The purpose of the City Center Vision is to provide a community development framework for preserving and protecting the
character of downtown, while allowing for appropriate new development which will preserve and enhance the City Center for
future residents.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
4 | City Center Vision
CONTENTS
CITY CENTER VISION STATEMENT........ 7
CITY CENTER VISION STRATEGIES...... 8
PAST PLANNING EFFORTS................... 10
HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT
OF REXBURG’S CITY
CENTER.................................................. 12
COMMUNITY CHALLENGES................. 14
CITY CENTER VISION STRATEGIES...... 18
CITY CENTER PRIORITIES AND
PLANNING AREAS.................................. 24
City Center Vision | 5
Main Street, Rexburg
6 | City Center Vision
City Center Vision | 7
Downtowns are iconic and powerful
symbols of a city and often contain
the most iconic landmarks, distinctive
features, and unique neighborhoods.
In Rexburg the Downtown, or The
City Center, is one of the oldest
neighborhoods in the city, it offers rare
insights into the city’s past, present
and future. The City Center area
has an important and unique role in
economic and social development. The
City Center creates a critical mass of
activities where commercial, cultural,
and civic activities are concentrated.
In addition, most downtowns serve
as the engine for local economies.
However, downtowns are much more
than a profit center to cities. They also
represent the image and character of a
city to the rest of the world. Downtowns
are unique in that they are typically the
only neighborhood that belongs to, and
is shared by, everyone in the region.
CITY CENTER VISION STATEMENT
“Rexburg’s City Center will be the
community and regional hub for
economic growth and prosperity.
Strengthening commercial,
entertainment, cultural and public
assets creates a livable and
prosperous City Center.”
The goal of the City Center Vision is to
make Rexburg’s City Center a Regional
Economic Hub. In order to realize this,
the City Center Vision seeks to:
• Ensure a Diversity of Economic
Activities
• Encourage Living in the City
Center
• Build and Enhance Public Uses
and Spaces
• Build Effective Pedestrian
Connections
• Activate the Street with Building
Forms
These goals seek to realize residents
desires of attracting high quality jobs,
by creating a vibrant City Center that
contains the diversity of activities that
will make it a compelling place to work,
live, and enjoy.
CITY CENTER VISION STATEMENT
8 | City Center Vision
The City Center Vision Strategies
provide a framework for the
recommendations, objectives and
policies which will ensure the success
of the City Center Vision. These City
Center Vision Strategies and Goals are
outlined below; for detailed exposition
of the City Center Vision Strategies refer
to the individual City Center Strategies
sections.
1. City Center should be an
Attractive and Walkable Place
Goal: People should want to be in the City Center. City Center should encourage this by being an attractive, walkable destination. A City Center with pedestrians can create a safe and interesting space.
2. Diversify Economic Uses
Goal: City Center should have a diverse economic base with a mix of housing, retail, office space, dining and entertainment, all complementing each other and maximizing use of the City Center.
3. Encourage Business
Goal: City Center should be a place where small businesses and the “creative class” thrives through the clustering of supporting activities.
4. Promote an Attainable City
Center
Goal: City Center should allow for a mix of business and housing options.
5. Improving Government
Regulations and Processes
Goal: Simplify zoning and building regulations in the City Center to ensure the types of development that the City Center Vision seeks, and to make it easier for developers to understand and build. Regulatory processes should be streamlined and simplified.
6. Financing Key Projects
Goal: The City should be open to working with developers and businesses in applying for and securing funding for projects which support the City Center Vision, and by working with state, county and local government organizations to secure economic development funds.
7. Establishing On-Going Place
Management
Goal: Ensure the continued leadership and promotion of the Downtown through a City Center Association.
CITY CENTER VISION STRATEGIES
City Center Vision | 9
City Center Community Workshop 2019
Envision Madison Community Workshop 2013Envision Madison Community Workshop 2013Envision Madison Community Workshop 2013
10 | City Center Vision
This Plan has followed the work of
previous plans, studies and documents;
as well as public involvement in the
form of workshops, surveys, mapping
activities and more. These past efforts
span a time period of 2000 to 2018. The
principle plans or processes are:
• Downtown Rexburg Revitalization
Blueprint (2004)
• Vision 2020 Comprehensive Plan
(2008)
• Rexburg Broadband Study (2013)
• Teton Regional Plan (2013 - 2015)
• Envision Madison (2013 - 2014,
and ongoing efforts)
• Madison Transportation Master
Plan (2015)
• Parks and Trails Plans (2018)
• Madison Economic Partners’
Entrepreneurial Eco-System (2018)
Below are summaries of the documents
and their goals, objectives and policies:
Downtown Rexburg Revitalization
Blueprint
The 2004 Downtown Rexburg
Revitalization Blueprint was created
through a community-based planning
process. The Blueprint centered around
five key strategies. These key strategies
envisioned public private partnerships
to realize effective results. These five
strategies are listed below:
• Business Development
• Physical Improvements
• Organization and Teamwork
• Targeted Marketing
• Resource Development
Vision 2020 Comprehensive Plan
The Vision 2020 Comprehensive Plan is
the currently adopted comprehensive
plan for the City of Rexburg. The
comprehensive plan is the official
statement of the city’s legislative body
(the city council) and sets forth its major
land use policies
The 2020 Comprehensive Plan
distinguishes Main Street and the
downtown area as “a destination
and civic and cultural heart of the
community.” The Comprehensive Plan
identifies the following objective:
Objective: Promote and enhance Main
Street and the downtown [sic] as a
destination [as] the civic and cultural
heart of the community.
The Rexburg Broadband Study
The Broadband Study was a 2013
initiative that assessed existing
broadband Internet infrastructure in
Rexburg and surrounding counties
(Madison, Fremont, Teton Counties,
Idaho; and Teton County, Wyoming).
The Study also compared national
trends in broadband infrastructure and
needs.
The following trends were identified:
1. Globalization and Education:
Today’s infrastructure must be
ready to prepare today’s children for
tomorrow’s jobs.
2. The Cloud: Businesses and
consumers increasingly require
applications and services that reside
in the cloud. Infrastructure needs to
be robust enough to satisfy current
and future demand.
3. Connectivity: In a world where an
expected three billion people will
be online and with two networked
devices per capita, new possibilities
for productivity, innovation, and the
flow of information will arise if the
data can be managed and made
understandable.
The Teton View Regional Plan
The Teton View Regional Plan for
Sustainable Development was regional
plan sponsored by the Federal
Department of Housing and Urban
Development. This plan’s study area
included Madison, Fremont and
Teton Counties, Idaho, as well as
Teton County, Wyoming. The Plan
was designed to help city and county
officials better coordinate their land-use
planning, resource management, and
community development efforts. The
Plan produced 20 additional supportive
studies that plotted a realistic path
towards economic and community
sustainability.
PAST PLANNING EFFORTS
City Center Vision | 11
Envision Madison
Envision Madison was a two-year
community planning effort that sought
resident and elected leader’s input on
how they wanted Madison County to
develop over the next 30 years. The
goal of Envision Madison was to bring
the community together in a process
that will help shape future growth.
A principle concern was for the health
and vitality of the Downtown [sic].
The following Community Principles
(pertaining specifically to the City
Center) were identified from the Envision
Madison Process:
• A Caring and Safe Community
• Prosperous Community and
Jobs
• Affordable, Convenient, and
Safe Communities
In addition, Envision Madison
recommended that community leaders
focus planning efforts to concentrate
high density growth around the
City Center and the Brigham Young
University-Idaho campus. This will take
advantage of existing infrastructure
and reduce the costs associated with
sprawl.
Madison County/City of Rexburg/
Sugar City Transportation Master
Plan
The Madison County Transportation
Master Plan was a joint effort between
the cities of Rexburg and Sugar
City, Madison County and the Idaho
Transportation Department (District 6) to
create a comprehensive transportation
plan for Madison County.
Three planning years were evaluated;
2020, 2030, and 2040. The Plan found
that growth will significantly influence
the roadway network and, if increases
in capacity were not to be undertaken,
it will result in unacceptable congestion
in the area. Several projects were
identified which range from signal timing
projects to interchange reconstructions.
The following improvements to
transportation routes within the City
Center were recommended by the
Transportation Plan to keep up with
anticipated growth:
1. Safety Study on 2nd East from
7th South to Main Street
2. Safety Study on 2nd East from
Main Street to 7th North
3. Main Street Safety Study (US 20
to 2nd E)
4. Intersection Improvements,
Main Street and 2nd West
5. Intersection Improvements,
Main Street and 2nd East
6. Reconfigure 2nd South/2nd
West Intersection
7. Widen 2nd East from 7th South
to Main Street
It is anticipated that these
improvements should be completed by
2040.
Rexburg Parks and Trails Plans
The Trails Plan recommends that
planning polices be strengthened to
include: multimodal transportation
studies which would include bike and
pedestrian alternatives to vehicular
transportation; encouraging developers
to meaningfully set aside land for
bicycle and pedestrian connections;
ensuring that these connections
meaningfully connect to each other, the
greater trail network, and to commercial
centers and the to the City Center.
In addition, the following trail
connections were identified which
would connect the City Center to the
Rexburg Trail Network:
1. 2nd East Trail
2. Main Street Historic Trail
3. 2nd West Trail
4. 2nd South Trail
Entrepreneurial Eco-System Plan
The City of Rexburg and Madison
Economic Partners have developed a
plan to ensure the continued economic
vitality of Rexburg by laying the
foundations for an Entrepreneurial
Eco-System, focused on programs and
facilities in the City Center.
The Plan recommends a strong
entrepreneurial community, with
numerous threads woven together,
supporting entrepreneurship,
including: public policy, people,
financing, technology, customers,
and transportation. The Plan identifies
the following characteristic as critical
to the success of an entrepreneurial
community:
1. An enabling culture
2. Supportive infrastructure
3. Supportive Networks
4. An entrepreneur-friendly
government
Within the City Center, the Plan
recommends the establishment of
Co-Working space, an Incubation and
Business Accelerator, a STEM Center,
and a FAB Lab.
12 | City Center Vision
The City’s history started in 1883 when
a group of pioneers settled along the
Teton River. They were sent by leaders
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints in Salt Lake City, to establish
a center of commerce for the region. In
February 1883, they began cutting logs
for building of the community.
Rexburg’s City Center soon became the
center of commerce. Entrepreneurial
activity commenced that first year,
when Thomas E. Ricks began the first
mercantile store, located just across
the street from where the County
Courthouse now stands. The following
year, the Thomas E. Ricks and Company
Flour Mill began operations. The Flamm
family founded a commercial enterprise
known for its innovative and lenient
credit policy which helped spur growth.
The new community quickly attracted
men and women eager to bring industry
and civilization to Upper Valley. By the
time Idaho entered the Union as the
43rd state in 1890, Rexburg was the
second largest city in the state. Today,
Rexburg still serves as the center of
commerce and business services for
surrounding communities.
Education
Education has been a priority for
Rexburg since it’s foundation. In 1888,
just five years after Rexburg was settled,
community leaders laid the foundation
for the Ricks Academy. Over the last
130 years, this establishment has
grown from a high school, to a two-
year college, and in 2001, a four-year
university. Today, BYU-Idaho is the
largest institution of higher learning in
Idaho (in terms of enrollment).
An average of more than 20,000
students a semester attend Brigham
Young University-Idaho, whose campus
is adjacent to the City Center. Many of
these students fill apartments located
in and near the City Center. These
students have the potential to frequent
downtown restaurants, shop in local
retail establishments, and work in City
Center offices.
Additionally, BYU-Idaho is the largest
employer in Rexburg, with over 1,500
full-time employees working adjacent to
the City Center.
The City Center in 2018
Rexburg’s City Center encompasses
over 160 acres (approximately 12
city blocks): from 1st North to 2nd
South, and from 2nd East to 2nd West.
Within this area are numerous public,
civic, educational, business and retail
facilities.
Rexburg’s City Center is part of the
original town site of the City of Rexburg,
and as such, is laid out in a traditional
grid, with streets running north to south
and east to west. City Center blocks are
divided into 10-acres, 660 feet by 660
feet. Most road right of ways are 100’
wide.
In a fully developed downtown, these
160 acres should comprise the densest
concentration of housing, retail and
office space within the city. In addition,
these properties should be contributing
a large proportion of the taxable land
within the city.
Employment
Rexburg’s City Center has the highest
concentration of jobs (outside the
Brigham Young University- Idaho
campus), and one of the densest
population concentrations (the others
being the greater Pedestrian Emphasis
Area and the Pioneer Road corridor).
The following table shows key economic
metrics for the City Center.
There are over 3,460 jobs located in
Rexburg’s City Center. In addition,
over 3,800 BYU-Idaho students reside
in the City Center, and over 400 year-
round residents reside in single family
homes or apartments. The development
of Hemming Village has featured a
combination of single student dormitory
housing as well as community housing
apartments as part of their larger
mixed-use development. This is a trend
that the City Center Vision seeks to
encourage.
City Center includes over 370,000
square feet of office space, with an
occupancy of over 90%. Rexburg is
experiencing an increase in demand
from businesses seeking to locate in
the City Center. With an occupancy of
over 90%, and few large square footage
buildings, this demand has been hard to
satisfy.
Living and Working
The City Center has over 40
restaurants and entertainment/cultural
establishments. These include sit
down and fast food restaurants; a
performance theater, civic center as well
as a full feature movie theater.
The City Center’s demographic profile
is skewed toward university student
housing. Brigham Young University-
Idaho’s unique 3-track system adds
challenges and opportunities to the City
Center. Having three student tracks
within a calendar year means that
student apartments maintain a near
constant occupancy throughout the
year.
HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF
REXBURG’S CITY CENTER
City Center Vision | 13
While a majority of the housing in the
City Center is single-student dormitory
housing, the growth of BYU-Idaho
has also driven the demand for non-
dormitory housing for married BYU-
Idaho students, their spouses and
families. The demand for married BYU-
Idaho student housing can be met by
traditional community housing.
CITY CENTER REXBURG KEY METRICS
Total Wage & Salary
Jobs*
3,460
Total Office Space
(Square Feet)
378,002
Eating Establishments**37
Retail Establishments 88
Cultural Establishments 6
Day Time Population 4,268
PEOPLE IN THE CITY CENTER
College Students 3,841
Residents 427
Elementary Students 320
Downtown Employment 3,460
Total Daytime Population 7,728
Total Nighttime
Population
4,268
* On the Map, US Census Bureau
College Avenue, City Center Rexburg
College Avenue, City Center Rexburg
Mains Street, City Center Rexburg
14 | City Center Vision
Rexburg’s City Center is an iconic
and powerful symbol for the City and
contains its most iconic landmarks:
Cultural and Civic Centers (Madison
Library, the Romance Theater
and Historic Rexburg Tabernacle),
government offices and services, and
commercial center. The City Center
contains the oldest neighborhoods
and offers insights into Rexburg’s past,
present and future. As the City Center
has such an important and unique role
in economic and social development,
special care needs to be taken to
ensure that the City Center creates
a critical mass of activities where
commercial, cultural, and civic activities
can be concentrated. However, there
are several challenges that have been
identified which stand in the way of
the City Center developing to its full
potential.
Taxes
Studies have found that a typical square
mile of downtown property should
generate more than twice the county
and city taxes as an average square
mile in the city as a whole and more
than three times the county tax revenue
when compared to the same amount of
land outside the downtown. However, in
Rexburg’s City Center over 20% of the
available area in the City Center is non-
taxable land, as the table shows.
The average assessed value of taxable
land in the City Center is $186,573,753,
with an average per-acre assessed
value of $1,479,722. If the 34 acres
of non-taxed land is developed and
taxable, an additional $51,267,940
(assuming a $1.4 million average value/
acre) in assessed value would be
added.
According to the Madison County
Assessor’s Office the levy rate for 2018
in Madison
County is
1.67%. This
levy collects
over $3.9 million
from the City
Center. Madison
County collects
43.5% of this
tax revenue;
Madison School
District, 27%;
the City of
Rexburg, 24.8%; the Madison Library
District, 4.4%; and the Cemetery
District, 0.3%. The table shows current
tax revenue for these entities from the
City Center.
The table to the right indicates that
an additional $854,818 in tax revenue
would be available help cover the costs
of improvements in the downtown if
these 34 acres were redeveloped and
taxable. The table shows the potential
increase and combined total for each of
the taxing entities in Madison County.
It is unlikely that all currently tax-exempt
properties within the City Center would
be privatized, however, this Vision
recommends that serious consideration
be given to proposals which would
consolidate uses, or partner with the
private sector to develop underutilized
parcels. For a more detailed explanation
for redevelopment and privatization
of publicly held properties in the
City Center, refer to the City Center
Strategies Document.
Parking
Many City Center Rexburg business
owners have expressed concern about
a perceived shortage of parking. This
impression comes from customer
feedback and employee complaints.
The problem, however, is not the actual
COMMUNITY CHALLENGES
quantity of spaces. It is the location,
convenience, design, perceived safety
and other characteristics of the parking
inventory which causes this concern.
There are several factors driving
the increased demand for easily
accessible parking: the move from
traditional short-term retail uses, the
increase of professional offices, and
the development of housing in the City
Center.
Parking is a critical component in the
success of any downtown. Currently,
there are over seven thousand parking
spaces in the City Center district. 66%
of those spaces are in privately owned
lots. The remaining spaces are divided
between on street parking and publicly
owned lots, representing 60% on street
spaces and 40% in publicly owned
lots. In the City Center, 27% of land is
devoted to parking.
Parking demand is determined by use.
In Rexburg, for example, most retail
requires about 2 parking units per
thousand square feet. Similarly, general
office space demands about 2.2 units
per thousand square feet. As the use
of City Center space has changed
these factors have combined to affect a
general parking shortage in areas based
on these new uses.
City Center Vision | 15
TAXABLE & NON-TAXABLE PROPERTIES IN THE CITY CENTER
Total Acres in the City
Center
160.73
Total Tax-Exempt Acres in
the City Center
34.65
Total Taxable Acres in the
City Center
126.11
Percent of City Center
Acres that are Tax-Exempt
22%
POTENTIAL ASSESSED VALUE OF CITY
CENTER (IF DEVELOPED FULLY)
Total Assessed Valuation of
Currently Taxable Acres in
the City Center
$186,573,753
Average Assessed Value/
Acre
$1,479,722
Potential Value of Tax-
Exempt Land in the City
Center
$51,267,940
Potential Assessed Value
of all Land in City Center
$237,841,693
CITY CENTER PARKING INVENTORY
Lot Ownership Number of
Lots
Total Number of
Parking Spaces
Private Parking 133 5,700
On Street Parking N/A 808
Public 14 643
Total 7,151
Rexburg’s City Center was part of the
original Rexburg Townsite and was the
center of commerce. As a traditional
city center, City Center design centered
around retail, with short-term on street
parking being sufficient for most retail
activities. However, the traditional retail
focus of the downtown has changed
with the addition of office space and
residential apartments.
In addition to parking shortages, City
Center has a problem with the quality
of its parking. An evaluation of parking
conditions around City Center found
substantial deficiencies and need for
improvement. The kinds of problems
found were:
• No directional signage to public
parking lots
• Hard to see parking signage on
both public and private lots
• Poor lighting in many lots and on
side streets
• Dilapidated building exteriors
adjacent to public and private
lots, making many lots feel unsafe
• Generally poor rear entries
to buildings from lots along
alleyways.
This situation reduces customer and
employee inclination (or ability) to use
otherwise ample public and private lots.
Six and a half blocks of City Center
are part of the Pedestrian Emphasis
District (PED). The PED was created
to incentivize infill and redevelopment
in parcels adjacent to the BYU-Idaho
campus. Apartment complexes within in
the PED can apply for a reduction in on-
site parking; for single student dormitory
housing, to 60%, and for community
housing, down to 1.5 spaces per unit.
Several apartment complexes built in
the last half decade have sought to
address parking shortages by building
private parking structures as part of
their housing projects.
Downtown Parking Total Number of Parking
Spaces
Private Parking Lots On Street Parking Public Parking Lots
16 | City Center Vision
Today, City Center parking is not
managed as a comprehensive whole,
and in its current design it does not
meet future needs.
Community Understanding
The past decade and a half have seen
at least five major community outreach
projects, ranging from the Downtown
Blueprint to Envision Madison, yet
despite these public efforts, the
community has not arrived at a
workable strategy.
During the spring of 2004, the City
of Rexburg and the Rexburg Urban
Renewal Agency hired a consulting firm
to evaluate the City Center’s strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats
(SWOT). Excerpts from that report
show that the community placed high
importance on developing the City
Center:
“I find Downtown [sic] Rexburg’s
strengths exceed its weaknesses;
its opportunities exceed its threats.
Timing is ideal to pursue strategic
revitalization.”
“… All over the U.S., downtowns [sic]
are seeing a remarkable renaissance.
This is greatly influenced by consumers’
inclination to return to downtowns for
their goods and service needs. Just
as important, people are rediscovering
‘community.”
“In Rexburg’s new era, highlighted by its
motto of ‘America’s Family Community,’
the timing couldn’t be better to restore
vitality to the city center. It could
become the heart of a town with an
extraordinary spirit, a great physical
place, and substantial markets.”
“To restore this vitality, the community,
guided by its civic leaders, needs a
viable and clear vision, a blueprint for
attaining it and a real commitment to
sustained action. I believe all of these
are possible. The time for Rexburg’s
renaissance is now.”
Though these comments are contained
in a 2004 study, they are representative
of the public’s perception of the City
Center, and of City leader’s efforts today.
In addition, many of the objectives of
that 2004 Downtown Blueprint have been
accomplished.
Building on these past efforts, the next
iteration of planning for the City Center,
this City Center Vision, seeks to engage
to a wider advocacy group in order to
ensure its success.
Regressive Municipal Codes and
Policies
Current City of Rexburg planning and
development codes are incompatible
with the type of development that
residents, city leaders and staff have
identified as critical for the City Center’s
continued vitality.
The adopted Rexburg Development
Code reflects a cookie cutter approach
to code development; with portions of
the Code cut and pasted from other
municipal codes, which do not reflect
the vision or objectives of Rexburg’s
community development plan.
Further, in many cases the Development
Code and Planning Documents have
been found to prohibit the types of
development advocated by this City
Center Vision.
City Center Vision | 17
18 | City Center Vision
Planning Context
This Vision Document does not seek
to limit or bind future planning efforts
to the enumerated Strategies listed
herein, rather, it is anticipated that the
City Center Vision Strategies will serve
as guide posts for the City Center
Vision, and that where needed, pivots in
strategies should occur.
The execution of the Vision Statement,
its goals and objectives is reliant on a
comprehensive community development
plan, this framework includes: land use,
transportation, and infrastructure. The
following City Center Vision Strategies
seek to address these components
in order to realize the potential for the
development of private and public
properties within the City Center.
This framework contains the
community’s vision for what the City
Center should look like as proposals are
implemented.
CITY CENTER VISION 2040
“Rexburg’s City Center will be the
community and regional hub for
economic growth and prosperity.
Strengthening commercial,
entertainment, cultural and public
assets creates a livable and
prosperous City Center.”
The following City Center Vision
Strategies are the result of public and
city input reflected in analysis and
concept development. It is important
to understand that this plan is visionary
and is intended to occur over the next
10 years or more. Redevelopment
strategies outlined herein are dependent
on a willingness of all parties to
cooperate in pursuing a common vision.
The City Center Vision and Strategies
will enable the City Center to develop in
a predictable way for both the developer
and the Community. The City Center
Vision encourages a higher intensity
of use. This means that structures in
the City Center should, in general, be:
denser, higher, and allow for a greater
concentration of people and activities.
The City Center should:
• Be an Accessible, Attractive,
and a Walkable Place;
• Have a diversity of economic
uses;
• Promote entrepreneurism;
• Create an attainable
environment;
• Have simplified government
regulations and processes;
• Identify effective financing of
key projects;
• Have an on-going place
management organization.
These City Center Vision Strategies are
outlined below; for detailed exposition
of the City Center Vision Strategies refer
to the individual City Center Strategies
sections.
1. City Center should be an
Attractive and Walkable Place
Goal: People should want to be in the City Center. City Center should encourage this by being an attractive, walkable destination. A City Center with pedestrians can create a safe and interesting space.
Objective 1.1 The City Center
should be clean and safe
Action 1: The City should develop
a standard level of service for
cleaning in the City Center. This
CITY CENTER VISION STRATEGIES
standard should address: street
sweeping, snow and trash removal,
upkeep of public space, defined
responsibilities between private and
public property.
Action 2: The City should conduct
a safety assessment of the City
Center. This assessment should
include: walkability, lighting,
wayfinding and pedestrian
amenities.
Action 3: The City should explore
the feasibility of a Business
Improvement District, and work
with the City Center Association,
to maintain a clean and safe City
Center.
Objective 1.2 Activate the City
Center
Action 1: The City should conduct
a market impact study to determine
the market demand for housing,
retail, and office space.
Action 2: The City should allow
for and encourage cultural and
entertainment venues within the City
Center.
Action 3: The City should encourage
working, living and entertainment in
the City Center. Regulations should
allow uses which promote constant
activity in the City Center during all
hours.
Action 4: The City should promote
land use policies that promote
walkability and activity.
City Center Vision | 19
Objective 1.3 Create meaningful
public spaces as well as gathering
places
Action 1: The City should create
both indoor and outdoor spaces
that allow public use of the City
Center such as: art galleries,
convention space, public squares,
street fairs, farmer’s markets, and
recreational opportunities.
Action 2: The City should build
public space within the City Center
to support events and public
gatherings.
Objective 1.4 Gaps in the street
edge should be filled in
Action 1: The City should identify
incentives for property owners to
redevelop and densify.
Action 2: The City should sell or
lease underutilized publicly owned
land.
Action 3: The City should ensure
street furniture and landscape;
providing a uniform look and feel in
the City Center.
Objective 1.5 Develop an overall
parking strategy for the City Center
Action 1: The City should conduct
an assessment of parking in the City
Center. Identify current and future
needs.
Action 2: The City should develop
a plan for parking. This plan
should address: parking signage,
shared parking, parking minimums,
managed parking, developing a
parking structure, and parking
authority.
Action 3: The City should work with
Urban Renewal and community
partners to build a parking structure.
Objective 1.6 Adopt a multi-
modal transportation plan for the
City Center with alternatives to
automobile transportation
Action 1: The City should adopt a
multi-modal transportation plan for
the City Center.
Action 2: The City should require
developers to provide multi-modal
transportation options to and from
their developments.
Objective 1.7 Develop a City
Center Wayfinding system
Action 1: The City should create a
uniform standard for wayfinding.
Action 2: The City should adopt a
City-wide wayfinding system, which
includes special consideration for
the City Center.
Objective 1.8 Develop Signage
Requirements for the City Center
Action 1: The City should adopt a
City Center sign code.
2. Diversify Economic Uses
Goal: City Center should have a diverse economic base with a mix of housing, retail, office space, dining and entertainment, all complementing each other and maximizing use of the City Center.
Objective 2.1 Promote Employment
in the City Center
Action 1: The City should move
away from a separation of uses to
a focus on how a building interacts
with and activates the street.
Action 2: The City should utilize
incentives that promote employers
to locate in the City Center.
Action 3: The City should market
the City Center as a hub for creative
activities.
Objective 2.2 Within the City
Center, consolidate government
entities where possible
Action 1: The City should partner
with other public entities to
consolidate services into a joint use
Administrative Building.
Action 2: The City should sell public
surplus land and buildings.
Action 3: Public entities should be
encouraged to consolidate and sell
excess land and buildings.
Action 4: The City should make
publicly owned (underutilized)
parcels available and sell at non-
speculative prices.
Objective 2.3 Accommodate small
businesses and small developers
Action 1: The City should encourage
developers to include space for
small businesses.
Action 2: The City should look
at reducing minimum lot sizes in
identified areas to allow for small
developers.
Action 3: The City should address
development and impact costs as
part of a comprehensive City Center
approach.
Objective 2.4 Retail in the City
Center should support City Center
residents, as well as community
and regional residents
Action 1: The City should support
retail development identified in the
proposed Market Retail Study (see
Objective 1.2 Action 1).
20 | City Center Vision
Action 2: The City should encourage
retail and restaurants to support
downtown working and living.
Objective 2.5 Create zoning
regulations that increase the
diversity of housing options
Action 1: The City should undertake
a housing study to determine
market demand for the types of
housing in the City Center.
Action 2: The City should educate
developers about the need and
opportunity for attainable housing
and help identify grants and other
funding sources to support this.
Action 3: The City should modify
zoning regulation to allow for the
development of housing projects.
Objective 2.6 Identify, re-purpose
or redevelop underutilized
buildings and parcels
Objective 2.7 Facilitate public
facing Higher Education functions
in the City Center
Action 1: The City should engage
with Brigham Young University-
Idaho to locate non-tax exempt
functions in the City Center.
Action 2: Develop a City Center
innovation campus for private
business, and non-tax exempt
functions of the Idaho National
Laboratory, University of Idaho,
Idaho State University and others
3. Encourage Business
Goal: The City Center should be a place where small businesses and the “creative class” thrives through the clustering of supporting activities.
Objective 3.1 Promote
Entrepreneurism in the City Center
Action 1: The City should seek
public/private partnerships to
build entrepreneurial spaces, such
as: STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering and Math) Centers,
FAB (Fabrication) Labs, Business
Incubators, Commercial Kitchens,
and more.
Action 2: The City should help
to create shared space for
entrepreneurial ventures such as:
pop-up shops, incubators, and
more.
Objective 3.2 Living, working and
entertainment should be present
and complement each other
4. Promote an Attainable City Center
Goal: The City Center should allow for a mix of business and housing options.
Objective 4.1 Housing should
include a mix of low to high income
housing options
Objective 4.2 City Center should
have a mix of professional offices,
retailers, specialty shops and
boutiques, etc.
Action 1: The City should encourage
the development of space that
accommodates a mix of square
footages available to large and small
businesses.
Objective 4.3 Reduce the number
of tax-exempt properties in the
City Center
Action 1: The City should encourage
the relocation of low intensity public
uses and promote the consolidation
parking.
Objective 4.4 Ensure that
regulations do not exclude the
small developer
Objective 4.5 Encourage dormitory
style housing to develop adjacent
to the BYU-Idaho campus, but
South of Main Street
Action 1: The City should reexamine
the Pedestrian Emphasis District.
Action 2: The City should continue
the dialogue with BYU-Idaho to
encourage building single student
approved and community housing
in the City Center.
Action 3: The City should work with
developers to mitigate the high cost
of land and development in the City
Center (see Objective 2.2 Action 4).
5. Improving Government
Regulations and Processes
Goal: Regulatory processes should be streamlined and simplified. Simplify zoning and building regulations in the City Center to ensure the types of development that the City Center Vision seeks, and to make it easier for developers to understand and build.
Objective 5.1 Where possible,
identify and remove significant
barriers to development
Action 1: The City Center Vision
should provide a blueprint for City
Center Development.
Action 2: Where possible, the
City should simplify development
requirements.
Action 3: The City should create
a guide explaining City Center
regulations and processes.
City Center Vision | 21
Objective 5.2 Simplify City specific
fees to reduce the overall cost,
and increase investment in the City
Center, thus increasing the taxable
value of the City Center
Action 1: Where possible, the City
should identify, reduce, or eliminate:
impact, permitting and other fees in
the City Center District.
Action 2: The City should identify
other taxing entities who may be
willing to support this.
Objective 5.3 Anticipate
development costs by
understanding traffic and
infrastructure needs ahead of
development
Action 1: The City should conduct
City Center traffic and infrastructure
studies to identify overall costs
and to reduce time and costs to
developers.
Action 2: Where applicable the City
should undertake the improvements
identified by the traffic and
infrastructure studies.
Action 3: The City should work
with the Rexburg Urban Renewal
Agency to make the identified
improvements.
Objective 5.4 Make development
more predictable by adopting a
form-based code in the City Center
to align with the City Center Vision
Action 1: The City should adopt a
City Center form based code.
Objective 5.5 Seek ongoing
input and participation in the
implementation of identified
processes, policies and projects
by engaging stakeholders
Action 1: The City should Convene a
City Center Advisory Group.
6. Financing Key Projects
Goal: The City should be open to working with developers and businesses in applying for and securing funding for projects which support the City Center Vision, and by working with state, county and local government organizations to secure economic development funds.
Objective 6.1Seek Partnerships
with Key Stakeholders
Action 1: The City should identify
public and private sector partners.
Action 2: The City should
understand the legal processes for
each project.
Action 3: The City should promote
the consolidation of smaller parcels
into economically viable projects.
Objective 6.2: Focus on Identified
City Center Projects (see “City
Center Priorities and Planning
Areas” section)
Action 1: The City should determine
fiscal impact of individual projects.
Action 2: The City should conduct
market studies for each project area
to determine viability and needs.
Action 3: The City should identify
potential funding partners and pair
them to specific projects.
Action 4: The City should leverage
philanthropic investor’s interest to
catalyze specific projects.
Action 5: The City should market
the City Center to developers and
businesses.
Objective 6.3 Leverage existing
public investments
Action 1: The City should invest in
strategic City Center infrastructure
projects and facilities that
encourage investment.
Action 2: The City should conduct
impact studies specific to the
City Center, and partner and
share findings with developers, to
minimize costs, and coordinate
efforts.
Objective 6.4 Incentivize
development with a range of
targeted tools
Action 1: The City should work with
the Rexburg Urban Renewal Agency
to capture future value through Tax
Increment Financing, to support
future redevelopment.
Action 2: The City should update
and redefine City Center Urban
Renewal District(s).
Action 3: The City should seek to
lower the cost of development by
waving or reducing fees in the City
Center, where possible.
Action 4: The City should explore
the creation of and utilize a
Business Improvement District
to enhance the City Center
environment.
Action 5: The City should explore
the feasibility of a City Center
Development Corporation.
Objective 6.5 The City should
create Incentives for businesses to
move City Center
Objective 6.6 Identify priorities for
City Center Local Improvement
Districts
22 | City Center Vision
7. Establishing On-Going Place
Management
Goal: Ensure the continued leadership and promotion of the City Center through a City Center Association.
Objective 7.1: Continue to work
with City Center advocates to
create and activate a City Center
Association
Action 1: The City should identify
roles, expectations and parameters
for the Association.
Action 2: The City, in conjunction
with the City Center Association,
should market the City Center.
Action 3: In conjunction with the
City Center Association, the City
should program, promote and
coordinate events in private and
public spaces.
Action 4: The City should engage
with private and public entities
to work together to ensure
maintenance and upkeep of the City
Center.
Action 5: The City should regularly
convene stakeholders to measure
and report progress.
Objective 7.2 Establish a visitor’s
center
Objective 7.3 Utilize the market
study to create a City Center
market strategy
City Center Vision | 23
Center Street
24 | City Center Vision
The city has identified seven Project
Areas where future development
should be prioritized. These planning
areas will help shape and organize the
physical environment called for in the
themes described in the Vision. The
development priorities for these parcels
are unique, in that they have been
identified as catalyzing or enabling areas
whose redevelopment will set the tone
for the type of development that the City
Center Vision envisions, and further, will
facilitate the redevelopment of adjacent
parcels.
The following projects or priorities
should be considered:
Project Area Red: This area
represents a key area of the City
Center and has the potential
to set the tone for the type of
development outlined in this Vision.
Further, redevelopment of this Area
will enable the redevelopment of
adjacent blocks. Within Project
Area Red, the following projects are
proposed:
• Construction of a mixed-use
parking structure on the block
in between Collage Avenue and
1st East and Carlson Avenue
and 1st South. Many of the
properties within this block have
been purchased by the Rexburg
Urban Renewal Agency. A
mixed-use retail, office and
housing complex, with an
included parking structure is
planned to be built on these
parcels.
Project Area Blue: The north-west
corner of the block bordered by 1st
North and Main Street, and 1st West
and 2nd West was acquired by the
Rexburg Urban Renewal Agency.
CITY CENTER PRIORITIES AND
PLANNING AREAS
This Area is intended to support
the existing retail within this City
Center block. The City Center Vision
suggests that Community Housing
be encouraged in order to support
adjacent commercial uses.
In addition, the following projects
should be addressed within the Red
and Blue areas:
• Creating a permanent space for
the Rexburg Farmer’s Market
on Center Street. This presents
an opportunity to create a
civic space along with ongoing
activities that will bring people
to the City Center.
• Public and private parking
within walking distance of the
mixed-use development should
be consolidated within the new
parking structure. This will allow
for the redevelopment of these
parcels, and maximize their use.
• The City of Rexburg’s flat
surface parking lots on Center
Street should be redeveloped.
Their parking spaces could
be relocated to the parking
structure. These properties
should then be sold to a
developer for redevelopment.
• Where feasible, pedestrian/bike
routes within the City Center
should be emphasized, and
where lacking, built. Attention
should be paid to mid-block
pedestrian access.
Project Area Green: Project Area
Green contains the half block north
and south of Main Street, from 2nd
East to Center Street. This area
contains a large concentration of
government facilities, and publicly
owned parcels. Within this area the
following should be addressed:
• The City of Rexburg, Madison
County and other public
entities should consolidate City
Center operations in a Joint
Administration Building. The
unused buildings and parking
lots should be redeveloped
within the framework of public/
private partnerships.
Project Area Yellow: Project Area
Yellow is the half block along
Center Street and in between 1st
South and 2nd South. Within this
area, the parcels fronting 1st South
have been acquired by a private
development group. The central
portion contains the Rexburg Post
Office. The southern parcels are
owned by several private individuals
and groups. This area represents
an opportunity to create additional
residential housing, most likely
BYU-Idaho approved single student
housing. Within this area the
following should be addressed:
• The City of Rexburg should
take the lead in working with
the Post Office to acquire their
property. The Post Office could
have a presence within the
mixed used structure or within
in a privately developed location
within the City Center.
• The private development on
the north anticipates BYU-
Idaho single student housing.
This development could take
advantage of parking within the
mixed-use parking structure
and allow for higher housing
densities.
• Additional mixed use could be
built along Center Street.
Project Area Pink: Project Area
Pink is the block boarded by 1st
South and 2nd South and 1st East
and 2nd East. This area is currently
being redeveloped to support single
student BYU-Idaho housing. Within
City Center Vision | 25
this area the following should be
addressed:
• Redevelopment of this block as
private BYU-Idaho dormitory
housing should be supported.
• City owned right-of-way in the
cul-de-sac should be given to
increase density.
In addition, the following
projects should be addressed:
• The blocks adjacent to Project
Area Red should be encouraged
to redevelop by offering the
existing property owners and
business space within the
mixed-use structure. Their
property could be exchanged
for space within the structure.
The land could then be
redeveloped.
Project Area Purple: Project Area
Purple is the area bordered by 1st
North and Main Street and Center
Street and 2nd West. This area
contains the Madison Library and
the Rexburg Tabernacle, a strip
mall, and six acres owned by the
Madison School District. This area
presents an opportunity to create
and enhance existing civic spaces
with residential, retail and office
space. Within this area the following
should be addressed:
• Within this area public partners
should work together to prepare
parcels within the area for
redevelopment.
Project Area Orange: Project Area
Orange contains the parcels on
either side of College Avenue
between 1st South and 2nd South
owned by BYU-Idaho. This area
represents an opportunity to create
a mixed use development that
would include non-tax exempt BYU-
26 | City Center Vision
Idaho administrative and publicly
facing operations. Within this area
the following could be addressed:
• BYU-Idaho support and online
learning functions
• Alumni Center
• Bookstore
• Museums
• Etc.
Center Street
Center Street
City Center Vision | 27
Center Street