HomeMy WebLinkAboutWanless Southwick - 375 S 12th W Deborah Lovejoy
From: Alan Parkinson
Sent: Thursday, December 4, 2025 8:41 AM
To: Wanless Southwick; Planning &Zoning; Deborah Lovejoy; Katie Saurey; Mayor
Cc: Sharee Barton; Richard Geddes; Richard Geddes; Tammy Geddes; Leon Parson; Kathy
Parson; Kimpel Steve;Julie Kimpel; Marla Cluff, Doug Thompson; Genevieve Cartmill;
Charles Cartmill;John Steiner;Judy Steiner; Marlene Belnap; Nicole Lybbert; Eric
Lybbert; Karen Kunz; Kirk Johnson; Mike Bailey; MaryLou Bailey; Kerry Ward; Linda
Ward; David Higginson;Jay Patterson; Crystal Hill;Jake Hill; Wayne Tietjen; Anna
Tietjen; Brent Morring; Michael Evans; Charlene Evans;Joseph Evans;Josh South; Mark
Holderman; Robyn Judson Holderman; Sharon Marlor; Brent Harris; Derek
Wadsworth;Jerrie W. Southwick;Jon Paul Johnson; Cathy Green; Tisha Flora; Bryanna
Johnson; Colin Erickson
Subject: Re: P&Z Public Hearing #25 01158
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged
Wanless,
I will take these under advisement and will include our e-mail conversation in the documentation for the
Planning and Zoning Commission to consider for this rezone and comprehensive plan change.
Let me know if there are other questions to consider.
This meeting has been moved to the 16t1 of December at 6:30 pm in the Council Chambers at the
Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.
Thankyou,
Alan Parkinson
Planning and Zoning Administrator
City of Rexburg
208-372-2165
alan.parkinson@rexburg.org
Rr. 0
AmericWs Family Community
first 1883
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From:Wanless Southwick<jwanlesss@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, December 2, 2025 3:00 PM
To:Alan Parkinson <alan.parkinson@rexburg.org>; Planning &Zoning<Planning&Zoning@rexburg.org>; Deborah
Lovejoy<deborahl@rexburg.org>; Katie Saurey<Katie.Saurey@rexburg.org>; Mayor<mayor@rexburg.org>
Cc: Sharee Barton <sharee.barton@gmail.com>; Richard Geddes<rgeddes1056@gmail.com>; Richard Geddes
<richgeddes4@icloud.com>;Tammy Geddes<andersmakes4@gmail.com>; Leon Parson <parsonl@byui.edu>; Kathy
Parson <kathyparson@gmail.com>; Kimpel Steve<kimpels@byui.edu>;Julie Kimpel <kimpelj@gmail.com>; Marla Cluff
<mlcluff@gmail.com>; Doug Thompson <ThompsonD@byui.edu>; Genevieve Cartmill <gjcartmi113@yahoo.com>;
Charles Cartmill <car97033@byui.edu>;John Steiner<johnlsteiner@gmail.com>;Judy Steiner<steinerjl@byui.edu>;
Marlene Belnap<wmbelnap@hotmail.com>; Nicole Lybbert<Iybbertfamily@hotmail.com>; Eric Lybbert
<lybberte@byui.edu>; Karen Kunz<kunzk@byui.edu>; Kirk Johnson <kirker36@hotmail.com>; Mike Bailey
<mikerbailey@gmail.com>; MaryLou Bailey<mmltabailey@msn.com>; Kerry Ward <krward58@gmail.com>; Linda Ward
<lindaward22@gmail.com>; David Higginson <aloanarranger@outlook.com>;Jay Patterson <redlegjay@gmail.com>;
Crystal Hill <howdyyall@hotmail.com>;Jake Hill <jakehill.hr@gmail.com>; Wayne Tietjen <wayne@rexburg.com>;
Anna Tietjen <anna@rexburg.com>; Brent Morring<brentmorring@gmail.com>; Michael Evans
<evansmj@churchofjesuschrist.org>; Charlene Evans<evanscmom@gmail.com>;Joseph Evans
<evans.josephk@gmail.com>;Josh South <josh@southindustries.com>; Mark Holderman
<mark_holderman@yahoo.com>; Robyn Judson Holderman <robynsrabbittree@gmail.com>; Sharon Marlor
<sharonmarlor@msn.com>; Brent Harris<bgharrisll@gmail.com>; Derek Wadsworth <derekcwadsworth@gmail.com>;
Wanless Southwick<jwanlesss@gmail.com>;Jerrie W. Southwick<jerriews@gmail.com>;Jon Paul Johnson
<jonnyapple@gmail.com>; Cathy Green <cgreen616@gmail.com>;Tisha Flora <florafamily8@gmail.com>; Bryanna
Johnson <bryanna.johnson@rexburg.org>; Colin Erickson <Colin.Erickson@rexburg.org>
Subject: Fwd: P&Z Public Hearing#25 01158
Alan,
Thankyou for the additional details (shown below) about the rezoning request for the Birch property
(horse pasture).
• Real estate developers are always interested in increasing density to increase profitability of their
developments, but that is why the city created its comprehensive plan. It represents the
community's aspirations for the character of their neighborhoods.We worked hard during the
recent update of the city's comprehensive plan to assure that our neighborhood along South 12th
West retains its single-family-dwelling character. Current zoning of the Birch property reflects that
desire with LDR1 and LDR2 zones. Cramming more dwellings into that land-locked eastern part of
the property, including townhomes next to the freeway, is not in harmony with our existing
neighborhood character.
• We don't need another traffic impact survey to know that traffic along 12th West Street will be
significantly impacted with this proposed development of LDR2 and LDR3 housing.
• A single road along the north boundary of the Birch property is hardly adequate to service a
development on eastern half of the property, unless it were a city park instead of crowded
dwellings. OR, if that north-boundary road could be extended up and over the freeway to
connect with Pioneer Road, then it could service not only the Birch property, but solve problems
for the development of the Bertina Steiner property on the north and the John Steiner property on
the south,AND improve east-west traffic flow in the city.
• It is probably time to assess the options for development of these agricultural fields on the east
side of South 12th West Street.A coordinated plan that respects the rural residential character of
our neighborhood and improves the traffic options would be prudent. Granting the developer of
the Birch property the requested zoning change now will likely complicate the optimal
development of this vacant property in Rexburg.
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Wanless
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From:Alan Parkinson <alan.parkinson(q)rexburg.org>
Date: Mon, Dec 1, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Subject: Re: P&Z Public Hearing#25 01158
To:Wanless Southwick<jwanlesssCcb9mail.com>, Planning&Zoning<Planning&Zoning(arexburg.org>,
Deborah Lovejoy<deborahl(arexburg.org>, Katie Saurey<Katie.Saurey0brexbur9.org>
Wanless,
It is always good to hear from you and your thoughts on land use development. I will try to answer your
questions.
• The application comes from a developer that is interested in increasing density on the eastern
portion of the east property.
• There will be a Traffic Impact Study(TIS) done that will provide requirements to maintain or
improve the level of service on 1211 west.
• The eastern parcel is working with the Charter School on the western parcel to build a road on the
north side of the school that would service the eastern parcel and the school.An additional
access point will need to be determined and designed if they exceed 30 housing units on this
property. The developer will be required to show this when he applies for the plat.
• At this time only the Birch property(horse pasture) has requested a rezone to increase density on
this property.
Please reach out if you have further questions on this subject.
Thankyou,
Alan Parkinson
Planning and Zoning Administrator
City of Rexburg
208-372-2165
alan.parkinsonCcbrexburg.org
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America's"s F ara*Community
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From:Wanless Southwick<iwanlesss@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, December 1, 2025 2:14 PM
To: Planning &Zoning<Planning&Zoning@rexburg.org>; Deborah Lovejoy<deborahl@rexburg.org>; Katie Saurey
<Katie.Saurey@rexburg.org>
Subject: P&Z Public Hearing#25 01158
Two years ago, when we helped the city develop its comprehensive plan, we worked hard to assure our
neighborhood would retain its low-density residential character with single family dwellings.We didn't
object when a Charter School wanted permission to build on the west side of what we call the "horse
pasture" in our neighborhood. Now it looks like the owner of the horse pasture wants to crowd more
dwellings onto the east side of the horse pasture, including townhomes.
We are already worried that traffic to and from the charter school will increase hazardous driving on our
1211 West Street. Traffic congestion will only be made worse by allowing more crowded housing on the
east side of the horse pasture.
From the notice of public hearing, it looks like the area to be rezoned is land-locked, now that the west
half of the horse pasture is occupied by the future charter school. There doesn't seem to be any plan for
a road to give access to a residential development on the east side of the horse pasture.Are they
planning to integrate their development with adjacent properties?
To me, the rezoning of this part of our neighborhood is a bad idea if we want to retain the single-family-
dwelling character of our neighborhood. If there is to be a larger residential development, involving
multiple properties, then this rezoning is premature.We need to see the larger plan for changes to our
neighborhood.
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