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HomeMy WebLinkAboutP&Z Minutes 7.16.26(208) 359-3020 35 North 1st East Rexburg, ID 83440 www.rexburg.org Planning and Zoning Minutes – July 16, 2026 P&Z Commissioners: City Staff: Randall Kempton (Vice Chair) Alan Parkinson – P&Z Administrator McKay Francis (Chairperson) Brian Thackeray Christina Gilman – P&Z Administrative Assistant Aaron Richards Vern Muir Kyle Baldwin – Planner 1 Jim Lawrence Dan Hanna Natalie Powell Conger– Compliance Officer Bruce Casper Tammy Geddes Spencer Rammell – Commissioner Attorney Tina Lesh Rick Robinson The meeting was called to order by Vice Chairperson Randall Kempton, he opened the meeting at 6:30 PM. Planning & Zoning Meeting: 1. Vice Chairperson Randall Kempton welcomed those in attendance, as well as those joining the meeting online. Pledge of Allegiance was led by Tammy Geddes 2. ROLL CALL of Planning and Zoning Commissioners: Present: Randall Kempton (Vice Chair), Jim Lawrence, Bruce Casper, McKay Francis, Vern Muir, Dan Hanna, Tammy Geddes, Tina Lesh Absent: Aaron Richards, Brian Thackeray, Rick Robinson 3. Mayor’s Business: A. Recognition of Service/Appreciation plaque presentation to Sally Smith by Mayor Merrill Following roll call, the Vice Chair invited Mayor Merrill to present remarks. The Mayor addressed the Commission and recognized Sally Smith for her long-term service to the City. He noted that Sally had previously served on the City Council before joining the Planning and Zoning Commission and had contributed a combined total of more than twenty years of public service. The Mayor commended Sally for her willingness to speak up during difficult or unpopular moments and for her courage in making motions when needed. He stated that her dedication had positively influenced the city’s development. The Mayor then presented Sally with a plaque, her name tag, and a commemorative blanket bearing the phrase “America’s Family Community,” thanking her for her service. (208) 359-3020 35 North 1st East Rexburg, ID 83440 www.rexburg.org Commissioner Bruce Casper commented wanting to publicly acknowledged improvements made to the city’s entrances. He noted that young volunteers had been pulling weeds, caring for flowers, and improving the appearance of the area. Bruce encouraged the Mayor to take credit for the progress, stating that such praise might be rare. The Mayor expressed appreciation for the feedback and reported that several residents had also noticed the improvements. He stated that additional work on the side hills was still underway and thanked Bruce and the Commission for their support. He conclude d by reaffirming the city’s commitment to continued improvement. Sally Smith said good-bye to the Commissioners and thanked them all for their service. B. Appointment of Commissioner Tina Lesh by Mayor Merrill The Mayor next introduced Tina Lesh as the newest member of the Planning and Zoning Commission. He thanked Tammy for previous referrals and noted that Tina had been recommended by another individual. The Mayor stated that after meeting with Tina, he felt she possessed valuable experience that would benefit the Commission. He invited her to introduce herself. Tina Lesh informed the Commission that she had moved to Rexburg in 2020, just before the pandemic. She explained that although she had not originally planned to stay, she later married Robert “Rusty” McCorder and decided to remain in the community. She stated that she was the mother of seven children and owned commercial real estate both in Washington and in Rexburg. She also shared that she held a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy and had experience managing new tech startups. The Mayor welcomed Tina formally and invited the Commission to join in recognizing her. He commented that Planning and Zoning could be unpredictable, with some meetings being quiet and others lasting several hours and becoming uncomfortable. He expressed appreciation for the Commission’s willingness to serve and help guide the city’s development, emphasizing the importance of maintaining Rexburg as a great place to live. The Mayor concluded his remarks and turned the meeting back over to the Vice Chair, who thanked him for attending. New Planning and Zoning Chairperson Election (208) 359-3020 35 North 1st East Rexburg, ID 83440 www.rexburg.org The Vice Chair announced that, with Sally Smith’s departure and his own term concluding, the Commission needed to elect a new Chair and Vice Chair. He opened the floor for nominations. A motion was made by Jim Larence to nominate McKay Francis for Chair, and the nomination was seconded by Bruce Casper. No additional nominations were offered. The Commission voted unanimously in favor, and McKay Francis was elected as the new Chair. The Vice Chair then asked whether the Commission should also elect a new Vice Chair. It was noted that the election could be postponed until a new member was appointed to fill the upcoming vacancy. The Commission agreed, and the Vice Chair stated he would continue serving in that role until a replacement was seated. The Commission acknowledged the transition and proceeded with the meeting under the newly appointed Chair. The Commission proceeded to the approval of the Planning and Zoning minutes from the June 18 meeting. 4. Approval of the P&Z Minutes for June 18, 2026 (Action) MOTION: Motion to Approve, the Planning & Zoning minutes for June 18, 2026 (Action) Action: Approve, Moved by McKay Francis, Seconded by Randall Kempton VOTE: Motion carried. (Summary: Yes =4 , No = 0, Abstain =4). Yes: No: Abstain: Jim Larence, Tammy Geddes, Tina Lesh, Vern Muir The motion carried. The Commission moved to the next agenda item: consideration of the Home Depot Subdivision Plat. The Chair turned the time over to City staff for presentation. 5. Plat – (26-00073) Home Depot Subdivision - Plat - Located at approximately 1600 N 2nd E, the application is to subdivide the property into six (6) lots. – Dan Zoldak (Action) (208) 359-3020 35 North 1st East Rexburg, ID 83440 www.rexburg.org Conflict of Interest/Ex parte Conversation: Randall Kempton (Vice Chair) asked the Commissioners to disclose any conflicts of interest or conversations held outside of this meeting relative to this particular subject. Presentation: Planning and Zoning Administrator Parkinson explained that the plat encompassed approximately 40 acres, including the parcel purchased by Home Depot and an adjacent parcel. A lot split had previously been completed to allow Home Depot to begin construction while the full plat was finalized. Staff noted that the entire area would be included in the subdivision plat. Staff displayed the plat map and identified the location of the future Home Depot store, associated lots, and a new public road that would be dedicated to the City. The road would connect to a new stoplight recommended by the Traffic Impact Study (TIS). Staff described how the roadway would extend from Teton River Temple Street, curve northward, and integrate with existing traffic patterns near the temple and freeway access. Staff reported that the TIS recommended installation of a new stoplight to manage increased traffic volumes on both the east and west sides of the development. The study indicated that without the light, congestion and stacking would worsen, particularly for vehicles making left turns from the freeway onto 2nd East. Staff also noted that additional future improvements—such as a potential free-flow right-turn lane—were being evaluated but were not part of the Home Depot project. A representative for Home Depot, Dan Zoldak, was present online and available for questions. Planning and Zoning Administrator Parkinson concluded that the plat met all City requirements and recommended approval, or recommendation of approval, to the City Council. The Chair noted that the Commission would hear from the applicant before entering discussion and invited staff to remain available for questions. The Chair invited the applicant, Dan Zoldak, to speak. Mr. Zoldak thanked City staff for their cooperation throughout the development process and stated that Home Depot owned approximately 25% of the 40-acre subdivision area, totaling about 10 acres. He noted that the overall developer was also present online and available for questions. He confirmed that Home Depot had worked closely with City engineering and staff and that the project had progressed smoothly. (208) 359-3020 35 North 1st East Rexburg, ID 83440 www.rexburg.org Commissioner Discussion: The Chair asked for questions from the Commission. Commissioners requested that staff display the plat map again for clarification. Planning and Zoning Administrator Parkinson identified the 10-acre portion owned by Home Depot and explained that the remaining acreage belonged to the developer. Staff confirmed that the green -shaded area represented the Home Depot parcel, while the full plat included both the Home Depot parcel and an adjacent parcel. A commissioner asked what future uses were planned for the remaining lots. Staff stated that no applications had been submitted and no specific uses had been proposed. Staff added that the developer might request future amendments to the plat if smaller lot divisions became necessary. The Commission asked about a small carve-out south of Teton River Temple Street. Staff clarified that the parcel was owned by Idaho Credit and was not part of the subdivision plat. Staff reported that Home Depot and the developer had been in communication with Idaho Credit to coordinate access needs. Planning and Zoning Administrator Parkinson explained that the plat had undergone full review by all relevant City departments, including engineering, utilities, fire safety, and planning. After City review, the plat would be sent to the county surveyor for final verification before returning to the City Council for approval. Staff emphasized that all infrastructure, safety, and code requirements had been met. A commissioner asked about the signature process. Staff explained that no signatures had yet been collected. The City Council would sign first, followed by the property owners and developers, and finally the City would sign last before the plat was recorde d with the county. The Commission asked about fire access, noting that the road currently had a single entry and dead-end. Staff confirmed that a temporary turnaround would be installed to accommodate emergency vehicles. Staff added that long -term planning anticipated the road eventually connecting eastward and potentially linking into Moody Road. Staff noted that crossing the railroad tracks was unlikely due to cost and railroad restrictions, but future connections toward Sugar City were possible. Commissioners discussed the Traffic Impact Study (TIS). One member noted that the study projected a Level-of-Service D by 2027. Staff confirmed that this was the location where the new stoplight was recommended. Staff explained that without the light, the intersection would fail, but installation of the signal would restore acceptable traffic flow. Staff also confirmed that all landscaping, CC&R requirements, and signature items referenced in earlier drafts had been completed. (208) 359-3020 35 North 1st East Rexburg, ID 83440 www.rexburg.org Planning and Zoning Administrator Parkinson confirmed that the property had previously been annexed and rezoned to Community Business Center (CBC). A commissioner asked whether the red-shaded area on the map was part of Home Depot’s property; staff clarified that only the green-shaded area belonged to Home Depot. Commissioners asked about sidewalk connectivity. Staff stated that sidewalks would extend continuously to Walmart and would match the connectivity installed by the church on the west side. Staff noted that the sidewalk would cross the canal using the existing bridge and would run alongside the roadway. Following discussion, a motion was made. The Chair asked whether any commissioner wished to make a motion regarding the Home Depot Subdivision Plat. A motion was made by Dan Hanna to recommend approval of the plat to the City Council as presented. The motion was seconded by McKay Francis. The Chair asked for discussion; none was offered. The Commission then voted, and all members present were in favor. There were no opposing votes. The motion carried, and the recommendation for approval would be forwarded to the City Council for consideration. MOTION: Motion to recommend City Council Approve the plat amendment for Home Depot Subdivision as it has met staff requirements and continues to fit within the Comprehensive Plan. Action: Approve, Moved by Commissioner Dan Hanna Seconded by Commissioner McKay Francis. Commissioner Discussion on the Motion: VOTE: Motion carried. (Summary: Yes= 8, No= 0, Abstain= 0) Yes: No: None Abstain: None Planning and Zoning Administrator Parkinson informed the Commission that the City Council would consider the Home Depot Subdivision Plat on August 5. The Chair noted that the next Planning & Zoning meeting was scheduled for August 6, and staff (208) 359-3020 35 North 1st East Rexburg, ID 83440 www.rexburg.org confirmed that date. Staff reported that several items were already planned for that meeting. Planning and Zoning Administrator Parkinson stated that the Moody Townhome Planned Unit Development (PUD) would come before the Commission. The project involved vacating the existing Shirley Subdivision and replating the area as the Moody Townhomes in a single action. Because the property lay within the county impact area, the final approval would be made by the County Commissioners. The Commission would make a recommendation directly to the county rather than to the City Council. Staff noted that the county preferred the vacate -and-replat process to occur in one motion. Planning and Zoning Administrator Parkinson also reported that the Summerfield development would be submitting its 14th plat for review. Additionally, a new cell tower proposal would be coming forward as a Conditional Use Permit (CUP), likely scheduled for the August 20 meeting. Staff and commissioners briefly discussed recent updates to cell tower regulations, noting that the changes had been discussed but might not yet be formally adopted. Staff stated that the upcoming CUP could still be reviewed under existing standards. Planning and Zoning Administrator Parkinson commented that the year had been extremely busy, with nearly 800 permits issued—approximately 150 more than any previous year—reflecting significant development activity in both the city and county. A commissioner remarked informally about future training sessions planned for September or October, noting that new members would need onboarding once vacancies were filled. Staff acknowledged that training would resume once membership stabilized and expressed appreciation for the Commission’s ongoing service and time commitment. The Chair thanked staff and the Commission and declared the meeting adjourned. 6. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:00PM Heads Up: August 6th, 2026 – • Moody Town Homes Planned Unit Development (PUD) • Summerfield 14 Plat