HomeMy WebLinkAboutJOINT MEETING MINUTES APRIL 26, 2007
April 26, 2007
City of Rexburg/Madison County
Joint Meeting Minutes
April 26, 2007
Troy Evans opened the meeting at 7:07 pm.
Roll Call of County and City Planning & Zoning Commissioners and Staff Members
Thomas Luthy, Shauna Ringel, Ted Hill, Thaine Robinson, Mary Haley, Jolene Sutton, Millie Andrus,
Jan Merrell, Anthony Merrill, Dan Hanna, Josh Garner, Mike Ricks, Dean Peterson, Mike Phillips,
Winston Dyer, Gary Leikness, Emily Abe
(Bradley Petersen arrived later.)
Winston Dyer pointed out the contact lists for the City and County Planning & Zoning
Commissioners on the table. He also pointed out the maps provided for review. He said Rexburg had
a growth rate of over 15% last year, for the third year in a row. This gives us cause for consideration
for our duties as planners for the greater community. We have introduced the issue of impact area
boundaries for discussion tonight. Unfortunately, this discussion came to a head rather painfully, and
the Rexburg Planning & Zoning Commission is on record apologizing to the County Planning &
Zoning Commission for the way things were handled. Now we, as leaders in the community, have put
this behind us and are ready to come together and build consensus on the appropriate course of action.
The City Planning & Zoning Commission is concerned about the impact area limits. People are buying
large tracts of land on the boundary of the community primarily for reasons of economic availability.
He discussed the rising costs of land in the City. A lot of this is developer driven, but we as planners
need to look after the interests of the greater community. We want to discuss where the impact area
boundaries should go. He discussed the west side of town, where the school is projected to be built.
We want to get away from impact areas crossing property lines. The impact area boundaries currently
cut some parcels in half. We would like to see the impact area boundaries follow parcel boundaries.
We are interested in extending the impact area south of the river, possibly over to 3000 West, since it is
a nice straight line. He suggested that the Commissioners try to reach a consensus on new impact area
boundaries in these areas, and then take it back as a recommendation to their respective policy makers.
He said the Rexburg Planning & Zoning Commission feels that it is high time that once we decide
where the impact area boundary is going to be, we learn to live or die by that boundary. As planning
actions come before us, and someone gives us good reason for going across the line, then it would
come back to a meeting with both Commissions, so we can discuss reasons and justifications of why we
think it is time to again consider potential changes in the impact area boundary. We need to make our
decisions within that boundary, instead of haphazardly running through it here or there. This way, we
keep order in our universe, reduce conflicts to a minimum, and hopefully avoid any hard feelings here
in our own Camelot.
Tom Luthy said he endorses what Winston just said. He appreciates being able to get together as a
County and City to work together. He said the County Commission would like to see the Impact Area
boundary follow property boundaries or roads, so they do not split anyone’s property. This way we
won’t have any developers come in and put that pressure on use to go past that line. Why do we have
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an impact zone if we are going to annex past it? They are concerned that the 300 foot extension of the
impact zone south of Poleline Road should be eliminated. The impact area boundary should be
Poleline Road. He asked the Commissioners for their ideas on the issues. Once we agree to
something, we should stick to it. We should not let development push either Commission to do
something we shouldn’t do.
Gary Leikness said the City has received a plat for the large piece of land on the west side of town that
was annexed by Kartchner homes.
Tom Luthy asked if the developers are going to help in the cost of extending the infrastructure when
we reach out so far from our City limits.
Winston Dyer said that has been the City’s policy that the developer will extend the necessary
infrastructure out to serve their development. If that extension allows others along the way to also
develop, there is a mechanism for recapture of costs for the developer from others that will utilize that
line. The City also has a policy that allows connection outside the City boundaries. For several years
this was not permitted, but this was recently changed to allow this to happen. Those who want to do
this, do it at entirely their cost. They also run their own systems until the City eventually envelops
them.
Millie Andrus asked where the sewer lines end now. Winston Dyer pointed the services out on the
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map in the 12 West area.
Tom Luthy asked what the City’s thought was for South of Poleline Road. Winston Dyer pointed the
services out in this area.
Mary Haley asked how soon the City will meet capacity on the utility systems. Winston Dyer said the
City has lots of water rights. They don’t have the flow capability of taking water to everyone. They are
investigating a new well somewhere in the Southeast quadrant of the City. They have their capacity
now, and if they could get an additional well, they would be set up for 10 years or so. They might
consider a well in the Southwest quadrant also, depending on how much development how quickly.
The City is on a modular system, and they are building the next module this summer. There is
capability to extend modules to take care of everything for another 30 years.
Mary Haley asked why the City extended the impact area 300 feet to the south of Poleline Road.
Winston Dyer said the original idea was to have similar development on both sides of Poleline Road.
The idea sounds good in theory, but it limits what you can develop on 300 feet. The impact area
boundary cuts across almost every parcel along the road.
Mike Phillips asked who maintains the roads if they are shared by the City and County jurisdictions.
Winston Dyer said it has been a give and take situation in the past. Technically, each is responsible for
the roads in their own jurisdiction. However, there has always been an effort to coordinate the
maintenance of roads between the City and County.
Mike Ricks said a County road is 24 feet wide, and a City road is 36 to 40 feet wide. If you place the
impact area so it ends on a road, people on the County side of the road will build to County setbacks.
When the area is eventually incorporated into the City, you have a hard time getting the width for a City
road.
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Tom Luthy said maybe the County should reserve the right of way as a setback.
Thaine Robinson said he would hate to see buildings developed to different design standards on
either side of a road.
Tom Luthy said the County is looking at maybe adopting design standards.
Millie Andrus said 300 feet isn’t going to do very much as far as maintaining design standards on both
sides of the street.
The Commissioners discussed the Kartchner Homes subdivision and traffic issues on Highway 33.
They discussed future roads throughout the City.
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Millie Andrus said the impact area extends 300 feet past 14 North also. Gary Leikness said that was
a mapping error. He believes the impact area ends in the center of the road there.
Shauna Ringel asked if the City would be willing to take the impact area back to Poleline Road.
Thaine Robinson said we are going to have a lot of building going right to that road. He thinks we
would want to extend the impact area to a section line or something.
Mary Haley said we are seeing development in that area. She said we would have an issue with road
widths and design standards.
Tom Luthy said the County wants to be on the same page as the City, to a certain extent. They
actually discussed design standards at their last meeting. They would like to be considerate of the small
developers who do not have the funding to incorporate extensive design standards. He asked if the
City’s design standards apply only within City limits.
Winston Dyer said they were intended to apply within the impact area, but through a glitch, they were
never adopted by the County Commissioners. They have not been enforceable in the impact area. He
said they came to the County Planning & Zoning Commissioners before to ask that they recommend to
the County Commissioners that they adopt those standards in the impact area.
Troy Evans said they are still planning on doing that.
Tom Luthy asked if there is one design standard for the entire City, or if they differ from zone to
zone.
Winston Dyer said they are tailored to reflect the different zones, as well as sizes of buildings when it
gets to commercial.
Winston Dyer asked about the smaller communities south of Rexburg, and if they had given input on
how they want their communities to develop or be preserved. Tom Luthy said they had discussed
some possible mixed use in these areas.
Anthony Merrill said no matter where the impact area boundary line is, there will always be issues. He
would like to cut it clean, because it makes it easier to deal with. If the property owners would start to
sell their property along Poleline Road off for development, we could end up with too many accesses
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like we have on 2 East. If we draw the line at that road, we can restrict access as development occurs.
If we need to extend the boundary later, we can.
The Commissioners discussed surrounding communities.
Tom Luthy asked if the County adopted design standards and required setbacks to reserve road
widths, if the City be in favor of drawing the Impact Area boundary along the roads. He said the
County really wants to work with the City so the extended development looks natural.
Tom Luthy asked how the City works with “the little guys” when it comes to design standards. Gary
Leikness said Rexburg’s design standards really aren’t too burdensome. He has worked with a lot of
design standards in other areas, and Rexburg has taken a conservative approach to their design
standards. Other communities are much stricter.
Winston Dyer said we are always trying to balance the individual property rights with the greater good
of the community. This is why we have a Design Standards Review Committee. The standards are
black and white, but they don’t always apply in every situation. The committee allows a little give and
take in these situations. If you are going to be in development, especially in the commercial sector, you
need to step up and come to the bar, meet the standards, and fit in with the community.
Mike Phillips asked about the ADA requirements. Winston Dyer said the State has adopted the
ADA requirements, and the building department takes care of this part of building reviews.
Anthony Merrill said he thinks the design standards are a good idea, but he knows of a small business
that was forced out because they couldn’t afford to build because of the design standards. He hates to
see the design standards get too cost prohibitive, but he likes to see the buildings dressed up. It would
be nice if it carried out into the County on some of the commercial businesses.
Millie Andrus said she would like to avoid the situation of the Grand Teton Mall, and the traffic mess
it has created.
Winston Dyer said it is called corridor preservation. The transportation plan tries to identify where the
major traffic corridors are going to be. The planning commission and staff are always looking at
proposals that come in, trying to preserve those corridors.
Millie Andrus asked if we are thinking about where we would allow a huge development like a mall in
the future.
Winston Dyer said the Comprehensive Plan and the Preferred Land Use Map for the City designates
certain areas where we would want certain types of development and growth. The north interchange
will eventually be a regional shopping center of some kind. Some day our maps will say that. In the
near term, we have left it agriculture, so we are not committed too fast. We are not ready for that area
to develop, with the sprawl that would take place. When the time is right, and the right proposals come
in, we can make the necessary changes.
The Commissioners discussed this issue.
Ted Hill asked if there are any industrial zoned areas in the County, since there are no heavy industrial
zoned areas in the City.
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Tom Luthy said it would be nice to have the industrial where it will not affect homeowners. He said
they have talked about Teton maybe being the best place for industrial.
Mike Ricks said the community of Winder is mostly light industrial.
Dan Hanna said the City has a situation developing in respect to economic development, and that is
the airport. One of these days we are going to have to address where we are going to put an airport.
Winston Dyer said he would like to know what the commissioners would like to do with the impact
area boundaries on the west and south sides of Rexburg.
Tom Luthy asked if the County was able to adopt similar design standards and greater setbacks, if that
would be a tradeoff to move the boundary 300 feet back to Poleline Road.
Thaine Robinson said he is in agreement that if the County will create some design standards and
there is control there, we could give the 300 feet right back.
The Commissioners discussed possible new impact area boundary line locations.
Mike Phillips said the City should take care of the roads within their impact area.
Tom Luthy said if the impact area is pulled back to Poleline Road, the County should take care of
Poleline Road.
Mike Ricks said he doesn’t have a problem bringing the impact area boundary back to Poleline Road.
Anthony Merrill said if he were to build a spec house, he would build it by the new school. It makes
sense to expand the impact area boundary out to 3000 West, since this area is going to grow and
develop.
Tom Luthy said once we draw the boundary line, we should not cross it.
Winston Dyer said the Rexburg Planning & Zoning Commission is committed to observe these
boundary lines. If there is a need to adjust the boundary lines in the future, we should meet again to
discuss it.
Dan Hanna said he understands the need to infill within the City, but some property owners will not
sell at any price, to anyone. This forces developers to look elsewhere, and the City to expand. He
asked what the County’s policy is concerning subdivision development in the County.
Bradley Petersen said there is a market for residential lots in the County. We would be wrong to
ignore that, since we do represent the constituents of Madison County. There are problems to work
out with this, so our job is to find that balance.
Winston Dyer said a while back, we were really focused on our comprehensive plan map and our
development code, trying to get the right tools to be good planners. The way it all happened, we never
had time to plan anything. We would like to be better planners. We are here to work together to
develop a boundary line that will work for both of us.
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Millie Andrus asked what will prevent the City from expanding past the impact area boundary line
again.
Winston Dyer said we will try our best to encourage people to develop within our boundaries. If
someone comes with a reasonable, justifiable discussion about why our boundaries should be
expanded, we will meet together again to discuss the reasoning for adjusting the boundaries again.
Tom Luthy said economics will drive what will happen. But, we can draw a line for now.
Winston Dyer said this is our hope for getting away from developer driven growth.
The Commissioners decided to make a joint City/County motion on the issue.
Dean Peterson motioned to move the impact area boundary from the current location 300 feet back
to Poleline Road, then to follow Highway 20 down past Rainbow Lake to 2600 South, then over to
3000 west, and up to Highway 33, following Highway 33 back to the existing impact zone. Bradley
Petersen seconded the motion.
Those in favor: Those opposed:
Winston Dyer Josh Garner
Mike Phillips Dan Hanna
Dean Peterson Millie Andrus
Mike Ricks
Bradley Petersen
Anthony Merrill
Jan Merrell
Jolene Sutton
Mary Haley
Thaine Robinson
Tom Luthy
Ted Hill
Motion carried.
Dan Hanna said he believes the City needs the impact area south of Poleline Road.
Gary Leikness said he would develop a map showing these proposed adjustments for the City and
County to take to their elected officials.
Meeting was adjourned at 9:10 pm.
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