Pocatello commission validates South Fifth urban renewal plan as conforming to comprehensive plan

The Pocatello Planning and Zoning Commission on Oct. 8 validated that the proposed South Fifth Urban Renewal Area conforms to the City of Pocatello's comprehensive plan and authorized execution of Resolution 2025-1, advancing the Pocatello Development Authority's effort to use tax-increment financing to spur redevelopment in a largely underserved area.

Brent McClain, Planning and Development Services director for the City of Pocatello and executive director of the Pocatello Development Authority, told the commission, "We are the urban renewal agency for Pocatello, and we establish urban renewal districts, which are tax increment financing districts." He said the authority studied three candidate areas and selected the South Fifth area as the most ready to move forward because of underbuilt public infrastructure, aged and underused buildings, and developable parcels.

The nut of the proposal is to create a new urban renewal district to finance public infrastructure projects that…