Council authorizes mayor to negotiate open-space land trade with developer to improve access to city-owned hospital parcel

The Preston City Council authorized the mayor to negotiate an agreement in principle with developer Tony Crockett to exchange land (approximately seven acres referenced by the developer) to satisfy an open-space requirement, and to realign a segment of the major street plan so Fourth East would line up with Brookside Drive and provide access to a city-owned parcel formerly owned by the hospital.

City planner Sean Alverson showed maps and said the proposal would square up the city's hospital property and create a roadway alignment that improves visibility and intersection geometry where Fourth East meets the highway. Alverson recommended the council approve the concept and allow the mayor to negotiate the written agreement subject to several conditions, including Idaho Transportation Department approval for any highway connection, alignment of the major street plan, completion of the Fourth East right of way to the southern edge of the city's property and execution of a full transfer when the project commences.

Developer Tony Crockett said the exchange would help the city achieve access to its property and speed potential park or other public uses; he described the request as a first step to allow him to invest in detailed preliminary plats and engineering. Crockett said the concept is to construct new streets (200 West, 300 West and 400 West in his plan) and deliver land that would help the city develop the hospital parcel.

Council members asked questions about density, open space, and water infrastructure. Crockett said lots in the proposed subdivision would comply with the city's zoning (R-2 with a 10,000-square-foot minimum lot) and estimated the concept would yield roughly 110 to 125 homes in the labeled area; he also noted some adjacent townhouse projects and other future phases are separately planned. Councilmembers asked staff to complete a water model to confirm pressure and capacity before final approvals. Councilmember Chris Larson said he supports the concept because it addresses access concerns for the city parcel; others noted that access approval from ITD is a required condition.

The council approved a motion authorizing the mayor to negotiate an agreement and to return the final written agreement to the council for approval. The motion included the staff-suggested conditions and requires final plat and PNZ review before any land transfer is finalized.