Planning commission approves 5-lot Commerce Center short plat on 16.4 acres

The Nampa Planning and Zoning Commission on June 24 approved a preliminary and final short plat to divide 16.4 acres at 15918 Star Road into five lots for commercial/warehouse development.

The decision clears the way for the applicant to widen Star Road, install utilities and move forward with building permits for two initial buildings; the commission approved the plat after staff and the applicant said the required public improvements and design-review obligations for GB-1 zoned property will be met before occupancy.

The plat covers 16.4 acres east of the Amazon distribution center on the south side of Franklin Road and was presented by David Bailey of Bailey Engineering. Bailey said the request is for five lots with industrial-warehouse buildings and that “we are asking for an approval of a preliminary and a and a final plat” so the developer can record the plat and proceed with permits. Planning director Rodney Ashby reminded the commission that the property is zoned GB-1 and “the land uses will have to still follow our GB-1 land uses in title 10 chapter 3, section 2,” including later design review under the development agreement.

Staff reported that the short plat is substantially consistent with the prior annexation and development agreement, and that engineering, fire and the Nampa Meridian Irrigation District submitted standard conditions; staff recommended approval with those conditions. Commissioners asked about a traffic-triggered intersection improvement at Robinson and Flamingo; engineering staff and the applicant said the condition was identified in the project’s traffic impact study and that the stop-control requirement is triggered later in the development, after occupancy of the final building.

After public testimony from the applicant team, the commission closed the hearing and voted to approve the short plat. The approval includes the standard engineering, fire-district and irrigation-district conditions identified in staff’s report; the plat will require construction drawings for the Star Road improvements and utility work before recording and building permit issuance.

Commissioners and staff noted that landscape and parking details will be reviewed at building-permit stage, that open space is not required for short plats and that the GB-1 standards and the development agreement govern final design.

Details that remain: the developer must complete Star Road widening and utility extensions, submit final landscape plans at permit stage, and coordinate any utility relocations with Lumen and irrigation land-use changes with Nampa Meridian Irrigation District. The commission’s approval was based on staff findings that the plat “complies or substantially complies” with applicable city codes and the development agreement.