Nampa council affirms conditional use permit for Tractor Supply distribution center; denies neighbor appeal

At a special Nampa City Council meeting, the council denied an appeal and affirmed the Planning and Zoning Commission pproval of a conditional use permit allowing above-ground storage of flammable and combustible liquids at a Tractor Supply distribution center, voting 5-1.

The vote upheld the city staff and commission finding that the proposed flammable-storage design and site mitigations meet the city—ode conditions for a conditional use permit. The primary issues raised during the hour-plus of public testimony were the quantity and handling of hazardous liquids, whether notice language was accurate, and the potential effects on nearby residences and schools.

Appellant Emil Antoine, a nearby resident who filed the appeal, told council the meeting notice and staff report used weaker wording than the zoning code and that the community was not given clear notice. Antoine argued the conditional use permit (CUP) should be overturned because the volumes and types of materials requested exceed the thresholds in Nampa City Code 10-19-3(b) and are incompatible with the adjacent residential neighborhood. Antoine cited specific quantities he said were proposed and asked council to return the matter to the Planning and Zoning Commission for stricter conditions. He said, in part, that "materials covered by the CUP are not always…