Bannock County explains smaller Lava Hot Springs area of impact as residents warn of annexation risk

Bannock County commissioners and staff held a public hearing on proposed revisions to the area of city impact for the City of Lava Hot Springs, explaining that the county and the city negotiated smaller, more targeted boundaries and that no formal annexation will occur as a result of the map change.

The change reflects an effort to shrink the area of impact originally drawn 20–30 years ago so that the city’s designated area aligns more closely with where the city expects to be able to provide services and annex within a five-year horizon, county staff said.

The topic attracted several members of the public who said the language and the prospect of annexation left them concerned about notification, local codes and whether implied-consent annexation could convert their county properties into city territory.

“ What scares me in the verbiage of that form or letter that I got was the high likelihood that I'm gonna be annexed into the city in the next 5 years. I am terrified of that,” said Casey Craig, a resident who spoke during public testimony. Craig urged neighbors to organize if an annexation notice is later filed.

Property owner Kirby Paganato said he owns about 10.5 acres next to the city and that he has disconnected from city services after prior annexation efforts. “I have been fighting annexation for the last 5 years now,” Paganato said. He said the arena he operates was rezoned in 2021 to an agricultural conditional use to allow recreational events but that recent permitting questions had arisen because his parcel is adjacent to the area of impact.

Commissioner Bullock, speaking during the hearing, framed the county’s role: he said the county has clarified planning and zoning authority for unincorporated areas and emphasized that the county—not the city—retains governing authority outside the city limits. “If you're outside the city limits, that who has the authority and that's who you go to,” Bullock said, describing the county’s goal as keeping jurisdictional lines clear.

Residents raised several specific questions that staff answered during the hearing. County staff said the county’s area-of-impact agreement with Lava Hot Springs is an intergovernmental planning agreement and does not replace county ordinances or the county comprehensive plan. Staff also said a typical city development agreement would apply only when a property connects to city water and sewer; without connection, the county said, a city development agreement would not be triggered.

Megan Reno, who said she has family businesses in the impact area, asked whether any other agreements with the city would change which codes apply to a property. A county representative replied that development agreements are tied to connection to city services and that, if a parcel does not connect, the county code remains controlling.

Lisa Tolley, a long‑time landowner in the area, sought clarification about whether a city ordinance could supersede the county's comprehensive plan and whether property owners would be notified of changes; staff reiterated that the area-of-impact agreement is not a replacement for statewide statute or county ordinances and advised residents to follow up with planning staff for details.

Several county officials invited residents with concerns to meet one-on-one after the hearing so staff could explain the proposed map and what it would mean for specific parcels. A staff member directed Casey Craig and others to the planning office at 5500 South Fifth for follow-up discussions to review individual parcel status and notification history.

No formal vote to change the area of impact was recorded during the hearing. After public testimony closed, commissioners discussed jurisdiction and interpretation questions raised by speakers, and a motion to adjourn the meeting was made and approved.

The county recommended that property owners consult planning staff about parcel-specific status, and that those worried about annexation monitor for any future annexation notices from the City of Lava Hot Springs, which would be a separate legal process from the area-of-impact agreement.