Commission backs Sage Lakes PUD despite widespread resident opposition over traffic and neighborhood character

The Idaho Falls Planning and Zoning Commission on Oct. 7 voted to recommend to City Council approval of the Sage Lakes planned unit development, a large mixed‑residential proposal that would add 246 townhomes and about 74 single‑family lots on roughly 21.7 acres in the Fairway Estates/Sage Lakes area.

The applicant’s representative, who identified himself as Jared (the applicant’s firm and Visionary Homes were cited during the presentation), said the PUD was designed to be a “higher‑standard” alternative to conventional R‑2 development and that the plan reduces achievable density compared with what an R‑2 build‑out could allow. Jared told the commission the project proposes an overall density of about 11 units per acre, 25% minimum open space, sidewalks, trail connections and amenities including two playgrounds, a dog park and a pavilion. He said the project is largely consistent with the city’s ImagineIF comprehensive plan priorities for walkable, infill and mixed housing types.

Why it matters: The proposal would significantly increase the number of housing units in an area of the city that residents say currently lacks nearby grocery, school and other daily services. Opponents said the site is car‑dependent, that streets and nearby Highway 50 (Fifth East) already carry heavy traffic, and that the nearby elementary school and local utilities might be strained.

Public comment: traffic, water and neighborhood character

Dozens of residents turned out to oppose the project or ask for conditions. Common concerns included pedestrian safety and increased car trips on narrow local roads and on Fifth East; fears about water‑pressure drops; the potential for increased demand on Westside Elementary and other schools; the loss of existing informal open space used by neighbors; and the fear that the townhome units would be bought by investors and rented rather than owner‑occupied.

Speakers included area residents who described walking and dog‑walking on the vacant land and said they value the current open feel. “We walked the open land…[it’s] one of the few nearby areas where families and dog walkers can safely share space,” said resident Austin Carter. Several neighbors urged the commission to delay action until after the upcoming municipal election so newly elected officials could weigh in.

Applicant and staff responses

The applicant and City staff both presented a traffic impact study prepared for the project. The study evaluated two intersections and projected levels of service (LOS) under existing conditions and after full build‑out. The study showed the assessed intersections remain at acceptable LOS thresholds (city policy generally treats LOS D as the minimum acceptable standard); build‑out projections produced A/B/C results across evaluated intersections. The applicant also noted the project will build infrastructure — including a bridge and Sage Lakes Boulevard improvements already under construction — and that pressurized irrigation will be installed for landscape irrigation rather than pulling from culinary water.

Staff noted the project was annexed and zoned R‑2 and R‑3A before many surrounding homes were built, and staff recommended approval because the plan meets PUD standards, provides open space and amenities, and results in a lower density than the maximum permitted in the R‑2 zoning district.

Commission decision and next steps

Following deliberation the commission voted to recommend approval of the Sage Lakes PUD to City Council. Commissioners who supported approval cited compliance with the comprehensive plan, the project’s amenity and open‑space commitments, the planned infrastructure improvements and the developer’s reductions in achievable density compared with by‑right R‑2 build‑out. Commissioners who opposed or voted against cited the volume of resident opposition, traffic and school impacts and concerns over neighborhood character.

The recommendation advances the project to the City Council for final consideration and conditions. The applicant will continue engineering and utility reviews; any required roadway turn lanes, utility upgrades and final platting will be addressed during remaining review steps.

Ending: The Sage Lakes PUD illuminated a broader tension in Idaho Falls’ growth strategy: residents pressed for local services, lower traffic, and preservation of neighborhood character, while the city and developer emphasized supply, infrastructural upgrades and meeting projected housing needs.