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Council approves eligibility reports for Riverside, Riverwalk and first amendment to River Commons urban renewal plan
Summary
The council approved eligibility reports for two proposed urban renewal districts (Riverside and Riverwalk) and approved a first amendment to the existing River Commons urban renewal plan to deannex two parcels so part of the area can be included in a proposed new district.
The Idaho Falls City Council on July 10 approved eligibility reports for the proposed Riverside and Riverwalk urban renewal districts and also adopted a first amendment to the existing River Commons urban renewal plan to deannex certain parcels for inclusion in a new district.
Brad Kramer of Perspective Planning and Consulting presented eligibility studies that test the areas against the state's statutory criteria for urban renewal. Kramer said Riverside's eligibility largely stems from historic gravel extraction, stockpiles of debris, poor connectivity, topography and infrastructure shortcomings along Milligan Road; the study found multiple statutory criteria met, including deterioration, defective layout, topography and economic underdevelopment.
On Riverwalk, Kramer said the analysis identified shallow rock (basalt) and an exposed deep pit as key constraints to development on several Taylor Crossing parcels; the study found the area met criteria tied to unsuitable topography, unsafe conditions and economic underuse but not many of the other statutory criteria. Because the state statute requires only one qualifying criterion, Kramer concluded the Riverwalk sites are eligible.
City attorney Megan Conrad summarized the first amendment to the River Commons plan: the amendment deannexes two areas (parcel A and parcel B) totaling about 52-plus acres from River Commons and updates plan maps and legal descriptions. She and Kramer explained the amendment does not change the existing plan's termination date; it is a short-form amendment to remove the parcels and includes a supplemental economic feasibility analysis of the revenue effect.
Kramer reported the economic analysis shows the deannexation would reduce River Commons district revenues by roughly $21,000 over the remaining life of the district (about $5,000 per year over roughly five remaining years) and would reduce potential funds for future public projects by about $5,000; the analysis concluded the deannexation would not significantly impair the district's ability to meet existing promissory-note obligations.
Councilors asked how inclusion/exclusion affects parks (Heritage Park) and county/state reporting; staff said parks remain untaxed properties and inclusion in a boundary does not limit parks operations but only offers boundary flexibility for future public project funding. Legal counsel clarified that deannexation for a pre-2016 plan does not trigger a base reset under Idaho statute and that amendments to deannex parcels can proceed without resetting base valuations.
The council approved the eligibility resolutions for Riverside and Riverwalk and approved the ordinance adopting the first amendment to the River Commons plan under suspension of rules; each action passed on roll-call votes.
