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Caldwell staff propose landscaping, parking and sign code revisions; EV parking requirement struck to comply with state law
Summary
City staff presented wide‑ranging updates to landscaping, parking and sign regulations intended to align code with the comprehensive plan, reduce water demand, and improve streetscapes. A recently passed state law prompted staff to remove city EV‑parking requirements from the draft.
City of Caldwell planning staff proposed multiple code changes affecting landscaping, parking and signage that staff said are intended to align the zoning code with the recently adopted comprehensive plan and modern planning practice.
On signage, Joe Dodson said staff updated the sign code to be content‑neutral, citing planning case law, and proposed to prohibit freestanding pole signs in favor of monument signs. Dodson noted the draft consolidates off‑premise signage into a single billboard category and would permit billboards only within 500 feet of the interstate. He told council that existing permitted signs and permits in place would be grandfathered: "Anybody that's got their even their permit in by now, they will be grandfathered in with the current regulations," Dodson said.
Staff described multiple landscaping changes: projects triggering new landscaping requirements were clarified (examples included a 25% or 1,000‑square‑foot threshold), projects under 2 acres would not always require a landscape architect, and the code would require that 75% of required trees and shrubs be rated low or moderate water use. The draft reduces minimum turf requirements from 70% to a 20% minimum (with a 50% maximum) to encourage drought‑tolerant plantings, and allows limited use of water‑wise landscaping in industrial areas where irrigation is impractical. To reduce heat gain and improve aesthetics, staff proposed a minimum 5‑foot buffer around perimeter parking areas and a requirement that open space and major amenities be constructed in the first two development phases rather than deferred to late phases.
Parking standards were simplified in the draft land‑use tables: a general baseline of one parking space per 500 square feet for nonresidential uses and one per 2,000 square feet for industrial uses. Multifamily parking would be calculated by bedroom mix rather than a flat per‑unit ratio, and the draft adds a 1:10 guest parking requirement. An example shown by staff projected a roughly 25% increase in baseline parking for a sample multifamily project under the proposed rules compared with the existing code.
Staff also told the council that a recent legislative change removed local authority to require electric vehicle parking infrastructure; as a result, the EV‑parking section was removed from the draft to comply with state law. Joe Dodson said the change forced staff to strike that entire section.
Ending
Staff said the changes aim to reduce water use, improve streetscapes, and better match parking supply to actual demand. Councilors asked for more detail on plant lists and how the new buffers would be enforced; staff pointed to commonly used regional resources for trees and offered to work with developers on acceptable shrub and grass choices.
