Lewiston approves agricultural‑land declaration and zoning clearance; commissioners schedule attorney training and general‑plan review

The Lewiston Planning and Zoning Commission on Feb. 5 approved an agricultural‑land declaration for a one‑acre house parcel associated with the Allen F. Smith Family Trust and granted a zoning clearance for a second building at a Sun City Properties site in the Lewiston City Business Park.

Owner Allen (Alan) Smith described the request: he and his wife are buying the house on a triangular piece near the school and asked the commission to record an agricultural‑land declaration for the one‑acre lot so the lender would accept the parcel configuration. Smith identified the house location as 340 East Center during discussion. The commission member moved to approve the Ag‑Land declaration on the Allen F. Smith Family Trust parcel; the motion passed by voice vote.

Later on the agenda, Kelly Daniels of Sun City Properties presented a plan to build a second building on the back half of a two‑acre parcel in the Lewiston City Business Park. Daniels said the total parcel is two acres and that the back half would be roughly one acre. He described the proposed structure as primarily a warehouse with minimal office space and said the new building would be nearly identical in height to the existing building but 70 feet deep rather than 60. Daniels provided a footprint figure for the existing building of about 7,800 square feet with second‑floor office space. A planning member moved to approve zoning clearance for the second building; another member seconded and the motion passed by voice vote. Staff noted Daniels will still pursue any required building permits and conditional‑use clearances through the building-permit process.

The commission also welcomed a new planning‑commission member, Jake, and the chair said the new member will need an hour of required training before participating in votes. Commissioners agreed to schedule city‑attorney Seth Tate to attend the next meeting to provide training and asked members to submit questions in advance; commission members noted the city pays the attorney’s time for the session. The chair said the commission needs to prioritize work on the city’s general plan and discussed exploring state funding and consultant help for an update, noting that state grants for general‑plan work require application and are limited.

The commission approved the January meeting minutes earlier in the session and adjourned after the business items.

No council votes were taken at this meeting and no ordinance texts were introduced; the items approved at this session were ministerial land‑use clearances and an ag‑land declaration for recordation.