Garden City council adopts comp plan amendment to incorporate Ada County capital-improvement plans; fee adoption left for later
November 12, 2025 | Garden City, Ada County, Idaho
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Garden City’s City Council unanimously approved a comprehensive-plan amendment Monday to incorporate Ada County’s capital-improvement plans and three impact-fee studies — coroner, jail and emergency medical services — into the city’s comprehensive plan.
Planner Jenna and city staff told the council that the action before them was the first step: adopting the county plans and fee studies into the comprehensive plan. Staff emphasized that incorporation of the studies does not itself adopt the impact fees. Any actual fee ordinances and the logistics for collecting fees would be handled later by separate ordinances and intergovernmental agreements with Ada County, staff said.
City legal staff reviewed the statutory framework and recommended approval of Resolution 1224-25, which makes two targeted amendments to the comprehensive plan (noted in the packet). The staff memo accompanying the packet explained the amendment would update the plan’s date and add the three Ada County studies to the comp plan’s relevant pages.
Council members asked logistical and legal questions before the vote. One councilor asked who would collect and administer fees; staff responded those operational details will be laid out in future joint agreements (JPAs or MOUs) between Garden City and Ada County. Another councilor asked whether state statute expressly authorizes coroner fees as impact fees; staff and the county representative said they believe the studies fit the statute and noted Meridian has previously raised the issue.
After the public hearing produced no public testimony, Council President moved to approve CPA FY2025-0002 and Resolution 1224-25; the motion was seconded and approved on a roll-call vote with all members recorded in favor.
The council’s action amends the comprehensive plan to reference the county capital-improvement plans and the three impact-fee studies; it does not implement any fee schedule or collection mechanism. Staff will return with the draft ordinances and proposed intergovernmental agreements if and when the council elects to adopt fees.
Planner Jenna and city staff told the council that the action before them was the first step: adopting the county plans and fee studies into the comprehensive plan. Staff emphasized that incorporation of the studies does not itself adopt the impact fees. Any actual fee ordinances and the logistics for collecting fees would be handled later by separate ordinances and intergovernmental agreements with Ada County, staff said.
City legal staff reviewed the statutory framework and recommended approval of Resolution 1224-25, which makes two targeted amendments to the comprehensive plan (noted in the packet). The staff memo accompanying the packet explained the amendment would update the plan’s date and add the three Ada County studies to the comp plan’s relevant pages.
Council members asked logistical and legal questions before the vote. One councilor asked who would collect and administer fees; staff responded those operational details will be laid out in future joint agreements (JPAs or MOUs) between Garden City and Ada County. Another councilor asked whether state statute expressly authorizes coroner fees as impact fees; staff and the county representative said they believe the studies fit the statute and noted Meridian has previously raised the issue.
After the public hearing produced no public testimony, Council President moved to approve CPA FY2025-0002 and Resolution 1224-25; the motion was seconded and approved on a roll-call vote with all members recorded in favor.
The council’s action amends the comprehensive plan to reference the county capital-improvement plans and the three impact-fee studies; it does not implement any fee schedule or collection mechanism. Staff will return with the draft ordinances and proposed intergovernmental agreements if and when the council elects to adopt fees.
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