Garden City council amends comprehensive plan to include Ada County impact-fee studies; fees not adopted

Garden City’s council voted unanimously Oct. 27 to amend the city’s comprehensive plan to incorporate Ada County’s capital improvement plans and three impact-fee studies covering the coroner, the jail and emergency medical services.

Planning staff member Jenna summarized the proposal as a first step: "Tonight is the first step in adopting the Ada County capital improvements plans and impact fee studies as impact fees for the city," she said, and she emphasized that adding the studies to the comprehensive plan would not itself adopt the fees.

Legal counsel identified the implementing document as Resolution 1224-25, which makes two textual changes to the comprehensive plan: an update on page 3 noting the plan was revised on Oct. 27, 2025, and an insertion on page 81 to add the three Ada County studies. Counsel recommended approval, saying the draft resolution amends only the comprehensive plan and that the ordinances and intergovernmental agreements needed to collect any fees will follow.

Council member Jacobs asked whether logistics, including who collects fees, would be in the ordinance or a separate agreement. Counsel responded that collection and administration will be handled through separate intergovernmental agreements (JPAs or MOUs) between Garden City and Ada County.

Councilors then opened and closed the public hearing with no public testimony and voted by roll call; the motion to adopt CPA FY2025-0002 and Resolution 1224-25 passed unanimously.

Staff and consultant materials in the meeting packet also note that staff did not perform an independent accuracy analysis of the consultant-recommended fee amounts; any final fee amount would be set later when ordinances are drafted and adopted.