The Rexburg City Council on Nov. 18 adopted ordinance 13-40, an amendment to the City Development Code to allow sky bridges spanning public streets as conditional-use projects subject to engineering, safety and design conditions.

Planning staff described the change as narrowly targeted to sky bridges that would encroach over public right-of-way. The ordinance sets a minimum clearance of about 16 feet 6 inches for equipment and visibility of traffic controls, limits sky-bridge width to between 8 and 14 feet, requires safety glazing and containment for falling snow and water, bans signage on the structure and makes each proposal subject to a conditional-use permit so the council and planning staff can evaluate location-specific impacts.

Planning staff said the proposed code borrows elements from other municipalities (staff consulted Boise and Utah examples), and the city attorney adjusted terms to protect the city’s right to remove or revoke encroachments if conditions are violated. Council discussed snow shedding, sight lines for potential future stoplights, compatibility with adjacent residential areas and the need for engineering and building-code compliance.

Because planning staff had no recorded opposition at Planning & Zoning, the council voted to suspend the rules for expedited consideration, took a roll-call vote to suspend, and then approved ordinance 13-40 on third reading.

The ordinance allows sky bridges only where they span public streets and requires a conditional-use permit to evaluate compatibility, safety and location-specific concerns before construction.