Pocatello council adopts South 5th Avenue urban renewal plan and intergovernmental agreement with Bannock County

Mayor opened a public hearing on the South 5th Avenue urban renewal plan and invited presentation by Megan Conrad, an attorney with Elam & Burke. Conrad said the proposed multi-jurisdictional revenue-allocation area is roughly bounded by Union Pacific tracks, Barton Road and the Pocatello foothills, bisected by I‑15 and South 5th Avenue. She described the statutory framework under Idaho Code chapters 20 and 29 and explained key plan elements, including a 10% valuation limitation test, an economic feasibility study, and a 20‑year termination date (plan year 2025 with termination in 2045 and final receipts in 2046).

Conrad told the council the plan’s undiscounted projected revenue available for projects over the life of the district is $52,400,000 and that projected, escalated project costs total roughly $44,000,000. She said the plan assumes conservative revenue projections that exclude fire and EMS levies unless those districts adopt resolutions consenting to participate; the county had been asked to sign a transfer-of-powers ordinance and, per staff, had executed the intergovernmental agreement where present. "These revenues have been projected in our economic feasibility study and are intended to support phased public infrastructure investments, including sewer extensions that are critical to development," Conrad said.

Council members asked for clarification on priorities, interjurisdictional coordination, and whether written correspondence had been received from overlapping taxing districts. PDA executive director Brett McClain and Conrad confirmed sewer extensions are a Phase 1 priority, that the county executed the transfer where commissioners were present, and that no additional written correspondence had been filed with the clerk’s office for this hearing.

A resident, Steven Adams, asked about prior grant losses tied to sewer work and whether the city had appealed or sought new grants; staff said the grant appeals and reconsideration requests were underway but noted that grant matters are separate from the urban renewal designation process. After public testimony and council discussion, the mayor closed the hearing.

Council President moved to adopt a resolution accepting the intergovernmental agreement with Bannock County and to accept the urban renewal plan; the motion was seconded and passed on roll-call vote. The council then read and placed on final passage an ordinance approving the South 5th Avenue urban renewal plan, which includes revenue allocation financing provisions and required transmittals to county, state and affected taxing districts.

What this means: If established, the urban renewal plan creates a revenue-allocation district intended to reinvest tax increment revenue in public infrastructure within the plan boundaries over a 20-year lifespan. Key next steps include coordination with overlapping taxing districts, implementation of eligible project funding, and monitoring of any taxing-district consents (notably fire and EMS) that would affect which levies contribute to increment.