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Rexburg council approves eligibility study for West Highway 20 urban renewal district
Summary
Council approved a staff‑presented urban renewal eligibility study for an approximately 840‑acre West Highway 20 area after a consultant said nine of the 15 statutory criteria were met; council discussion focused on street alignment, ownership fragmentation and project prioritization.
The Rexburg City Council on Tuesday approved a resolution accepting an eligibility study that would allow creation of an Urban Renewal District centered on a West Highway 20 study area.
Brad Kramer, the consultant who prepared the report, told the council the study area is roughly 840 acres and that he found 9 of the 15 state statutory criteria for urban renewal eligibility were met. "I found that 9 of the 15 were met," Kramer said, citing outmoded and defective street layouts, numerous highway access points creating safety conflicts, faulty lot layouts and diversity of ownership that would complicate redevelopment.
Kramer described particular traffic and pedestrian safety problems at the offset intersection of 12th and Main and an abundance of access points onto Highway 33 that create conflict points. He also noted the large canal and parcelization on the east side of 12th West as barriers that would increase public costs for needed widening and pedestrian facilities.
Kramer estimated the study area’s current assessed base value at about $28 million and said adding the district as proposed would keep the city’s total urban renewal base well under the statutory limit (roughly 4% of the city’s total assessed value, per Kramer’s presentation). Kramer noted the downtown district is nearing the end of its life, which will free additional capacity for future districts.
Council members asked about the potential for legislative changes to urban renewal law and the loss of eminent‑domain authority for urban renewal agencies. Kramer and staff said they were not aware of imminent changes and explained recent law limits agencies’ acquisition powers; the city would still need to work with property owners and could use tax increment financing to assist with right‑of‑way purchases.
After discussion on priorities, timing and whether projects would be city‑driven or developer‑led, the council moved and approved the resolution to accept the eligibility study (Resolution 2025‑12) by voice vote.
