CDS annual report: Idaho Falls says permitting times are improving, targets housing diversity and a Snake River buffer

Community Development Services Director Sanner told the Idaho Falls City Council on Dec. 8 that the department is meeting many of the council’s priorities — improving permitting turnaround, expanding housing choices and advancing park and river planning — while managing a tight budget and a small staff.

Sanner reported that the department’s average plan-review time is about two weeks and commercial reviews often occur in about 10 days. “Our inspections are occurring within 24 hours,” he said, while acknowledging isolated cases where staffing constraints can extend an inspection to 48 hours. On site-plan reviews Sanner said the department typically reaches a fourth review and described an internal “circle the wagons” policy to resolve projects that require extra attention.

On housing, Sanner presented demographic and housing-stock data showing steady growth — “we're adding about 1,300 people to our community every year” — rising home values and limited affordable options for lower-income households. He said the city's zoning remains weighted toward single-family detached housing (about 46.2% of zoning acreage) and described a strategy of selectively deregulating where appropriate, encouraging mixed-use and missing-middle housing types and directing higher-density projects toward areas with existing infrastructure such as the river corridor.

Assistant Planning Director Kerry Buetler and Chief Building Official Cody Gordon joined the presentation. Buetler said the planning division is actively recruiting for one vacancy (48 applicants, a shortlist of 12 and eight interviewees to date) and is both conducting long-range planning and handling 60–65 active short-range projects at a typical workload. Gordon said the building division is fully staffed with 11 employees, uses International Code Council standards for most codes and NFPA for electrical, and recently hosted a contractor training with 73 registrants.

Sanner said the department is working with Bonneville County on a memorandum of understanding that would preserve a 75-foot buffer along the Snake River, mirroring the county’s existing setback. Legal review and edits are underway and staff expect additional council briefings as the MOU and any zoning or overlay options are developed in 2026 or as part of the 2027 budget process.

Council members raised questions about form-based code, protections for established neighborhoods, traffic studies for large developments (required when a project generates more than 100 peak-hour trips), impact fees and the limits of municipal authority when schools — a state entity — must respond separately to growth.

Sanner closed by outlining next steps: finalize the planner recruitment, continue tracking permit-review metrics, advance park standards research, and return with more detailed proposals for river planning once the MOU and zoning evaluation are complete.