Residents press water, wildlife and traffic concerns as commission approves Arbor Estates preliminary plat

The Idaho Falls Planning and Zoning Commission approved the preliminary plat for Arbor Estates, a roughly 50‑acre subdivision proposed near Holmes Avenue and 65th South, after residents urged the commission to reduce density and address water, wildlife and traffic concerns.

The preliminary plat, presented by the applicant and engineering team, proposes about 128 lots with roughly 123 buildable lots and an average lot size near a quarter acre; staff reported the development would result in an overall density of about 2.54 units per acre, below the R‑1 zoning maximum. City staff recommended approval, noting the proposal is consistent with the comprehensive plan’s suburban transect and that required connectivity and stormwater infrastructure are shown in the submitted materials.

Why it matters: Neighbors said the project sits on productive agricultural land and could increase competition for scarce water resources and strain local wildlife habitat. Multiple speakers told the commission they bought properties on acreages out of concern for open space and the wildlife that uses it; they asked the…