Soda Springs planning commission weighs Area of Impact change and code updates on floodplains and PUD language

At a March 10, 2026 meeting, the Soda Springs Planning and Zoning Commission discussed a county-led review of the city's Area of Impact and identified several municipal code sections that staff should research and bring back for revision.

Chairman Charles Fryar said he and a council member attended a county meeting where officials reviewed the AOI after recent state Supreme Court rulings and other policy changes prompted concerns about legal exposure. Fryar said county staff examined infrastructure feasibility — notably whether water and sewer could be extended — and declined to shift the AOI east because of constraints posed by the railroad; they instead considered moving it south. Fryar said any change would require a public hearing before the commission and further presentation to the council.

Resident Burke Hibbert told the commission he was concerned his property could be included if AOI lines moved and asked why landowners had not been notified. Hibbert also asked whether the city would assume plowing responsibility for Gunnell Road if the AOI changed; Fryar replied that road maintenance would remain a county responsibility. Hibbert said a large rock reef in the area makes extending utilities difficult and said he favors keeping larger lot sizes along Gunnell Road to preserve utility feasibility.

The commission then shifted to a broader, staff-requested review of city code chapters 12, 14, 15 and 16. Clerk Melissa McDowell identified Chapter 12.28.070 (Number Assignments) as outdated because the county now assigns house numbers; she recommended clarifying who holds that authority in the text. McDowell also suggested modernizing phrasing in Chapter 17.62.110 (Planned Unit Development) by replacing dated references such as "cable TV" with broader terms like "communication lines" to preserve flexibility for future technologies.

City Attorney Tom Smith cautioned against removing existing language unless the commission identified a clear problem, noting that changes to longstanding code language deserve careful review. Vice Chairman Lori Anne Lau asked whether the PUD provision had been used in recent decades; the commission did not identify recent use and discussed whether retention, amendment or removal is appropriate.

Commissioners also reviewed Code 17.60.090 (floodplain compliance). Lau noted the code appears to cite a floodplain map dating to 1987 and asked whether a more current map exists and whether the city faces flood risk. Chairman Fryar said his knowledge places the only local floodplain in nearby Bancroft. Attorney Smith added that mortgage companies commonly require flood insurance for properties in designated floodplains. Commissioner Simmons suggested updating the code reference to FEMA rather than the Federal Insurance Administration; Clerk McDowell was asked to research current floodplain mapping and report back.

Fryar suggested the commission examine Chapter 14 at its next meeting and Lau agreed, noting Chapter 14 might be the appropriate place to consider regulations for tiny homes. The commission did not make any binding code changes at the March 10 meeting; Fryar said the AOI matter will require a public hearing before any boundary adjustment can be adopted.

The commission approved its Feb. 10, 2026 minutes by voice vote and later voted to adjourn. The meeting record shows motions carried "all in favor."