GROWING TOGETHER

Join us at an upcoming public open house to review proposed documents, provide feedback, and ask questions. 

OCTOBER 2021

Staff will use this time to make revisions to the draft plan based on public feedback. Then on October 28 at 6:30 pm, there will be a joint workshop with the Planning & Zoning Commission and Board of County Commissioners to review the revised documents and ask questions of the staff. The joint workshop will be held in the public meeting room on the first floor of the County Administration Building, located at 111 N. 11th Ave. in Caldwell. The public is invited to attend and listen but no public comment will be accepted at the joint workshop. 

• October 28, 2021, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm: Planning & Zoning Commission/Board of County Commissioners Joint Workshop – Canyon County Administration Building Public Meeting Room, 111 N. 11th Ave., Suite 130, Caldwell, ID 83605

NOVEMBER 2021

• (TENTATIVE) November 10, 2021, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm: Planning & Zoning Hearing to recommend approval of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan – Canyon County Administration Building Public Meeting Room, 111 N. 11th Ave., Suite 130, Caldwell, ID 83605

DECEMBER 2021

• (TENTATIVE) December 8, 2021, 9:30 am – 11:30 am: Board of County Commissioners Hearing to consider adopting 2030 Comprehensive Plan – Commissioners Meeting Room, Canyon County Courthouse, 1115 Albany St., Caldwell, ID 83605

Do you have questions, concerns, suggestions, or compliments about the draft Comprehensive Plan? Email us at growingtogether@canyonco.org or fill out the comment form below. 

What is a comprehensive plan?

A Comprehensive Plan is an outline of the community’s vision for the future. As the name implies it takes a “comprehensive” look at the community’s past, present, and future. The plan incorporates residents, stakeholders, and leader’s views of how the community should develop in the future. It utilizes data, outlines community history, and sets aspirational goals for development. In addition to putting words to the community’s vision, it puts future residents, developers, and prospective businesses on notice for what this community is all about.

 Why do we need a Comprehensive Plan?

In the most practical sense, public officials need a written plan with specific goals action steps, to make decisions and prioritize funding for the public good. In theory and practice, the better the plan was crafted, the better the decisions will follow, and more efficient use of public resources will take place. In addition, a good plan with robust community buy-in will outlast public officials, and though new ones will be elected, and staff changes. A good plan will remain to guide them and keep them aligned with the community vision and on track for decision-making. Comprehensive Plans are THE plan, with a trickle-down effect on zoning codes, economic development, public finance, capital improvement plans, downtown revitalization, neighborhood plans, recreation, and a multitude of other decision-making tools. In addition, Comprehensive Plans can act as a basis to leverage more resources for the community, such as for grant requests, and attracting new partners for development.

Because of the absolute essential nature of Comprehensive plans, they are required by Idaho Statute. Which requires the following components be included in the analysis.

1. Property Rights
2. Population
3. Economic Development
4. Natural Resources
5. Hazardous Areas
6. Public Services, Facilities, and Utilities
7. Transportation
8. Recreation
9. Housing
10. Community Design
11. Agriculture
12. Implementation
13. National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors
14. Public Airport Facilities
15. Plus any additional components the Community needs to add

What is a Future land use designation?

The future land use designation is an area of the county where a specific set of uses has been identified to make the most sense to be located.  This is based on the availability of public services, special features, historic uses, environmental constraints, infrastructure, the vision of the county, and other criteria. Designations are by category, such as this area is generally appropriate for residential development, while the zoning districts outline the specific density and allowed uses (such as a 1-acre minimum lot size).

How does a Future land use designation affect my property?

A future land use designation provides an indication of what kind of development you can expect in your area in the future. What is on the ground and what is designated on the map can be different. Some areas of the county still look like agricultural areas but may actually be designated for industrial, commercial, or residential development, conversely, there may be areas that are residential but designated agriculture. Land use designation primarily affects your property when you want to change uses. If your property is in an area designated for agriculture, but you want to subdivide the property into residential lots, then it will be more difficult to meet the criteria to change uses.   Land use designations can act as a protective shield, such as to maintain agricultural areas for agricultural uses and limit encroachment of residential developments. Conversely, it can encourage development by letting property owners know that a particular area is slated for residential development.

In August 2021, Development Services hosted Professor Tom Daniels to speak about agricultural preservation techniques (see video of the presentation below). Some techniques have been referenced in the new Comprehensive Plan 2030 policies. Further discussion of this topic and implementing ordinances are expected to follow after the Comprehensive Plan is adopted. Yo

Tom Daniels is a Professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania where teaches courses on Land Use Planning, Growth Management, and Land Preservation. He is the senior author of The Small Town Planning Handbook, Holding Our Ground: Protecting America’s Farms and Farmland, and The Law of Agricultural Land Preservation in the United States. From 1989 to 1998, Tom managed the farmland preservation program in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where he also lives. Tom holds a B.A. in Economics from Harvard University, a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from the University of Newcastle, UK, and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Oregon State University.