The Planning and Zoning Commission in Blackfoot decided to not recommend the City Council to pass a proposal to rezone a portion of a land parcel from medium-density residential to commercial. On January 23, a crowd of residents and neighbors gathered at the City Council chambers to express their disapproval of the zone change. No one spoke in favor of the proposed change. The purpose of the zone change was to address a clerical error from 2018. In 2019, the city made several zone changes to carry out a planned development approach, which included rezoning the area under debate to commercial. However, the city realized the error in the zoning change process due to a public records request and acknowledged that it was not properly recorded or noticed to the public. The property in question belongs to Blackfoot Motor Sports, and the company was not represented at the public hearing.
Residents of the area voiced concerns about the potential impact of commercial development on their neighborhood. They emphasized the importance of preserving green spaces and expressed worries about noise, congestion, and changes in the neighborhood’s character. Additionally, they raised concerns about the possible decline in property values and the impact on the quality of life in the community. Some residents also expressed apprehensions about increased traffic and potential crime associated with commercial activities.
In response, the Planning and Zoning Administrator, Julie Conan, clarified that the area between Harborside Loop and Lilac Street was originally zoned as commercial before the changes in 2018, and a residential neighborhood was established there through a conditional-use permit. She assured the residents that the area being zoned as commercial would have no effect on their property taxes and that any business established in the area would need to comply with city ordinance standards to protect the surrounding land.
The residents contended that the Jensen Grove Greenbelt loop close to the property was an essential part of their community and emphasized that the Planning and Zoning Commission should carefully consider the impact on the neighborhood before making a decision.
