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minutes meeting date 2026-04-23 · fetched 2026-09-17 · 6817 characters · read by OCR, check numbers against the source · official file · plain text
CITY OF CITY OF POCATELLO, IDAHO SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL TOWN HALL MEETING APRIL 23, 2026 AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: ROLL CALL Council President Corey Mangum called the Special City Council Town Hall meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Other Council members present were Dakota Bates, Brent Nichols, Hayden Paulsen, Stacy Satterfield and Ann Swanson. Mayor Mark Dahlquist was excused. AGENDA ITEM NO: 2: PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS: Brent McLane, Planning and Development Services Director, provided a presentation regarding the City’s Planning and Development processes, including zoning, permitting, subdivision procedures and opportunities for public participation. Mr. McLane reviewed the City’s Comprehensive Plan, adopted in July 2023 following approximately two and one-half years of development and extensive public input. He explained that the Comprehensive Plan serves as the foundation for planning decisions and reflects the community’s vision for future growth and development. Presentation topics included: Future Land Use Map Zoning Map and zoning district designations Commercial building and business development processes Site plan review procedures Building permit application process Subdivision procedures, including preliminary plats, final plats, and short plats Public hearing and public notice requirements Opportunities for public participation throughout the planning and development process Mr. McLane explained that the City currently has eleven (11) zoning districts and that zoning requirements are determined by the zoning map and applicable ordinances. He encouraged applicants to participate in the site plan review process prior to submitting applications in order to better understand City requirements and receive feedback from multiple departments. The subdivision review process, including preliminary and final plat procedures, was discussed in detail. Mr. McLane explained that preliminary plats involve public hearings and opportunities for public comment, while final plats focus primarily on technical review and compliance with approved preliminary plat conditions and zoning requirements. He also discussed bonding options for required infrastructure improvements and explained that land divisions become official upon recording of the final plat. Mr. McLane further reviewed the short plat process applicable to subdivisions consisting of four (4) lots or fewer. Council discussion focused on public participation opportunities related to Comprehensive Plan amendments, Zoning Ordinance amendments, Conditional Use Permits (CUP), Planned Unit Developments (PUD), variances, and subdivision applications. Mr. McLane added that QR codes and online notification tools are methods for the public to receive planning updates and hearing notices. SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING TOWN HALL MEETING 2 APRIL 23, 2026 AGENDA ITEM NO. _ 3: COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE Mr. Mangum articulated that speakers are asked to be courteous while sharing their comments. Audience members were asked to show respect for those who are speaking. Rhea Moser, Pocatello citizen, addressed ongoing sewer and water infrastructure concerns within the Northgate Gateway Homeowners Association area. She referenced prior discussions with County officials and noted the area’s annexation into the City in 2024. Ms. Moser expressed concern regarding the cancellation of a previously anticipated infrastructure grant and inquired about alternative funding opportunities to address needed improvements and rising costs to residents. Mr. McLane addressed Ms. Moser’s concern and responded that the referenced grant program had been canceled by the granting authority and was no longer available for reapplication. He stated that the City continues to actively pursue other grant opportunities and noted that the Pocatello Development Authority had established a new Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district intended to assist with future infrastructure improvements in the area. Brett Blair, Pocatello citizen, expressed concerns regarding ongoing construction activity and roadway conditions near the Best Western hotel adjacent to Applebee’s. He noted that trenches and lane restrictions had remained in place for an extended period and questioned the status of the project and roadway safety conditions. In response to Mr. Blair’s comments, Public Works Director Tom Kirkman stated that the project involved private property and indicated there had been inspection and contractor-related issues. He advised that City staff would review the matter further and provide additional information. Kristy Lewis, Pocatello resident, raised concerns regarding neighborhood code enforcement, specifically relating to landscaping maintenance, inoperable vehicles and property appearance standards. She expressed concern about impacts to surrounding property values and provided photographs to the Council for review. Council Member Bates acknowledged that code enforcement has become a greater focus area for the Council and indicated that additional attention is being directed toward neighborhood appearance and compliance concerns. Heather Disselkoen, Pocatello resident, shared comments regarding the City’s NextRequest public records request system and encouraged greater public accessibility and transparency regarding records requests. She suggested that additional public education regarding the system would be beneficial. She commented on meeting accessibility and encouraged broader availability of recordings for various City boards and committees. Additionally, Ms. Disselkoen expressed concerns regarding water conservation and encouraged the City to pursue additional proactive measures, including xeriscaping and reducing high-water-use landscaping practices. Rich Morgan, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) added that the OpenGov financial software system was currently in a testing phase and would be fully operational by July 6, 2026, with expanded public-facing transparency tools and budget accessibility features. He explained that the system would improve public access to City financial and budgetary information. SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING TOWN HALL MEETING 3 APRIL 23, 2026 Council member Bates acknowledged that Mayor Dahlquist was excused from the meeting, as he was receiving an award in Washington, D.C. He stated that the Council intends to continue hosting Town Hall meetings on a quarterly basis. Council President Mangum thanked attendees for their participation and emphasized the Council’s commitment to listening to residents and helping direct concerns to appropriate departments and staff. AGENDAITEMNO. 4: ADJOURN There being no further business, Council President Mangum adjourned the meeting at 6:50 p.m. APPROVED: MARK DAHLQUIST, MAYOR ATTEST AND PREPARED BY:
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