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minutes meeting date 2026-01-21 · fetched 2026-09-09 · 8443 characters · official file · plain text
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
ABBREVIATED MINUTES –
Wednesday January 21, 2026
Audio Recording Available Upon Request in the PZ Office
Page 1 of 4
Madison County
Commissioner Special Meeting Minutes
January 21, 2026
Attendees:
Todd Smith, Commissioner Chairman
Brent Mendenhall, Commissioner
Dustin Parkinson, Commissioner - Excused
ACTION ITEMS
Meeting Commenced: 5:30 p.m. - This meeting was streamed electronically via Zoom. This is a joint P&Z meeting with
the County Commissioners to discuss goals and other matters for 2026.
WELCOME:
Troy Thurgood - PZ Commission Chair
Roll Attendance – Janice Bennett
ATTENDEES:
Board of County Commissioners:
Todd Smith
Brent Mendenhall
PZ Commission Members:
Troy Thurgood
Shane Ruebush
Kelly Jenkins
Eric Miller
Kort Black
Sharon Oakey
Nick Jensen
Matt Bitter
Arlene Anderson
Planning Staff:
Gary Armstrong, Administrator
Janice Bennett, P&Z Manager
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ROUTINE BUSINESS:
Sharon Oakey made a motion to approve January 14, 2026, P&Z Meeting minutes and Kelly Jenkins
seconded with all present in favor with Arlene Anderson and Matt Bitter abstaining.
Administrator Gary noted that Troy Thurgood has served as Chair of Planning and Zoning for the past
year and asked the group for any nominations. Kelly Jenkins motioned to nominate Troy Thurgood to
continue as Chair; the motion was seconded by Sharon Oakey and passed unanimously. Administrator
Gary then noted that Arlene Anderson has served as the Vice Chair for the past year and asked the group
for nominations. Arlene nominated Eric Miller who declined the nomination at this time. Troy Thurgood
moved to nominate Arlene Anderson to continue as Vice Chair; the motion was seconded by Kelly
Jenkins and passed unanimously.
Commissioner Mendenhall thanked both Troy Thurgood and Arlene Anderson for a job well done and
supports them in their continued position. He told the group that he appreciates everyone keeping the
meetings focused and on track.
Troy Thurgood welcomed Matt Bitter to the group and thanked Sharon Oakey for her years of service and
recognized that this would be her last night. Gary also welcomed Matt and introduced him to the group.
He told the group that there were gift baskets for everyone and thanked them for their commitment to our
community and enjoyed working with each of them.
FINDING OF FACT:
I. Preliminary Plat-Old School Subdivision- DL Beck, LLC
Motion to Approve and Accept: Kelly Jenkins
Second: Nick Jensen
Abstain: Arlene Anderson, Matt Bitter
Unanimous in favor of the motion with all present. Motion Passed
II. Administrator Business: Administrator Gary Armstrong gave a year in review for 2025 building
activity in the county. He noted that about 77 residential building permits were issued 68 for single-family
homes, 9 for manufactured homes, and 26 for accessory dwellings. He estimated this added roughly 200–
230 people to the county’s population of 25,000, which is very slow growth. Gary also recounted permits
for shops, agricultural buildings, and solar panels, mentioning only 23 solar panel permits despite the
federal tax deduction. He concluded that the county’s growth rate has leveled off compared to previous
years. Gary explained that the county created 164 new building lots over the past year. Only three
subdivisions completed the final plat process—two commercial (including Bedrock Business Park) and
one residential (Withers Estates). He highlighted the role of administrative processes, such as boundary
line adjustments and lot splits, in creating nearly as many new parcels as formal subdivisions.
Commissioner Mendenhall expressed support for adjusting city impact areas, agreeing that these should
reflect realistic growth prospects and avoid unnecessary complexity in codes and overlays. He welcomed
the proposed changes, acknowledging there may be some resistance but felt the adjustments were
justified. He also stated they are closely monitoring water legislation, noting that while the intent of
previous laws was good, poor interpretation by state agencies caused problems. He is optimistic that
legislative amendments will clarify the language and result in beneficial outcomes for the county.
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III. Discussion Items:
Administrator Gary Armstrong outlined the priorities for 2026 code changes: updating the ADU
(Accessory Dwelling Unit) code, simplifying and restructuring residential and industrial zones, and
creating clear land use definitions. He talked about updating the Subdivision process and Development
Standards. He emphasized the goal of making regulations easier to understand and apply. He talked about
continued water issues and being able to adapt to the legislative changes. He added there is still work
needed on the Sugar Area of Impact for zoning and amending Rexburg Area of Impact Boundaries. Gary
clarified that the upcoming legal review of the new ADU ordinance would be conducted by their attorney
Troy Evans and mentioned ongoing collaboration with David Decker, the building inspector, to ensure the
right building code is applied for ADUs. He asked the group for any other priorities.
Sharon Oakey asked about the Fairgrounds. Commissioner Smith described the status and challenges of
the county fairgrounds project. He explained delays but noted a new company is now working on the
design. Work is progressing on water and sewer solutions, and new layout plans should be ready by
spring.
The conversation then shifted to local economic development. Commissioner Smith reported that major
retailers Winco will be starting construction in spring. Home Depot is also a possibility on a portion of the
Harris property, which involves annexation into Rexburg. These developments are expected to impact
local infrastructure and planning. The group also discussed the impact of new businesses purchasing
property (Builder’s Source/BMC West) moving into the Iron Horse property and briefly touched on
transportation improvements and traffic concerns related to these changes.
Commissioner Smith updated the group on land purchased extending University Boulevard by the high
school to the west as part of the comprehensive plan. Administrator Gary discussed the county's
comprehensive plan for future development along both sides of Highway 20. He explained that this area
has been designated for commercial use rather than residential, due to its location and high visibility.
Gary referenced recent zoning requests and developments as confirmation that the area is suited to
commercial growth and stated that the county anticipates continued commercial expansion along this
corridor
The discussion focused on improvements to the county’s land use and zoning codes. Sharon and Gary
highlighted the benefits of simplifying land use tables—making permitted and conditional uses clearer by
zone for greater predictability and reducing reliance on conditional use permits, thus limiting
administrative discretion and adding consistency for property owners and developers.
Gary and others discussed the value of concise, easy-to-understand regulations, aiming to consolidate
overly complex processes (such as development and subdivision codes). They emphasized that clear
definitions and code simplicity help prevent unpredictable outcomes and development challenges. There
was also conversation about the evolution of minimum lot sizes (notably 1.5-acre lots), water resource
concerns, and potential future zoning adjustments to adapt to changing needs—particularly as community
water systems become more important.
The meeting concluded with several expressions of gratitude to staff, commissioners, P&Z, and
leadership for fostering a positive, professional working environment, and appreciation for the significant
progress made in county planning efforts.
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ADJOURN:
Motion to Adjourn: Kort Black
Second: Kelly Jenkins
The Commissioners unanimously joined in the adjournment.
Unanimous in favor of the motion. Meeting Adjourned at 6:31 p.m.
Approved:
Todd Smith, Commissioner
Brent Mendenhall, Commissioner
Attest:
Kim Muir, County Clerk
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