Nampa Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting - December 10, 2025
Nampa Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting - December 10, 2025
The Nampa Planning and Zoning Commission met on December 10, 2025, at 6:00 PM. The meeting included approval of consent agenda items, a public hearing and approval of a conditional use permit for a home occupation gun sales operation, and a lengthy public hearing on the Orchard Acres master plan community annexation and zoning, which was ultimately denied after extensive testimony and deliberation. Commissioner Peggy Selman was recognized for her 12 years of service.
Consent Calendar
- Final plats for East Ranch Number One and East Ridge View Number Four were approved as recommended.
- A vacation of a small easement at 2218 Jody Avenue was approved.
- A variance for a four-plex at 1716 Second Street South (built without permits) was denied due to concerns from fire and building departments.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Conditional Use Permit (Gun Sales): One written public comment expressed safety concerns. The applicant, Jacob Lambert, explained the nature of the business and oversight by ATF. No oral public testimony was given opposing the permit.
- Orchard Acres Master Plan Community: Eighteen citizens signed up to speak. Nearly all expressed opposition or serious concerns. Key points included:
- Traffic congestion on Happy Valley Road, Greenhurst Road, and Locust Lane, especially due to nearby railroad crossings and roundabout backups.
- Emergency response times: Fire department estimated 7 minutes (exceeding 5-minute goal); police response times reported at 30-45 minutes in some areas.
- Water supply and irrigation concerns, including existing water rights and drought.
- School capacity and safety for children crossing busy roads.
- Density incompatibility: Many residents moved for low-density, large-lot living and opposed the high-density multifamily component.
- Lack of infrastructure planning: Existing roads and emergency services already strained.
- Environmental and quality-of-life impacts (noise, pollution, loss of farmland).
- Some speakers requested denial or delay until infrastructure improvements are made.
Discussion Items
- Annexation and Zoning of Right-of-Way (Cherry Lane): Staff reported the request was a cleanup item to dedicate missing right-of-way for East Ranch subdivision. No public comments. The commission unanimously approved recommendation to city council.
- Conditional Use Permit for Home Occupation Gun Sales: Staff noted similar permits have been approved without incident. Commissioner questions addressed ATF oversight, safety measures, and neighbor concerns. The commission approved the permit unanimously.
- Orchard Acres Master Plan Community (273 acres): Applicant presented a plan for four neighborhoods with a mix of commercial, multifamily (RMH, RML), duplex (RD), and single-family (RS4, RS6, RS8.5, RS12) zoning over a 20-year buildout. Staff reported compliance with comprehensive plan and master plan community code. Public testimony was overwhelmingly negative. Commissioners discussed:
- Traffic impacts and the lack of a completed traffic impact study (TIS) at this stage (though one was underway).
- Emergency services: Fire station response times and police staffing ratios.
- Compatibility: High density placed near railroad tracks and commercial corridors.
- Timing: Some commissioners felt the development should wait for infrastructure improvements like the Robinson overpass (planned 2028-2030).
- Legal flexibility: The annexation is a legislative action with more discretion than a plat.
- A motion to continue the item to January 27, 2026, to review the TIS failed (2-6). A motion to recommend denial then carried.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously.
- Conditional Use Permit (Gun Sales): Approved unanimously. Effective 15 days after written decision unless appealed.
- Orchard Acres Annexation and Zoning: Motion to recommend denial passed (5-4). The recommendation will go to city council. The basis for denial cited traffic impacts, the proximity of the railroad crossing to the Happy Valley/Greenhurst roundabout, emergency response concerns, and the lack of sufficient infrastructure.
- Commissioner Peggy Selman was honored for her 12 years of service on the commission.
Meeting Transcript
Okay. Okay. It is six o'clock. I'd like to welcome everyone to the City of Nampa Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, December ninth, two thousand twenty five. Uh Madam Clerk, can we start with a roll call, please? Garner. Miller. Here. Turner. Here. Keyhoe. Here. Morgan. Here. Kirkman. Here. Salman. Here. Copeland. Here. Eight president. Thank you. Rodney. There's uh Rodney Ashby playing and zoning director for the record. Um, just want to report on a couple of things for city council uh that occurred last week at their uh council meeting. The first item is just two final plates that you had recommended approval and uh were approved. And so both of those went through East Ranch, uh, number one and East Ridge View number four. And then um we had two public hearings, a vacation of a easement and it's just a small portion of uh the easement. Um this was at two two one eight Jody Avenue and that one was approved. The second one was a variance, uh request for um a parking uh to not have any parking requirements and to allow a four-plex on a substandard lot size at uh seventeen sixteen uh second street south. And um that one was denied. That was one that was done without permits, uh converted a duplex into a four-plex and the garage into a living quarters, and there was concern from uh the fire department and building department about safety of the building and um and again it was substandard lot size and no parking. So um those that one was denied, and that's the only things I have to report on council. Um it's my pleasure to just recognize uh one of our commissioners who has been here for two uh terms, and this will be her last um last meeting, Peggy Selman. Um I I just wanted to just maybe highlight with all the public here and online um what a commitment that is. This is a six-year terms, and she served two of those terms. That's 12 years of a lot of hard work and no pay. And um what a what an amazing thing for for people to volunteer. I just have so much respect for you, you all who sit up there in those chairs. Um, you do this out of the goodness of your heart and love for your community, and I just thoroughly have appreciated working with Peggy. She has served as the chair of this commission in the past. I think you were vice chair as well before that, right? And uh again, just want to recognize her. We have a card for you, and then I also have uh a little gift from the department to check for all your back pay. Yeah, this is uh in place of payment. Um so that's that's it. Um this shows the years that she served on the commission and and has her name with a big S on it, and we sure appreciate you. Thank you so much. And a card that most of you have signed. If you haven't, maybe grab her aside afterwards.
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