OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Nampa City Council Workshop on Planning, Zoning, and Energy Initiatives – December 18, 2025

Public Meetings — Thursday, December 18, 2025
BodyNampa, Idaho
SessionPublic Meetings
DateThursday, December 18, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:07:14

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

I'm gonna go get it all.

0:07

Yeah, yeah.

0:16

Oh, how are you?

0:22

Oh, I heard a small thing.

0:30

Yeah, that's what I got.

0:40

I think it was a good one.

1:16

I thought we were putting your minutes.

1:32

Good morning, everyone.

1:35

I think we're gonna get started.

1:41

We do have on the agenda on technical opening in prayer, so I've asked our council president friends to open us in prayer and fledge and we do a send.

2:13

And then as we go on before this time of year and the season was in the same grade.

2:43

I want to say I appreciate our council members being in person this morning, and um Natalie is traveling and is online, and I thank you for that delivery.

2:56

We have a lot to cover this morning.

2:59

Um we will get started.

3:03

Um with law.

3:07

Uh Roberto?

3:08

Here you go up.

3:11

Here.

3:13

Here.

3:13

Reynolds?

3:14

Here.

3:15

Howard Phil?

3:16

Here.

3:19

Uh Dapper.

3:24

Kerr.

3:25

Here.

3:27

Morgan.

3:28

Here.

3:35

Thank you.

3:36

We do, as I said, we've got a ton on our agenda today, so that's Robbie.

3:40

Rodney, you're on.

3:42

Thank you so much.

3:44

All right, I have 16 minutes, so we'll look at you.

3:50

Thank you.

3:50

Appreciate it.

3:52

Um counsel.

3:55

Uh it's good being with you, especially in these settings that you can be a little bit more open and just have the dialogue rather than the formal setting of uh of a public hearing.

4:05

So um I've got several people who are gonna help me in this presentation.

4:10

Um Preston Roger, our attorney will be helping us uh through the legal parts of things, uh reporting and Daniel Backers also got uh several um others in the room to answer questions to be able to but um this is kind of a pressure for those who have been here for a while.

4:35

I I hope to um hope to just cover some um it just provide some clarification for those who have been here.

4:45

For those who are are new to the process, um this is also uh anyone who is a new I'm sorry, I I was hoping we would have uh council for the left here, I think.

5:07

Um so we will and um mayor electrical.

5:12

So we'll we'll board this onto them and make sure that they they see it.

5:17

And a lot of the material is kind of helpful for them.

5:21

So all right, um, with that was starting this.

5:25

Um this slide just shows our future land use map versus zoning map.

5:34

The comprehensive plan is required by state code uh local land use planning act, and that's what we refer to as LUMBA, and we try to update it every five years.

5:45

It covers existing conditions of the city and develops a vision for what the community wants to become 20 to 25 years from now.

5:55

Um that can be challenging if we're if we're limited on uh number of years of uh area, and so we gotta remember that this is us looking clear into the future, 20 to 25 years from now.

6:12

We're currently in an update to uh 2050, and so uh that's that's critical to know 25 essentially 25 years.

6:21

It covers the spectrum of city services and issues and establishes goals for achieving the state vision.

6:27

One of the most critical parts of the plan is the future land use map.

6:31

This is a map that establishes broader land use categories for development or redevelopment of the city area surrounding the city.

6:40

State code requires that any annexation or zone be aligned with the future land use map and the plan.

6:48

So that's narrative and the map you see on the screen.

6:53

The zoning map provides an entitlement for how the property to be used at uh at time of annexation or rezoning.

7:01

So once they get that zoning map, that's really where it occurs.

7:06

They they are they've gone through the process already.

7:10

They've established some entitlements that they know now what they can do with that property.

7:17

And um, and so that that's why it's so critical when we talk in public hearings about annexations and zonings.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Land Use Planning███████████████████████23%
Legal████████████████16%
Energy And Infrastructure███████████11%
Budget Equity Analysis████████8%
Procedural███████7%
Water And Wastewater Management███████7%
Economic Development██████6%
Zoning██████6%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████6%
Summary of Proceedings

Nampa City Council Workshop on Planning, Zoning, and Energy Initiatives – December 18, 2025

The Nampa City Council held a workshop on December 18, 2025, covering two major topics: a training session on planning, zoning, and legal responsibilities (presented by Planning Director Rodney and City Attorney Preston), and a discussion on energy initiatives (led by Public Works Director Tom). The meeting also included an informational update on Nampa-Meridian Irrigation District fee review. No formal votes were taken on the energy items; a resolution regarding government association bylaws was continued to January 5, 2026.

Discussion Items

Planning and Zoning Training

  • Rodney and Preston presented a detailed overview of the comprehensive plan, future land use map, and zoning map. They emphasized that the comprehensive plan is a 20–25 year vision and that state code requires annexations and zonings to align with the future land use map. Spot zoning was defined as a legal term for approving a zone inconsistent with the comprehensive plan.
  • Council members raised questions about forced annexation of enclaves, ex parte communication, conflict of interest rules (including second-degree consanguinity), and the importance of deliberation based solely on the record. Preston explained that ex parte communications must be disclosed in public and that viewing a site alone could be considered improper investigation.
  • The discussion also touched on master plan communities, development agreements, and the need for concept plans to lock in design elements. Council members expressed concern that subsequent plats may not reflect the original intent of the annexation.

Energy Initiatives Update

  • Tom presented six research and development projects: carbon markets/mineral recovery, backup power planning, biosolids drying, biogas-to-power (peaking plant), codigestion of food waste, and waste-to-energy pyrolysis. He stated that Idaho imports 30% of its power and that energy demand is expected to grow dramatically.
  • Tom clarified that these projects are not seeking rate increases or budget increases; they would be funded through 100% financing or grants. He requested $350,000 in initial funding (including $200,000 from transportation planning funds) for research, travel, and air permits.
  • Council members asked about Idaho Power’s role and conflicts of interest (e.g., Tom’s firm potentially designing projects). Tom noted that Idaho Power supports consistent generation and that the city would not create a public utility.
  • No action was taken; the item will return for a formal decision in January/February 2026.

Nampa-Meridian Irrigation District Fee Review

  • John reported that Nampa-Meridian Irrigation District (NMID) has requested a review of the $30 per-parcel administrative fee currently charged to the city. NMID believes the fee should be more equitable across parcel types. The city currently pays $30 for all 24,000 parcels (total ~$720,000/year). NMID has not indicated a new amount. The review is expected to be completed by March 2026, with potential budget implications.
  • Council members were cautioned not to contact NMID directly but to direct questions to John.

Government Association Bylaws Resolution

  • A resolution to authorize sending a resolution and adopting bylaws was discussed. A motion to continue the item to January 5, 2026, was made and seconded. The motion passed with all present members voting yes (Rodriguez, Bills, Reynolds, Howard Phil, Griffin). The mayor noted that the new council term begins January 6, so the item will be considered before the change.

Key Outcomes

  • Planning and Zoning Training: No formal action; the training will be followed by a more in-depth legal workshop in January 2026 for new council members.
  • Energy Initiatives: No decision made; staff will return with a detailed funding request in January/February 2026. Council requested clear financial breakdowns and comparisons of benefits vs. costs.
  • Resolution on Bylaws: Continued to January 5, 2026, with a vote of 5-0 (Rodriguez, Bills, Reynolds, Howard Phil, Griffin).
  • NMID Fee Review: Informational only; formal action will come after the review is complete.

Meeting Transcript

I'm gonna go get it all. Yeah, yeah. Oh, how are you? Oh, I heard a small thing. Yeah, that's what I got. I think it was a good one. I thought we were putting your minutes. Good morning, everyone. I think we're gonna get started. We do have on the agenda on technical opening in prayer, so I've asked our council president friends to open us in prayer and fledge and we do a send. And then as we go on before this time of year and the season was in the same grade. I want to say I appreciate our council members being in person this morning, and um Natalie is traveling and is online, and I thank you for that delivery. We have a lot to cover this morning. Um we will get started. Um with law. Uh Roberto? Here you go up. Here. Here. Reynolds? Here. Howard Phil? Here. Uh Dapper. Kerr. Here. Morgan. Here. Thank you. We do, as I said, we've got a ton on our agenda today, so that's Robbie. Rodney, you're on. Thank you so much. All right, I have 16 minutes, so we'll look at you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Um counsel. Uh it's good being with you, especially in these settings that you can be a little bit more open and just have the dialogue rather than the formal setting of uh of a public hearing. So um I've got several people who are gonna help me in this presentation. Um Preston Roger, our attorney will be helping us uh through the legal parts of things, uh reporting and Daniel Backers also got uh several um others in the room to answer questions to be able to but um this is kind of a pressure for those who have been here for a while. I I hope to um hope to just cover some um it just provide some clarification for those who have been here. For those who are are new to the process, um this is also uh anyone who is a new I'm sorry, I I was hoping we would have uh council for the left here, I think. Um so we will and um mayor electrical. So we'll we'll board this onto them and make sure that they they see it. And a lot of the material is kind of helpful for them. So all right, um, with that was starting this. Um this slide just shows our future land use map versus zoning map. The comprehensive plan is required by state code uh local land use planning act, and that's what we refer to as LUMBA, and we try to update it every five years. It covers existing conditions of the city and develops a vision for what the community wants to become 20 to 25 years from now. Um that can be challenging if we're if we're limited on uh number of years of uh area, and so we gotta remember that this is us looking clear into the future, 20 to 25 years from now. We're currently in an update to uh 2050, and so uh that's that's critical to know 25 essentially 25 years.

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