City Council

Honorable Mayor and Council Wade Sanner, Community Development Services Director April 2, 2025 April 1, 2025, Planning Commission Action Planning Commission took the following action during the April 1, 2025, meeting. 1. PLAT23-007: FINAL PLAT EXTENSION for The Reserve at Snake River Landing Division No. 1. SW ¼ of the NE ¼ and NW ¼ of the SE ¼ of Section 26, Township 2 North, Range 37 East. Located north of the Sidehill Canal, east of Pioneer Road, south of Event Center Drive, west of Snake River Parkway. On April 1, 2025, the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously voted to recommend approval of the final plat extension to the Mayor and City Council as presented. 2. PLAT24-006: FINAL PLAT EXTENSION for Rose Nielsen Addition Division No. 101, sixth Amended. A portion of Lot 11, Block 101 of Rose Nielsen Addition, Division No. 101, Third Amended, located in the E ½ of the NE ¼ of Section 28, Township 2 North, Range 38 East. Located north of Teton Plaza, east of Channing Way, south of E 17th Street, west of S 25th E. On April 1, 2025, the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously voted to recommend approval of the final plat extension to the Mayor and City Council as presented. 3. RZN25-003: REZONE from HC, Highway Commercial to LC, Limited Commercial. 1.46 acres in the SE ¼ of Section 6, Township 2 North, Range 38 East. Located north of E 33rd North, east of N Boulevard, south of Recycle Road, west of N 5th East. On April 1, 2025, the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously voted to recommend approval of the rezone from HC to LC to the Mayor and City Council as presented. RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION: To receive recommendation(s) from the Planning and Zoning Commission pursuant to the Local Land Use Planning Act (LLUPA).  APPROVAL 03.13.24 2/13/25 SISTER CITIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES The February 13, 2025 Sister Cities Advisory Committee meeting was held in the Maeck West Education Center at the Museum of Idaho (200 N Eastern Ave, Idaho Falls, ID 83402). ACTION ITEMS​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5:07 PM ●​ Roll Call and Confirmation of Quorum ○​ Present: Amanda Logan, Chloe Doucette, Laura Combs, Caroline Combs, Jake Durtschi ○​ Absent: Cindy Ozaki, Lisa Armstrong, Sunny Katseanes, Julie McMurtrey, Jeremy Crook, Catherine Smith (City representative) ●​ Approval of January 9, 2025 Meeting Minutes ○​ Laura moved to approve the amended December 12, 2024 minutes; Chloe seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. ●​ Approval of Reimbursements ○​ No reimbursements submitted. ●​ Committee Vice Chair and Secretary ○​ Amanda asked Lisa and she is willing to continue service as the Committee Vice Chair. Chole also said she would be willing to continue serving as the Committee Secretary. ○​ Laura moved to have Lisa continue as the Committee Vice Chair and Chloe to continue as the Committee Secretary; Jake seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.​ DISCUSSION ITEMS​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5:15 PM ●​ Review of Idaho Falls Sister Cities Advisory Committee City Code ○​ There are some conflicting notes in the ordinance regarding elected officials. ■​ We reelected the Vice Chair and Secretary today but not the Chair as Amanda has been designated to hold that position by the Mayor. ■​ We should consider seeing if the Vice Chair can also work as Treasurer or if we need to elect a separate one. We can discuss this further at our next meeting. ○​ Continue to review the City Code regarding the committee and make suggestions. ■​ Voting and non-voting members should be readdressed. Non-voting members were perhaps intended to allow for those that do not live in Idaho Falls to serve on the committee. ●​ We can ask additional questions about why these voting and non-voting requirements exist. Amanda will circle back to Catherine and the City Council if necessary to address that question. As a Committee, we think that only those who live outside of Idaho Falls and those who are unable to vote due to age should not be voting members. ●​ Non-voting positions serve a 2-year term, everyone else serves a 3-year term. We can also review this. ■​ We should also revisit and define what an excused and unexcused absence would be.  APPROVAL 03.13.24 ■​ We should also consider how to increase the impact of Sister Cities (consider the idea of Committee members not being able to be association members) ●​ Jake wondered if there was any appetite for Idaho Falls to have additional Sister Cities. The charter is very specific to it being only for Tokai-mura. If there is, then we may want to broaden that for ease. ●​ Advisory Committee 2025 Goals ○​ Install the sign in Friendship Garden ○​ Expand the exhibit at the library, perhaps revisiting engaging with other cultural institutions like the Art Museum and Arts Council. ○​ Continue our processes that we have established for oversight of money, but spend more of our time focusing on the other goals with emphasis on the youth connections. ○​ Continue enhancing engagement with the community (event booths, but let's explore other ideas too). ○​ Increase business connection and collaboration. ■​ With Jake at the meeting we wanted to explore more what this meant. Can we associate a number of relationships so we can meet this goal? Something like “create X number of new business relationships”? ■​ The Commerce Department is sending another trade mission to Japan this JuneJapan. There’s a lot of focus on agriculture products, but there seemed to be a lot of appetite last time for more science focused trade. Idaho Falls may be the focus of this work recently because we do have an established relationship with Japan. ●​ This may be a way to help our committee to reach a business goal. ●​ Jake wanted to consider how this would create real business exchange. ●​ Amanda mentioned that there was a business incubator in Tokai-mura and there was a business in particular that was using AI in agriculture and there could be a real market for that in Idaho Falls. There was also a skin care company that would work in our market. There’s probably businesses here where the same thing would be true in Japan. Maybe it is more on the hosting years that we are able to highlight these opportunities. We should get the City’s insight as well. ●​ Updates from City ○​ No updates. (Catherine was absent) ●​ Report from Sister Cities Adult Association ○​ No updates. (Cindy was absent) ●​ Report from Sister Cities Youth Association ○​ Just booked their tickets to Japan. Down to 11 students and 3 chaperones ■​ Leaving July 23rd, Arriving back on Aug 4. ●​ There are host families arranged for everyone.  APPROVAL 03.13.24 ●​ There is only one student who has ever been before. All but one of the adult chaperones have been before. ■​ Just held a meeting where they made Valentines and sent them to Japan. In Japan they celebrate Valentines a little differently. ■​ The Snow Eagle fundraiser will be held in April again. No date is picked yet, but it will be a Thursday (we could align our meeting with it or adjust our meeting away from it if need be.) Laura will let the Committee know. ■​ Sushi making night will likely be at Skyline Activity Center. ■​ No new people have come to the meetings recently. When the group returns, they’ll ask the news to cover it to attempt to gain membership. ●​ Community Outreach ○​ Social Media, Traditional Media, Websites ■​ Chloe may just try to create a new website for the Adult Association. She hasn’t been able to get the password from Cindy. ■​ Chloe suggested a Google Form for people to submit interest in the Adult and Youth Associations. Would need to come from an official Gmail. We should consider if this is the best method or if it would be more difficult. ○​ Local Educator Grants​ ■​ No discussion. (Lisa was absent) ○​ Presence at Community Events ■​ ISU TAB auditorium for the Wing Luke PBS film event on February 20th. ○​ Friendship Garden Sign ■​ PJ’s revised language was in the materials for tonight's meeting. Cindy, Clarke, and Judy have not formally expressed any issues. ○​ Museum Exhibits ■​ Event tonight at MOI for the Day of Remembrance ○​ Potential Additional Library Signage ■​ Jes has updated information and shared meeting times. ○​ Sponsorships from and Involvement with Local Businesses ■​ Laura would be happy to take any donations for gifts. 15-18 city employees and then the 11 host families. Committee members could help with that. ●​ New Business ○​ Date and Agenda Items for Next Meeting ■​ Mar 13th at CEI. We are going to try out using Teams instead of Zoom so watch for that link on the meeting agenda. ■​ Button up info about the charter and other items that keep being delayed due to low attendance (please make sure to attend the meeting). PLEASE red line the charter, you can even email your edits to Amanda. Continue conversation about Treasurer. Please also review the goal list and refine. ADJOURNMENT​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6:03pm