City of Blackfoot creating new subdivision

The city of Blackfoot is excited about starting a new big project. In the coming months, Blackfoot will begin constructing more than 60 new homes in a subdivision.

“It’s exciting, yes, for the city of Blackfoot, because we haven’t had a lot of subdivision developments. This one is one that is within the boundaries of the city. It’s within our impact area. It’s very close to the city,” said Blackfoot’s planning and zoning administrator, Kurt Hibbert.

The plot of land is near the highway and a little south of Blackfoot. There will be two zones: One will allow for about 12 duplexes to be put along the highway, and the other zone would be about 68 single-family homes.

“They’ll do it in two phases. They’ll file a plat for the first half of the lots and they’ll mark the second half later after those are built out,” Hibbert said.

“The first phase of the project there’s a proposed 35 lots, and the second phase of the project — when it’s all put together there will be 68 lots all together,” said John Fairchild, the president of Fairchild Construction.

This subdivision also has the chance to cut down taxes within the city. With more people living within city boundaries, “It increases our tax base, which could have the potential to lower our taxes overall,” Hibbert said.

This city is also partnering with Fairchild Construction to put in a secondary irrigation system. That will allow the subdivision to keep the current historic water rights as they are, and will save water for the city.

Blackfoot’s Planning and Zoning Department hopes to break ground on the land in April or May, and full construction is set to begin this summer.