Residents raise questions over proposed new development
UPDATE: 10:15 P.M.
The Idaho Falls Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5-1 to postpone its decision until the commission can gather more information to make its decision. The commission also highly recommended that Rockwell Homes hold a community meeting with residents to discuss issues surrounding the proposed development.
ORIGINAL STORY
Idaho Falls residents are speaking out against a potential new subdivision near their neighborhood.
Residents in the Stonebrook neighborhood raised concerns at the Idaho Falls Planning and Zoning meeting regarding the preliminary plat on Tuesday night. The new development, called Manchester Estates, has 53 buildable lots and four common lots. It will be located along Stonebrook Lane and Castle Rock Lane, near Taylorview Middle School. One complaint about the new development says it will add to the exisiting overcrowding problem at Sunnyside Elementary School and Taylorview Middle School.
There is also concern over how the developer, Rockwell Homes, acquired the property. It originally belonged to Idaho Falls School District 91. However, Rockwell Homes and the school district did a land swap. Rockwell Homes received the school’s land to develop and the school district received a piece of land from Rockwell Homes to use as a site for potential future schools. Those against the development are questioning the legality of the land swap.
Residents are also concerned about the increased traffic flow in and out of the neighborhood and around the school. Many speakers brought up a concern about the traffic posing a risk to students walking to and from school. The city planning and development department said a traffic study was not done on the area because there would not be enough new cars added by the development to warrant one.
Residents also asked for more transparency, information and a chance to give input during the planning and building process. The homes in the neighborhood would have a reverse frontage design and be surrounded by a fence. The homes along Stonebrook Lane and Castle Rock Lane would not face the road, like the other houses surrounding them. Neighbors are worried that this would change the dynamic of the neighborhood.
The hearing is still going on. There will be an update once a decision has been made. The recommendation made Tuesday night will go to Idaho Falls City Council for a vote.
