Effort to grow Rexburg doesn’t pass, to be revisited

MADISON COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) - A proposal to include parts Salem into a a Rexburg impact zone will not happen now. After a second public hearing, the vote was against the annexation but left the door open for a possible future to revisiting the idea. 

The second hearing was held after some previously unknown information was brought up to the nine person joint planing and zoning commission board with representatives from Rexburg, the county and Sugar City.

Gary Armstrong, the planning and zoning administrator for Madison County, says the board needed some time to review this information, time they didn't have before.

"At the meeting they didn't have time to look at them. And so it is general practice if new material comes forward that those who are on the commission don't have time to review, that they will table the action until they have a time to go through what people have worked hard to prepare and bring in."

He says at the second meeting the voices of dissent were strong.

"People who live there said they would rather be under Madison County Zoning primarily, and if not, than they would rather work with Sugar City as opposed to Rexburg."

Armstrong says after hearing the people's voice, they were denied the Rexburg Proposal.

"The Joint Planning Commission deliberated, all nine members of that Joint Planning Commission, the representatives from Sugar City, Rexburg and Madison County all reiterated the point of, we have heard what you've had to say. And it was the public comment at the meetings was universally opposed to it. And so they they felt that was reason enough that they should recommend denial of the application."

Armstrong says he's grateful so many people came out to voice their concerns and said it is what makes this region so special.

"One thing I really appreciate about everyone in Madison County, no matter where they live, is they really care about their community and that became very, very clear and and was an important part of this process. As we had, you know, over 100 different people come and speak to the Joint Planning Commission. They love where they live. And as long as we have an engaged community, we're going to be all right."

He added, "It's that love of community and love of home and what we have together that makes East Idaho so fantastic. And so that's one thing that continues to impress me is, is how much people just love where we are. And and like I said, that makes for a great community."