City Council approves zoning change for development near canyon rim

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TWIN FALLS — City Council approved a zoning district change Monday for a proposed residential development near the canyon rim.

The change creates a zoning development agreement for the lot to the west of Canyon Crest Dining and Event Center on Canyon Crest Drive. The developer, Federation Pointe, LLC., is proposing to build 25 single-family townhomes on this site.

These townhomes will be connected to one another in four rows, three of which are three stories, while a row of six homes nearest the canyon will be two stories tall.

The council’s unanimous approval of this zoning change allows the project to move forward, but it doesn’t authorize construction to commence. This is just a step in the development process.

In addition to the zoning change, the developer requested the council approve modifications to city code for the project. One of these modifications will allow decks and patios connected to the buildings to cross over the existing canyon rim setback line.

City planner Ian Zollinger said decks on only two of the six homes near the canyon would cross over this line, which is intended to keep distance between development and the canyon rim.

Mayor Suzanne Hawkins said she was concerned that if the council approves this modification, as this project moves forward, decks from the other buildings may also cross over this line. To prevent this from happening she proposed a condition to the project that allows only the two townhomes on each end of the row to have decks crossing the setback. Council approved this condition with a 4-3 vote.

City council member Greg Lanting also expressed some concern about potential parking issues he thinks could arise from this project.

According to the developer’s plans, each townhome would have its own garage as well as a driveway that could fit two cars. But Lanting encouraged the developer to find additional spaces.

Lanting said parking in the surrounding area is already tight. He noted the amount of street parking that already takes place on Canyon Crest Drive outside of Rivercrest Apartments, which is across the street from this proposed development.

“I’m going to be voting yes on this, but as this goes down the road, I think you might want to look and see whether there’s some additional spots of parking,” Lanting said.

Related to parking, David Gadd, an attorney representing Summit Dental Care, which is located next to the lot, said his client is concerned about increases in vehicle traffic attributable to this development.

Gadd said one of the planned ways to access this development would take drivers through the dental office’s parking lot.

“My client services patients of all ages, including the elderly and children, and has concerns about this becoming a main thoroughfare,” Gadd said.

Before this item made its way to the council, the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission approved the zoning change with some conditions. One of which stipulates that the developer must add another primary entrance to the townhomes directly connected to Canyon Crest Drive.

Gadd said his client appreciates this additional access point but speculated that residents will use whichever entrance is most convenient for them.

No other members of the public spoke in favor or against this project during the public comment period of the hearing.

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This article originally ran on magicvalley.com.