TWIN FALLS COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Twin Falls County COMPREHENSIVE PLAN April 28, 2008 Twin Falls County Comprehensive Plan ACKNOWLEDGMENTS TWIN FALLS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 2006 Tom Mikesell Gary Grindstaff William Brockman TWIN FALLS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 2007 Tom Mikesell Terry Kramer George Urie TWIN FALLS COUNTY STAFF Richard D. Dunn, Planning and Zoning Administrator Sue Switzer, Former Planning and Zoning Administrator Bill Crafton, Planning and Zoning Director Kathryn Vaught, Secretary Paula Wood, Administrative Clerk 0-1 Twin Falls County Comprehensive Plan CONSULTANTS M. Jerome Mapp, Planning and Facility Management, Lead Planner Dr. Richard Gardner, Bootstrap Solutions, Facilitator Don Acheson, Riedesel & Associates, Inc., Engineer Josh Baird, Riedesel & Associates, Inc., GIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COMMITTEE MEMBERS Scott Allen Amber Westenkow John Bokor Clark Kauffman Dixie Choate Terry Kramer David Coleman Rhea Lanting Gary Custer Tom Moore Shari Darrow Cesar Perez Curtis Eaton Steve Schuyler Mimi Ford Bob Templeman Don Gaalswyk George Urie Jack Hart Rich Whitescarver Bryan Hobson Louis Zamora 0-2 Twin Falls County Comprehensive Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................ 0-1 County Officials ............................................................................................................................................... 0-2 Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................................. 0-3 List of Tables, Graphs, Figures ........................................................................................................................ 0-8 List of Maps ................................................................................................................................................... 0-11 Foreword and Introduction .......................................................................................................... 0-12 0.1 Thirteen Elements of the Comprehensive Plan ................................................................................... 0-13 Goals, Objectives and Implementation Strategies (Policies) .............................................................. 0-14 0.2 Format for the Comprehensive Plan .................................................................................................... 0-15 0.3 The Planning Area in Perspective ....................................................................................................... 0-15 0.4 History of Twin Falls County .............................................................................................................. 0-15 0.5 Twin Falls County Statement of Purpose ............................................................................................ 0-19 Chapter One - Property Rights ...................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Federal Standards .................................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 State Requirements ................................................................................................................................ 1-1 1.3 Changes to Taking Issues in response to Kelo v. City of New London ............................................... 1-2 1.4 New Legislation from the 2006 Legislature .......................................................................................... 1-3 1.5 Office of the Attorney General Checklist.............................................................................................. 1-4 Goals, Objectives and Policies .............................................................................................................. 1-7 Chapter Two - Population and Growth ......................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Purpose and Overview ........................................................................................................................... 2-1 0-3 Twin Falls County Comprehensive Plan 2.2 Past County Population Trends ............................................................................................................. 2-1 Goals, Objectives and Policies ............................................................................................................ 2-17 Chapter Three - Land Use .............................................................................................................. 3-1 3.1 Land Use ............................................................................................................................................... 3-3 3.2 Current Conditions ................................................................................................................................ 3-5 3.3 Twin Falls County Land Use Open House and Questionnaire Summary ............................................. 3-7 3.4 Future Trends ....................................................................................................................................... 3-17 3.5 Issues and Concerns ............................................................................................................................ 3-20 Goals, Objectives and Policies ............................................................................................................ 3-21 Chapter Four - Transportation ...................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1 Roadway System ................................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 Airports .................................................................................................................................................. 4-8 4.3 Railroad ................................................................................................................................................. 4-9 4.4 Alternative Transit ................................................................................................................................. 4-9 4.5 Alternative Modes of Transportation .................................................................................................. 4-10 4.6 Movement of Goods ............................................................................................................................ 4-14 4.7 Environment ........................................................................................................................................ 4-14 4.8 Future Development and Transportation Needs .................................................................................. 4-16 Goals, Objectives and Policies ............................................................................................................ 4-16 Chapter Five - Community Design ................................................................................................ 5-1 5.1 Twin Falls County Community Image .................................................................................................. 5-1 5.2 Urban and Rural Canyon Rims ............................................................................................................. 5-1 5.3 Gateways ............................................................................................................................................... 5-2 5.4 Urban/Rural Interface Impacts ............................................................................................................. 5-2 5.5 Rural Character ...................................................................................................................................... 5-2 5.6 Visual Impacts (weed control), Storage (outdoor and trash) ................................................................ 5-3 0-4 Twin Falls County Comprehensive Plan 5.7 Impact of Sprawl on Community Design .............................................................................................. 5-3 Goals, Objectives and Policies .............................................................................................................. 5-3 Chapter Six - Cultural and Historical Sites ................................................................................... 6-1 Goals, Objectives and Policies .............................................................................................................. 6-5 Chapter Seven - Economic Development ....................................................................................... 7-1 7.1 An Economy in Transition .................................................................................................................... 7-1 7.2 Agriculture Is Still Big Business in Twin Falls County ........................................................................ 7-6 7.3 Effects on Households ......................................................................................................................... 7-10 7.4 Economic Development Partners in Twin Falls County ..................................................................... 7-14 7.5 Conclusion ..........................................................................................................................................