Imagine IF
Idaho Falls is a great place to live, to do business, and to recreate. There are so many things that make IF special. IF is growing and with that growth comes many opportunities, as well as the concern that those things we love about our town may change. Idaho Falls is already evolving. In an effort to bring the community together for a meaningful conversation about growth and how to manage the change it brings, Idaho Falls is launching Imagine IF…a Plan to Move Idaho Falls Forward Together.
This effort is an opportunity to help shape how our city grows and changes today and into the future, keeping Idaho Falls a great place to live. Ultimately, the conversations will form the basis for the city’s new plan for its future. The information on this page explains how to participate, the project timeline, and resources to understand some of the challenges and opportunities the community is already facing. We hope you will participate with us as we work towards what we IMAGINE…
In addition to public review of the plan, Community Development Service (CDS) has also scheduled two separate public hearings prior to presenting the document for review and acceptance by the city. The first of the public hearings took place on October 19th at 7 p.m. in the Idaho Falls City Hall Annex, at 680 Park Ave, Idaho Falls, ID 83405
The Imagine IF Plan was approved by City Council on February 24, 2022
Action Items Completed
- Accessory Dwelling Units permitted in all Residential Zones
- Develop a fiscal impact model to evaluate the impact of development on City finances and encourage fiscally-responsible decision making.
- Implement impact fees for parks and recreation facilities
- Adjust staff reports to include review of surrounding land uses for compatibility and suitability for housing
Action Items in Progress
- Support Greater Idaho Falls Transportation (GIFT) in studying and developing a viable public transportation system
- Develop a community engagement guidebook that can be used by all City departments
- Identify existing and potential walkable centers and focus on promoting a mix of uses where people can live and easily access daily needs
- Update the Connecting our Community plan to address gaps in the bike/pedestrian network
- Regularly meet with the Housing Coalition to better understand local housing needs.
- Work with Bonneville County to update and adopt a new area of impact agreement.
- Continue to partner with local canal companies to allow construction of pathways along or near canal banks
- Continue to support regional transportation planning with Bonneville County, Ammon, and other area cities through actively participating in Bonneville Metropolitan Planning Organization (BMPO) committees and initiatives
- Support and implement the High Capacity Roadway Needs Study being completed by the BMPO, which will look at alignments and corridor preservation for future arterial roads designed to move regional traffic.
- Continue to collaborate and partner with the Idaho Falls Redevelopment Agency (IFRA) to identify and promote redevelopment opportunities in older parts of the City.
- Create a City Action Team including Community Development Services, Public Works, Parks and Recreation and Power, to develop streetscape standards and maintenance policies for arterial roadways for new and existing roadways.
- Create a City Action Team to review landscaping standards in rights-of-way and parks and modify for water-wise materials and designs.
City-Wide Survey Results
Full Data Report (with Comments)
Full Data Report (without Comments)
2nd City-Wide Survey Results
Neighborhood Meetings
Community Development Services held 5 neighborhood meetings to discuss growth and change in Idaho Falls and its neighborhoods. These meetings were designed so staff could learn about concerns and preferences specific to the neighborhoods where people live, rather than just at a City-wide level. The meetings were an opportunity for staff to learn about what is great about the City’s neighborhoods as well as what could be done to improve them. The meetings also covered important topics such as health, housing, and connectivity.
The meetings were designed with COVID-19 in mind and were available online via Webex and Facebook Live.
CDS partnered with Poll Everywhere for the meetings, which allowed citizens to participate directly in the meeting regardless of which platform or location they choose. The Poll Everywhere can be accessed through a mobile web browser or the App can be downloaded before the meeting. Staff members will be assigned to monitor comments and chats in all platforms so everyone’s comments will be taken into account. If you cannot attend the meeting live, recordings will be available through Facebook and www.imagineif.city and poll questions will still be available for one week following the live meeting.
Neighborhood Meeting Schedule
| *Please note the image and schedule is best viewed in browsers that are NOT Internet Explorer | Neighborhood 1: February 24, 2021 from 6:30-7:45 p.m.Recording of Neighborhood 1 MeetingSurvey Results -Executive Summary Neighborhood 1Neighborhood 2: March 3, 2021 from 6:30-7:45 p.m.Recording of Neighborhood 2 MeetingSurvey Results -Executive Summary Neighborhood 2Neighborhood 3: March 10, 2021 from 6:30-7:45 p.m.Recording of Neighborhood 3 MeetingSurvey Results -Executive Summary Neighborhood 3Neighborhood 4: March 17, 2021 from 6:30-7:45 p.m.Recording of Neighborhood 4 MeetingSurvey Results -Executive Summary Neighborhood 4Neighborhood 5: March 31, 2021 from 6:30-7:45 p.m.Recording of Neighborhood 5 MeetingSurvey Results -Executive Summary Neighborhood 5 |