Nibley City Council- 05/22/2025

- The council approved a resolution adjusting the Cache County Sheriff’s contract, increasing the hourly rate from $52.35 to $56 and waiving second reading. Sheriff Jensen said Nibley is receiving about 180% of its contracted service hours and that the county’s proactive patrol approach has increased DUI and drug arrests while reducing calls for service. - The council also approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to apply for a $400,000 Bureau of Reclamation contribution grant for culinary water work. Staff said the grant had already been awarded in principle and the resolution was needed to satisfy federal paperwork requirements. - Staff presented updates on streets and stormwater operations, highlighting road preservation work, crack sealing, concrete repair, snow removal training, and a new sweeper truck. They emphasized that preventative maintenance is much cheaper than full reconstruction and that most road treatment funding comes from class C gas-tax revenues. - The council approved a development agreement amendment for Nibley Meadow subdivision after revising road alignment and park layout. The final version includes a $40,000 contribution toward park amenities, 11 of the 22 added units to be affordable to households at or below 80% AMI for 20 years, and coordination on stormwater and wetland requirements. - Staff recommended the subdivision changes because they create a larger, more usable park area, improve stormwater design, and better align with the city’s parks master plan. Council members discussed the public benefit of the park and affordable housing provisions versus the loss of some originally proposed private amenities. - The council continued indefinitely a proposed annexation and zoning item at the applicant’s request because ownership transfer of the property was not yet complete. Staff and the applicant said they would return once negotiations are finished. - A separate rezoning request for property at 2600 South was also continued to the next meeting so staff can research the tax implications, especially around greenbelt status and any effect of rezoning without a land-use change. - The council approved on first reading a parking ordinance change defining “developed park strip” and allowing parking in undeveloped park strips if vehicles remain out of bike lanes and sidewalks. Discussion focused on balancing property rights, safety, snow storage, and long-standing parking habits along streets like 3200 South, 800 West, and 2600 South. - The council also approved on first reading a snow-removal ordinance change extending the deadline for clearing sidewalks to 48 hours after a storm ends. Staff said the change should reduce overtime and better accommodate residents, while council members raised concerns about kids walking in the street if sidewalks stay uncleared too long. - The council gave first-reading approval to a major rewrite of the RM zoning code. The changes would set RM and RPUD size limits, encourage mixed use near arterials and the town center, require rear-loaded housing in certain cases, allow some fee-in-lieu options for open space and amenities, and remove the clubhouse/pool/splash pad requirement from mandatory amenities. - In budget discussion, the finance director said the city is trying to close the gap between conservative revenue estimates and overly cautious spending estimates, with about $250,000 now available for capital projects. He also flagged major future needs including storage space, staffing, asset-management software, security upgrades, shop replacements, and long-term city hall/public works expansion. - The council also approved a notice to proceed for the next culinary well drilling contract. Staff said the low bid was much better than expected, the project is supported by a state loan recommendation and federal grant funding, and the well is part of a larger plan to expand water capacity. - In the CRA meeting, the council triggered the tax increment collection period for the Maloof reinvestment area. Staff said the move keeps the project alive and allows future increment to begin accruing while the city waits to see whether redevelopment materializes.