Design Review

Below is a general overview of the Design Review Consultation process for your reference.
 

  1. This is a free meeting with a city planner, held online via Microsoft Teams. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions and clarify your proposal before submitting your application.
  2. Visit the Early Assistant page to schedule an appointment and review instructions.

  1. Fill out the Design Review application
  2. Submit your completed application with all required documents.
  3. Wait for confirmation
  4. Pay the review fee.
  5. Receive your file number.
  6. Start to prepare for your neighborhood meeting.

Before an application is scheduled for a consultation a neighborhood meeting must be held by the applicant to allow for the public’s questions and input.

  1. The city will issue a 300’ radius notice list and provide a template notice letter. The applicant will notice all property owners of record within 300’ of the project postmarked at least seventeen (17) calendar days in advance of the neighborhood meeting

  2. Prepare Property Posting for the Neighborhood Meeting. You must post the notice at least 15 days before the neighborhood meeting.

  1. The meeting must be scheduled on a weekday, Monday through Friday between 5:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
  2. A sign-in sheet in accordance with the city’s requirements shall be provided for the public to sign-in.  If there is no public in attendance, this should be noted on the sign-in sheet.
  3. A list of discussion points shall be kept.

Please send the following materials to the City:

  1. Affidavit of Neighborhood Meeting and Property Posting (on the form provided by the city).
  2. Photos of the posted sign on the property.
  3. Copy of the 300' radius notice list.
  4. Copy of the neighborhood meeting notice letter.
  5. The completed sign-in sheet. If no members of the public were in attendance, this shall be noted on the sign-in sheet.
  6. List of discussion points from the meeting (or a note indicating the lack thereof if no one was in attendance). 

Once your neighborhood meeting is complete and all materials are submitted, the City will schedule your consultation with the Design Review Consultant(s).

  1. Consultation Timing: The consultation will be scheduled no sooner than 15 days after the neighborhood meeting.
  2. Consultation is held online via Zoom.

The consultants will give interactive feedback to help guide your project within the requirements of the code.

Note: Oral pubic testimony will not be permitted during the consultation.

Possible Outcomes

Based on the feedback, the Planning Official may:

  1. Approve the application as submitted
  2. Approve with conditions
  3. Request changes and resubmittal
  4. Deny the application
  5. If needed, an additional consultation may be scheduled

After the decision is made, Garden City staff will notify any interested parties.

Objections & Appeals

  1. If someone is an affected person (as defined by Idaho Code 67-6521), they may object within 15 days of the decision.
  2. If an objection is received, a City Council hearing will be scheduled.

City Council Review

Under Garden City Code 8-6A-2 and 8-6A-9, the City Council may choose to review the application if the City Council determines that there is a significant adverse impact to the city as a result of the decision.

  1. The City Council determines that there is a significant adverse impact, the Council should declare this in the public meeting within fifteen days of the decision
  2. Staff will schedule a public hearing that is not de novo (on the already established record).
Frequently Asked Questions
Property posting requirements info

How to Become an Interested Party for a Particular Application

  1. For fifteen (15) days after the neighborhood meeting, the City will accept written public comments for inclusion in the official record.  These comments are reviewed by the Planning Official and the Design Review Consultants as part of the application evaluation process. Public comments may assist in refining the project to ensure greater cohesion with the surrounding neighborhood. Moreover, providing timely written testimony, or otherwise requesting to be an interested party, is a requisite for establishing standing to appeal the decision.  
  2. The following standards outline how written comment shall be submitted and presented to ensure that all comments are properly recorded and considered:
    • Comments shall be submitted to the Development Services Department no later than fifteen (15) days after the neighborhood meeting.
    • Comments shall be in writing and may include exhibits.
    • Comments shall include the submitter’s:
      • Full name,
      • Address, and
      • Signature.
    • Comments must specifically address the application. Matters outside of the subject application cannot be considered.
    • Comments shall not contain personally derogatory remarks.
    • Comments shall be sufficiently detailed to identify specific deficiencies related to the code or the required findings. This is essential because appeals are limited to matters contained within the official record.
  3. Providing written comment is required to establish standing. Only those with standing may appeal the decision.  
  4. If written testimony or exhibits fail to comply with these standards, the decisionmaking body may declare such comments inadmissible. 
  5. If someone is affected (as defined by Idaho Code 67-6521) and submits written comments, they will have the right to appeal.
  6. Please submit public comments to planning@gardencityidaho.org 

Plan Modifications

It is likely that there will be plan modifications as you go through the approval process.  Please submit those through building@gardencityidaho.org with the resubmittal form.

If there are modifications between the Design Review approval and the building permit approval please submit a detail of all changes with the building permit documentation.  At times, these changes can be approved by staff.  Other changes will necessitate a re-review by the consultants.

Projects

Looking for an application that you are interested in.  Please see active applications linked: here.

Required Documentation

Fees