New or Changing Business

We highly recommend that you speak to staff prior to leasing or buying. Please find the different ways that we offer free Early Assistance.

If you are interested in starting or expanding a business in Garden City, there are a few things that you will need to do specific to Garden City requirements.

The first step to starting a business in Garden City is to make sure that the zoning will permit your business type. Secondly, you must ensure that the structure is built for that occupancy. Finally, for certain businesses, you will need to obtain a business license.

Prior to determining what zoning regulations apply to your property, you must determine what your property is zoned as. This information can be found by searching your address on the Ada County Assessor Land Records webpage. After you determine what your property is zoned, you will need to determine what regulations apply. Garden City Code Table 8-2B-1 shows what uses are allowed in a specific zoning district.  Additionally, some uses are subject to specific provisions; you can find these provisions under Garden City Code 8-2C: Land Use Provisions.

If you are not sure what your use would be classified as per Garden City Code, please refer to the definitions of uses at Garden City Code 8-7A-1 Definitions of Uses.

  • If the table shows a P for the use in the zoning district where you are hoping to start your business, then it is a permitted use in that zoning district, and you can move on to step 2.
  • If the table shows a C, then a conditional use permit must be granted prior to moving on to step 2.  For more information related to conditional uses please visit the Conditional Use Permit.
  • If the table shows a blank space, then your desired business cannot be located at that location without amending the zoning or changing the code.

If you will be making changes to the site or the exterior of the structure you will likely need to obtain Design Review approval.  For more information, please see the link to Design Review.  Once the Design Review is approved, you will need to obtain a Non-Residential Building Permit.  A building permit is required when you are changing the occupancy (as defined by the International Building Code) of the structure.

If you do not plan on making any physical improvements, either the Occupancy Analysis or Business Compliance process will be utilized.  For more information, please see the link to Business Compliance and Occupancy Analysis.

After completed applications have been received and official inspections and approval of all improvements, a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) or Certificate of Compliance (C of C) will be issued by the City.  A C of O or C of C is required prior to use or occupancy of any tenant space.  Just like our neighboring jurisdictions, a legal C of O document is mandatory for all businesses.

Business licenses are issued through the Clerk's Office.  A list of the licenses is located here: Licenses.

For more information on starting utilities please refer to Utility Billing.

Congratulations on your new or expanding business!  We thank you for investing in Garden City.

We look forward to having you and your business as a part of our community and wish you great success.

Business Existing Building

Other Licenses and Permits

To conduct business, you will likely be required to acquire a variety of business licenses and permits.  The processes as outlined on this page are specific to requirements under the jurisdiction of Garden City.  Your business may require additional approvals from other agencies.  Examples include, but are not limited to, permissions from the Idaho Transportation Department for auto dealerships or Central District Health approvals for food services.

The State of Idaho provides a good resource to start finding the state and federal licenses that you might need: https://www.idaho.gov/business/

Helpful Hints and FAQs

  • Know the requirements prior to signing a lease or purchasing a property.  Each process, such as a conditional use permit, or building permit, will trigger different potential required improvements and associated timeframes.    
  • The applications that seem to avoid unnecessary hang-ups tend to be those who employ a professional to guide their project. 
  • Once you are ready to submit, try to provide all the information at one time.  Each time that you submit separate documentation it resets the review cycle.  The reviewers are reviewing many projects, and they review on a first in first out basis.  Each review cycle can take 15 working days.
  • Make sure that all initial submittals and resubmittals are sent to building@gardencityidaho.org, ProjectDox (if submitting for an applicable building permit), or directly to the Development Services Department office front window.  Submittals to other staff or departments are not considered formal submittals.
  • Reach out to the specific reviewer if you have any questions regarding their review comments.
  • There are many different reviewers and inspectors verifying code compliance for many different regulations.  Just because one discipline indicates compliance, does not mean that it will conform with all disciplines.
  • We often are asked why an existing structure needs to go through the occupancy analysis.  The State of Idaho adopts a new version of the International Building Code (IBC) every three years.  Per State Statute, if any municipality adopts building codes, they must adopt those that the State adopts.  The IBC requires that for any change of occupancy as defined by the IBC be reviewed and the structure updated accordingly.  To review the building codes in place, please refer to the Ordinances and Statutes link.
  • We are often asked to provide specific design advice.  The task that the reviewers and inspectors are tasked with is to verify that the proposal meets adopted code requirements, and that the construction meets the approved proposal. The reviewers and inspectors cannot design a project.

Fees

For information regarding fees please see Fee link.

Tutorials

Starting or Expanding in an Existing Building