Emmett/Gem County Community Review Report Summary

police and fire service, schools, transportation system, and utilities must also be taken into
account.
General community comments and concerns
Residents and community leaders we talked to did not express significant alarm or negative
attitudes about growth. Some expressed that development brings jobs in the construction
industry. Economic development interests recognized that growth can bring consumers that
will hopefully support local businesses. A few folks shared that commercial development
along the highway will hurt downtown businesses and force people to drive to Albertson’s
whereas walking or biking to the store’s former location was an option. Increasing traffic in
town and on Highway 16 was brought up as frustrating and unsafe. Others expressed some
dismay at the loss of orchards and farms and the loss of jobs that have gone with them. The
bench north of the river was identified as particularly high quality farmland that has not been
as chopped up by development as areas south of the river.
Some residents expressed concern that development along Highway 16 hurts business downtown
and could change the nature of the rural experience in Emmett, important land-use considerations.
Visiting Team Observations
(1) Discrepancies between comprehensive plan, zoning/subdivision ordinances, and
what's actually being built on the ground should be identified.
The Visiting Team did not have the time within the review’s two-day period to
conduct a thorough comparative analysis of comprehensive plan policies,
development regulations, and on the ground development projects to see where
inconsistencies might exist. This is an excellent project for a local task force.
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