Lewiston, Idaho Development News
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Lewiston City Council Work Session - 7/6/2026
Published: Jul 6, 2026
Council Discusses Improving Clarity on Advisory Board and Commission Member Duties
Councilor John Spickle raised concerns about the clarity and communication of duties and expectations for advisory board and commission members. He noted that on the Parks and Recreation Commission, long-term members were unaware of their full powers and duties, which include bringing citizen concerns to the council. The current structure often leads to meetings being dominated by director reports rather than commission discussion. Spickle suggested that staff liaisons should play a more active role in informing commission members of their responsibilities. The Mayor agreed to send reminders to staff liaisons to guide commission discussions. Council members generally agreed that clearer communication of roles and the need for active participation are important for commissions to be effective. Discussions also touched on attendance issues and the possibility of removing members with poor attendance, as well as the potential for consolidating certain commissions.
City Council Discusses Landscaping Ordinance Amendments, Benchmarking Against Other Cities
Shannon Grove, Community Development Director, presented proposed amendments to the city's landscaping ordinance (Ordinance 4967). The ordinance, originally established in 1994 with minor adjustments, aims to create shade, reduce heat buildup, improve aesthetics around parking lots, buffer land uses, slow stormwater runoff, and mitigate pollution. Landscaping requirements are tied to parking lots of six spaces or more (2400 sq ft). The proposed changes focus on clarifying language, reducing exterior buffer requirements from 35 to 30 feet, and other minor adjustments. The presentation also included a comparison of Lewiston's requirements with those of eight other cities, noting differences in parking lot size triggers for landscaping and the 'shade canopy' requirement, where Lewiston mandates 50% asphalt coverage within 10 years, a requirement not common elsewhere. Council members discussed concerns about the stringency of the shade canopy requirement, potential exemptions for existing properties with undue burden, and the practicality of enforcement. Discussions also touched on the trigger point for interior landscaping requirements, with a suggestion to increase it from six to 20 spaces.
Gem State Housing Alliance Advocates for Increased Housing Supply and Policy Reform
Gem State Housing Alliance, represented by former Senator Ali Robbie, presented to the City Council regarding housing policy. The alliance aims to make it easier to build homes, with a particular focus on 'missing middle' housing, which includes types of housing not typically allowed by current zoning codes that were largely established in the 1950s and 1970s. Robbie highlighted that lack of supply due to population growth, public resistance to development, regulatory hurdles, and rising costs are key drivers of Idaho's housing crisis. The alliance advocates for policy changes to increase housing supply and reduce regulatory burdens. They also discussed challenges in public hearings, where opposition voices are often more organized than those in support of development, and provided research-tested messaging strategies for discussing housing and growth. The organization offers resources such as code review and vacant land analysis to cities.
City Proposes New Social Media Policy to Enable Commenting with Content Restrictions
City Attorney Jennifer Tangono presented a new social media policy intended to re-enable public commenting on city social media accounts. The policy clarifies that city social media is a 'limited public forum,' not an open forum, and restricts comments unrelated to the purpose and scope of a post. Prohibited content includes spam, malware links, sexually explicit material, political endorsements, copyrighted material, and repetitive comments. The policy aims to prevent misuse that hinders effective communication, such as off-topic or abusive remarks. While viewpoint will not be restricted, content restrictions will be enforced. The city will use filters and retain archived posts, though prohibited comments may be deleted or hidden. The policy places greater responsibility on staff administrators, who will receive training coordinated through the Public Outreach Office. The council is asked to support this policy via a resolution, acknowledging that the policy itself is an administrative decision approved by the mayor.
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