LAND USE PLANNING – Adds to existing law to establish provisions allowing for multifamily residential housing developments in areas zoned for commercial use.

Idaho's H 705 allows apartment buildings in areas currently zoned for commercial use (like stores or offices), requiring cities and counties to update zoning rules to permit this without extra hurdles. It mandates that such developments follow the same design and parking rules as other commercial projects - limiting parking to one space per apartment unit unless safety or infrastructure issues require more. Projects meeting local standards must be approved automatically, without discretionary review, and local governments cannot create rules that make these developments financially unviable. This bill directly affects local governments (who must amend zoning) and developers seeking to build apartment complexes near jobs and services in existing commercial zones.