This bill amends Idaho law to regulate development on religious land owned or leased by religious organizations, requiring cities to allow multifamily and mixed-use housing without special approvals. It defines specific terms like religious land, multifamily, and mixed-use, and sets minimum standards for building height, setbacks, and parking while prohibiting cities from restricting density or unit sizes beyond certain limits. The law applies to developments received by cities on or after July 1, 2026, but excludes religious land near heavy industrial uses, airports, or military bases. Cities retain authority to enforce standard building codes, water and sewer access, and stormwater management requirements. Notably, the bill does not allow for homeless shelters and does not mandate their approval.
This bill updates Idaho state laws to allow manufactured homes to be placed on single-family residential lots, in addition to existing mobile home parks and subdivisions. It clarifies definitions for manufactured homes versus mobile homes and requires local governments to revise their comprehensive plans and zoning regulations to permit this siting option. The legislation also establishes specific placement standards for manufactured homes outside of parks, including minimum square footage, foundation requirements, roof design, and exterior appearance guidelines that must match surrounding homes. Local governments retain the ability to apply additional development standards that would apply to conventional single-family homes on the same lots, while the bill prohibits standards that unreasonably discourage needed housing.
This bill allows cities in Idaho to permit multifamily residential housing developments in areas currently zoned for commercial use, such as office or retail districts. It requires local governments to update their land use regulations to allow these developments while maintaining existing commercial design standards and limiting parking requirements to one space per unit unless safety concerns justify more. The bill mandates that qualifying projects be approved automatically without discretionary review, provided they meet established land use requirements, and protects developers from standards that would make projects economically unfeasible. Exclusions apply to industrial zones, environmentally sensitive areas, and airport approach zones, and the law takes effect on July 1, 2026.
This Idaho bill requires cities with more than 10,000 residents to allow starter home subdivisions by February 1, 2027, which are residential developments on at least four acres featuring smaller lots up to 1,500 square feet and compact homes. The law prohibits cities from enforcing ordinances that ban these subdivisions and sets specific limits on lot sizes, setbacks, and fees to make development more affordable while maintaining neighborhood compatibility. Cities retain the ability to deny approvals if infrastructure cannot support the development and must still comply with existing health, safety, and environmental regulations. The measure applies only to incorporated cities and does not affect historic districts or properties designated as historic landmarks.
This bill allows cities in Idaho to permit multifamily and mixed-use housing on religious land without requiring special zoning approvals or variances. It defines religious land as property owned or leased by a nonprofit religious organization for at least 40 years, while excluding areas within a quarter-mile of heavy industrial sites, airports, or military bases. Cities must approve qualifying applications as ministerial actions but retain authority to enforce standard building codes, utility requirements, and stormwater management rules. The law does not allow homeless shelters on religious land and requires such developments to pay regular property taxes without exemptions. These provisions take effect on July 1, 2026.
S 1279 prohibits restrictive covenants (like neighborhood rules in homeowner agreements) that block "starter home subdivisions" - defined as new single-family home developments on at least 4-acre lots - starting July 1, 2026. It requires local governments to allow these subdivisions in residential zones and sets specific limits: minimum lot sizes under 1,000 sq ft, small setbacks (15 ft front/rear, 5 ft sides), and density of at least 12 homes per acre. The bill also bans local governments from charging higher fees for these subdivisions compared to standard single-family developments. It does not override safety/environmental laws or affect rules in place before 2026.
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.
S 1278 (Local Land Use Planning Act) requires Idaho cities and counties to permit multifamily (3+ dwelling units) and mixed-use (65% residential) development on religious land without special approvals like zoning changes or variances. It prohibits local governments from imposing restrictions on building height (below 40 feet), setbacks, parking requirements, or density limits beyond standard rules, while allowing supportive housing and group homes. The bill explicitly excludes homeless shelters from its provisions and applies to applications received on or after July 1, 2026. It establishes a legal process for religious organizations or housing groups to seek court enforcement if local governments violate these rules.
This Idaho bill (H 707) creates a streamlined administrative process for splitting land containing an approved or existing accessory dwelling unit (ADU) or secondary structure, primarily affecting homeowners, builders, and lenders. It allows counties or cities to bypass full subdivision requirements if a lender verifies the split is needed for financing, provided the division doesn’t increase density, create new lots, or compromise access/utility. The process requires recording with the county and includes restrictions preventing further divisions or violations of zoning rules. The bill explicitly prohibits using this process for agricultural fragmentation or "subdivisions by another name," and takes effect on July 1, 2026.
