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Planning and Development Services

The Office of Planning & Development Services is responsible for ensuring that land development and construction in Bannock County are done in accordance with County ordinances and in a safe and orderly manner.

We hope that you find the information you are looking for on our website. If you need more information, please contact our office. (208) 236-7230 and zoning@bannockcounty.us.

Bannock County Ordinances

Zoning Ordinance
Subdivision Ordinance
Building Code Ordinance (Effective January 1, 2021)
Building Code Ordinance (Effective through January 1, 2018)
Sediment and Erosion Control Ordinance
Flood Zone Ordinance
Solid Waste Ordinance
Illicit Discharge and Stormwater Sewer Connection Ordinance

Additional Bannock County ordinances can be found on Municode (a third-party website).

Bannock County Design Criteria

Current Codes:

SEISMIC DESIGN CATEGORY	Do
WIND	90 mph – 3 second gust / 115 mph – ultimate
SOIL	Variable
CLIMATE ZONE	6
FROST DEPTH	36 inches
SNOW ROOF LOADS	Dependent on Elevation (below)

Elevation	Roof Live Load	Ground Snow Load
Below 4600 feet	35 PSF	44 PSF
4600-4999 feet	40 PSF	50 PSF
5000-5399 feet	50 PSF	63 PSF
5400-5799 feet	60 PSF	75 PSF
5800-5999 feet	70 PSF	88 PSF
6000-6399 feet	80 PSF	100 PSF
6400-6799 feet	90 PSF	113 PSF
Above 6800	100 PSF	125 PSF

Building Permit Reports

October 2020
November 2020
December 2020
January 2021
February 2021
March 2021
April 2021
May 2021
June 2021
July 2021
August 2021

September 2021

October 2021

Inspections

Please call 208-236-7230 to request an inspection. A permit must be issued and active before an inspection can be requested. Due to time constraints, a 24 hour notice is required to be scheduled. Requests made after hours will be processed the following business day. Inspections are available during normal business hours, Monday-Friday between 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, exceptions may apply by appointment only. The office is closed during all federal holidays. Please note we no longer accept requests for specific inspection times; please consider this change when scheduling future inspections.

Plan Reviews

In order to obtain a building permit, a complete building permit application must be filled out and submitted to our office with supporting documents. The permit goes through multiple reviews to ensure the property and structure meet the minimum requirements set out in the Planning Ordinance and Building Ordinance. Once the reviews are complete the permit will be emailed to the applicant and if needed, an address plaque will be made and issued.The complete process from the time we receive the complete application and supporting documents can take anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks depending on the current workload. Workloads tend to be heavier during the summer and fall seasons due to an increase in construction activity so please plan for this time that may delay construction.

Thermal Envelope Requirements

Plan reviews for single family dwellings and other conditioned structures look for the minimum R-values for each building envelope component. Solid backing material to be used between conditioned space and unconditioned attic space shall be identified on plans.

Building Permit Exemptions

Do I need a building permit? Building permits are required for constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving, demolishing, or changing the occupancy classification of a building or structure. If the structure meets these limitations then no building permit is required. However, a development permit would still be required.

Other Exempt Structures:

Flag poles
Fences 7 feet high or less
Retaining walls 4 feet or less (measured from bottom of footing to top of wall)
Playground equipment
Detached decks under 200 square feet and less than 30 inches above grade
Swimming pools under 5000 gallons and less than 48 inches deep

Always needs a building permit:

Habitable space (space for eating, drinking, sleeping)
Communication tower
Photovoltaic System

Important Contact Information:

Wells & Water Rights – Idaho Water Resources. (208) 525-7161

Septic Permits – Southeastern Idaho Public Health, Ken Keller. (208) 239-5276

Plumbing, Electrical, & HVAC Permits – Idaho Division of Building Safety.

Licensing, Permits, & Inspection Support – (800) 955-3044
Inspection Requests – (800) 839-9239

Fire Districts

Arimo, Derald Armstrong (208) 254-9214

Downey, Chris Sorensen (208) 705-8592 or (208) 897-5083

Jackson Creek, Johnny Ketner (208) 220-2749

Lava Rural, Kirk Valentine (208) 251-8959

North Bannock, Chief Brood (208) 317-3022

Land not within Fire District, Merlin Miller (208) 237-3212

McCammon, Richard Pierson (208) 251-2683

Pocatello Valley, Kevin Spencer (208) 232-8215 or Karen Aguilar (208) 775-3581

Interactive Maps

For the Bannock County General Viewer and Surveyor Reference map, please visit the Bannock County GIS website.

Additional Maps

Idaho Flood Hazard Map (Links to Idaho Dept. of Water Resources website)
National Flood Hazard Layer Map (Links to a map maintained by FEMA)
Bannock County Zoning Map (officially adopted, but does not include recent annexations or rezones)
Bannock County Future Land Use Plan (unofficial–see note on map)

Our Purpose:

Bannock County Code Enforcement department is here to help evaluate concerns about compliance with County ordinances and State law. We will investigate all non-compliant issues and work with the property owner to come to a reasonable solution. Select the Code Enforcement tab above for more information and to file a complaint.

Code Enforcement Ordinances & Laws

Please click on the links below to view or download ordinances and laws.

Educational Opportunities:

Code Enforcement Professionals of Idaho (CEPI)

About Us

We are located in the Bannock County Planning & Development Complex located at 5500 S. 5th Ave, Pocatello, Idaho 83204.

208-236-7230
Email

Office Hours: Monday – Thursday 6:00 am – 4:30 pm

Planning and Development Council

The Planning & Zoning Council members are volunteers that are appointed by the County Commissioners. Per Bannock County Ordinance, Council members shall have resided in the County for at least four years prior to their appointment and must remain a resident of the County during their term. Not more than one-third (1/3) of the members of the Council may reside within an incorporated city of one thousand five hundred (1,500) or more and at least one-half (1/2) of the members of the Council shall reside outside the boundaries of any city’s area of impact.

The Council conducts two types of hearings, “Legislative”, matters of general concern that affect the entire County and/or “Quasi-Judicial” which they make a decision on requests that are specific to a parcel of land. On “Quasi-Judicial” matters, there shall be no contact or discussion with the public with any of the Council Members pertaining to specific land use requests that are scheduled or may be in conceptual planning.

Council Members

Wade Egan | Chair

Chuck Heisler | Vice Chair

Rory Erchul

Edward Ulrich

Barbara Hill

Meetings and Agendas:

2021 Meeting Schedule

November 17, 2021

Written Decisions/Resolutions:

*To appeal a decision made by the Planning and Development Council, please click here and fill out an appeal application online.

November 17, 2021 (Appeal window is open through November 27, 2021 and will be closed November 28, 2021)
- Conditional Use Permit – Campground
- Conditional Use Permit – Cell Tower

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit for my building/structure?

The general answer is yes — Building permits are required for constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving, demolishing, or changing the occupancy classification of a building or structure. If the structure meets these limitations then no building permit is required. Please note that, even if your building does not need a building permit, it may need a zoning and/or floodplain development permit. You can find more information in the Building Code, Zoning Ordinance and Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance.

Do I need a permit for excavating and/or grading?

Yes. Please talk with County staff about applying for an Excavation and Grading permit.

How long does it take to issue a permit?

It varies, but we are usually able to issue permits within two to three weeks of receiving an application along with all necessary, supporting documentation. Some permits may take more than three weeks depending upon completeness of the application, any additional documentation needed, or if unexpected issues arise during the review process.

How is my property zoned?

We have a map available online that displays the County’s zoning districts. Make sure to turn on the “Zoning” layer on the left side of the screen.

I want to run a business from my home. Can I do that?

Home occupations are generally permitted in Bannock County but with some limitations–please see Section 424 of the Bannock County Zoning Ordinance for more information.

Is this lot "buildable?"

The term “buildable” could refer to at least two things: (1) the physical suitability of the site for the proposed project and (2) whether or not the lot has been properly subdivided to allow for the issuance of building permits. Our office does not provide analyses regarding the physical suitability of lots, but we can offer information as to whether or not the lot has been properly subdivided. If you would like to request such a determination, you can submit an application for a Parcel Determination through our online portal by clicking here. Please also note that we cannot “pre-approve” any permits; a permit application must be submitted before an official approval or denial can be made.

What can I build on my property?

That depends a lot on where your property is located and which zoning district you are in (see topic “How is my property zoned?” above). After you know your zoning district, you can look up the allowable uses for that zone in the Zoning Ordinance. Any new structure would also need to comply with the Bannock County Building Code and other County ordinances.

Can I subdivide my property and build on it?

Subdividing land for development purposes is regulated by the Bannock County Subdivision Ordinance. The Bannock County Subdivision Ordinance defines a subdivision as “(1) The division of land into parcels less than, or configured differently from, a quarter-quarter section of land, for purposes of development other than agriculture, OR (2) To make one parcel into two or more separate parcels by survey, deed, or other transference.” If you are interested in dividing your land, please contact the County Engineer, Michael Jaglowski, at 208-236-7230 or mjaglowski@bannockcounty.us.

I want to; swap property / deed property /adjust a lot line

In order to maintain the ability to develop your property, alteration(s) including lot line adjustments and property transfers must be approved by the Office of Planning and Development PRIOR to the alteration. Altering the legal description(s)/deed(s) or the recording of any document including surveys without approval may affect your ability to develop your property, please contact the County Engineer, Michael Jaglowski, at 208-236-7230 or mjaglowski@bannockcounty.us.

How do I get an address assigned to my property?

An address is typically issued at the same time that the first building permit is issued for the property. If you already have a structure on your property but you don’t have an address, please contact our office and request one. Our office will not issue an address for a property without an existing structure on it or a permit to construct one. Addresses are not assigned to Agricultural exempt buildings or any structure under 200 square feet.

Can you tell me where my property lines are?

We can’t tell you precisely where your property lines are (for that information, we suggest contacting a licensed surveyor), but you can use the County’s Parcel Viewer to see approximate property line locations. You can also use our website to search for subdivision plats and records of survey.

Is my property in a floodplain?

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) creates maps related to flood risk and has made an interactive flood hazard map available to the public.

Attention

Most permit applications will need to be accompanied by additional documentation (such as site/building plans); please contact a member of our staff if you are not sure whether or not your application is complete. Please note that no work may be performed (including grading & excavation) until permits have been issued.

Permit Fee Schedule