NAMPA, Idaho — What was once an open field at the corner of Midland and Ustick could possibly transform into a warehouse for Tractor Supply Company. The 865,000-square-foot space will house hazardous material in a small portion of the space.
The Nampa director of Planning & Zoning says that the process can begin before any application is even received — determining factors such as zoning, design, and conditions placed on construction. Community and city agencies, such as the Idaho Transportation Department, police, and fire, are able to provide feedback once the application is submitted.
With approval or denial of the construction rapidly approaching the city council's decision, I caught up with Nampa Fire, who say in Planning & Zoning communications that the design of the building "considerably exceeds" fire and building codes.
Many of the comments received by Planning & Zoning regard the safety of hazardous materials stored on site--everyday items similar to turpentine and diesel. The storage area will be 3% of the total space, about 26,000 square feet, leading one neighbor to begin a petition to city council to deny the project.
"I just realized how close it was to not only my community," says Savanna Newmyer who lives just across Ustick from the development, "But how close it was to schools, you know, how it could affect the traffic, which is already busy up and down Midland, and I don't feel like a lot of people knew about it."
In addition to doubling the time it would take for a fire to spread, Nampa Fire Marshal says, "On top of that, they've increased the sprinkler protection. So like ESFR sprinkler heads, which are Early Suppression, Fast Response. So think big water fast. So they get more of that there."
I add, "So not only have they mitigated how long it takes a particular next stage to catch fire, but they've also increased their own response time of how fast they can suppress it."
"Yes. So the on-site suppression is better," Johnson confirms.
I emailed Tractor Supply Company to find out why they chose Nampa in the first place and what they project to be the economic impact of calling Nampa their next home. They tell me that Nampa's agricultural history aligns with company values after a competitive process and a $225 million investment in Nampa that would create 500 new jobs.
The six-member city council will ultimately decide the fate of the project, with city agencies offering professional insights on project plans.
"So just because you, as the fire marshal," I ask of Johnson, "get this application from Planning & Zoning, doesn't mean that you necessarily want or don't want it. It just means that it meets the code."
"Correct. When I get these applications, I just review them to make sure they either meet or do not meet code, and then I supply a letter of comments with reasons why I either agree with the approval or not," he says.
Nampa City Council will be hearing this topic and making their decision at the Jan. 27 City Council meeting.
