Idaho Bills

Amends existing law to provide a certain limitation on the use of eminent domain by an urban renewal district and to provide that property of an urban renewal agency shall revert to the municipality upon dissolution.

Currently in Idaho, urban renewal boards may, but are not required to, be elected by the citizens, and either way they have the power of eminent domain. These boards are created by a municipality whose governance, be it city council or county commission, are elected by the people and also have the power of eminent domain. This bill seeks to remove the power of eminent domain from unelected urban renewal boards, making them advisory only on such issues, and moving the final decision to the elected municipal body. This will result in more direct accountability to the voters.