Idaho
Lawsuit goes after Idaho Falls' impact fees – East Idaho News
IDAHO FALLS – A lawsuit filed against the city of Idaho Falls alleges the ordinance implementing impact fees for contractors is unlawful, excessive and detrimental to local businesses.
The Eastern Idaho Home Builders Association, which consists of about 100 business owners and home builders throughout eastern Idaho, filed the suit in October. A spokesperson for the group, who didn’t want to be named over concerns of backlash during a pending lawsuit, tells EastIdahoNews.com the way the ordinance is worded and carried out is illegal and they’re seeking changes to the law.
The purpose of impact fees is to manage growth effectively. In 2022, the city had seen a steady increase in the population and adopted the fees to help fund infrastructure improvement projects.
RELATED | Impact fees could become a way to fund growth and development projects in Idaho Falls
Developers are responsible for paying those fees when a building project gets underway, as outlined in Idaho law.
The home builders association says impact fees are being collected during the permit process, which is illegal.
“If you develop and sell lots to anyone who wants to build — whether it’s homeowners or builders — the buyer is paying those fees when they go in to get a permit,” a spokesperson for the group says.
Before adopting impact fees, the city launched an impact study to provide a long-term growth outlook and how impact fees could be applied.
EIHBA members say the city’s 75-page document supporting the fees are flawed, and the fees themselves are not directly tied to the impact of new developments.
Different groups are responsible for paying their fair share to infrastructure costs, which are outlined in a document on the city’s website.
The EIHBA alleges the ordinance imposes disproportionate fees on developers. The spokesperson cites one instance in particular when a group of developers investing in a project were required to pay $1 million in impact fees on top of other expenses. In this case, developers were “caught in the middle.”
That was one of several instances that led the association to take legal action.
“These impact fees are not just a burden on developers; they have a ripple effect throughout our community,” the EIHBA Legal Action Committee says in a news release. “Higher development costs lead to increased rent prices for businesses, which then have to raise prices on goods and services. This affects everyone — from the cost of groceries and dining out to housing affordability.”
The goal of the lawsuit, according to the spokesperson for the group, is not to do away with impact fees entirely. They’re hoping to address the errors with city officials and to work with them “to find a legally sound, equitable approach to managing growth.”
EastIdahoNews.com reached out to the city for a response, and city spokesman Eric Grossarth sent us a written statement on the city’s behalf.
“With the City of Idaho Falls facing explosive growth, there were, and continue to be, significant challenges maintaining the public’s expected level of service for public safety, roads and parks for our residents. In 2022, impact fees were adopted as one of the only tools established by the Idaho Legislature to allow growth to pay for growth, rather than new growth being subsidized by existing taxpayers.”
“The City has great confidence in the judicial system. We intend to respond to the lawsuit from the Eastern Idaho Homebuilders Association through the proper legal channels and trust that the courts can provide a fair outcome for everyone.”
An EIHBA spokesperson says the city has responded to the lawsuit. The case is now headed to mediation, where both parties will try to settle the matter out of court. If mediation is unsuccessful, the case will go to trial.
=htmlentities(get_the_title())?>%0D%0A%0D%0A=get_permalink()?>%0D%0A%0D%0A=htmlentities(‘For more stories like this one, be sure to visit https://www.eastidahonews.com/ for all of the latest news, community events and more.’)?>&subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20EastIdahoNews” class=”fa-stack jDialog”>
The results are in for the Idaho Lottery’s draw games on Monday, April 20, 2026.
Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on April 20.
Winning Powerball numbers from April 20 drawing
09-17-36-47-64, Powerball: 26, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 20 drawing
Day: 9-5-5
Night: 1-3-9
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 20 drawing
Day: 9-3-4-7
Night: 6-9-2-8
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from April 20 drawing
05-07-31-41-43, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Idaho Cash numbers from April 20 drawing
05-12-27-33-45
Check Idaho Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 20 drawing
19-37-40-41-53, Bonus: 02
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Idaho Lottery drawings held ?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 1:59 p.m. (Day) and 7:59 p.m. (Night) MT daily.
- Pick 4: 1:59 p.m. (Day) and 7:59 p.m. (Night) MT daily.
- Lucky For Life: 8:35 p.m. MT Monday and Thursday.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- 5 Star Draw: 8 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Idaho Cash: 8 p.m. MT daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.
I remember watching a documentary about Idaho’s wildlands. A narrator said there were probably many parts of the state where no human being has ever set foot. I believe that, but I stay relatively close to the highways. If I were 30 years younger, I would probably enjoy exploring the back country, but today, unless a plane takes me in and out, it’s not happening. I can’t say definitively that there is one spot that I find better than others. We’re surrounded by beautiful terrain, however. One place keeps calling me back.
Like a Scene from a Legendary Movie
When I go over the mountain between Gooding and Fairfield, I take time to stop at the overlook above the Camas Prairie. It reminds me of a scene in Exodus, where the Paul Newman character takes an American woman to look across a flat plain leading to Mount Tabor. He explains that’s the site where Deborah gathered her armies. It makes me feel there is something godly about the Camas Prairie. I keep going back to this spot. Sometimes I take along a folding chair and sit and look at the world below.
Slow Down and See the Work of the Creator
Fairfield may be nothing more than a blip as people speed down Route 20, but it’s their loss. On the other side of the highway is some of the prettiest country in Idaho. It’s going to be a lot less lush this spring, but drought conditions haven’t been nearly as severe in the central highlands. But if I’m granted a few more years by the Almighty, I plan to see the prairie for many more springs.
‘Miserable’: McCall 4th of July Getaway Gets Roasted
What was once a great little summer escape has become a total headache according to the internet
Gallery Credit: Mateo, 103.5 KISS FM
The results are in for the Idaho Lottery’s draw games on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on April 19.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 19 drawing
Day: 9-5-1
Night: 8-0-6
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 19 drawing
Day: 2-7-0-3
Night: 4-3-3-3
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Idaho Cash numbers from April 19 drawing
15-28-31-38-45
Check Idaho Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 19 drawing
32-42-52-53-55, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Idaho Lottery drawings held ?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 1:59 p.m. (Day) and 7:59 p.m. (Night) MT daily.
- Pick 4: 1:59 p.m. (Day) and 7:59 p.m. (Night) MT daily.
- Lucky For Life: 8:35 p.m. MT Monday and Thursday.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- 5 Star Draw: 8 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Idaho Cash: 8 p.m. MT daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.
-
Culture11 minutes agoBook Review: ‘Permanence,’ by Sophie Mackintosh
-
Lifestyle17 minutes agoHow ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Red Carpet Looks Came Together
-
Technology29 minutes agoThe Vergecast Vergecast, 2026 edition
-
World35 minutes agoMexico pyramid shooter who took hostages and killed 1 is identified
-
Politics41 minutes agoByron Donalds cracks down on persistent border blind spot leaving US vulnerable to overstays
-
Health47 minutes agoHealthy diets spark lung cancer risk in non-smokers as pesticides loom
-
Sports54 minutes agoPGA Tour signals new era with axing of Hawaii events from schedule
-
Technology59 minutes agoAlexa+ lets you order food like a real conversation