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Memo
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
Community Services Department
290 E Linden Ave., Chubbuck, ID 83202
208.237.2430
www.CityofChubbuck.us
From: Devin Hillam, Community Services Director 'N
Date: February 7, 2023
Re: Discuss Leasing Miller Park for Farming and Earmarking Revenues for Future Park Improvements. (Action
Item)
Request: Seeking Council consent that if Miller Park is leased to a local farmer for planting this year, any
funds generated will be earmarked for future Miller Park improvements.
The City has recently been approached by a local farmer to see if we'd be interested in leasing the vacant
land owned by the City, known as Miller Park, during 2O23's growing season. Since its purchase a few years ago, the
land has required ongoing weed maintenance by City staff, and last year, through a contractor. Although
maintaining the land has a cost, and I firmly believe that costs are critical to consider given our our small staff of
just 4 full-time employees in the Parks & Recreation division, the land has gained some public use in the form of
individuals recreating via walking, dog training, bicycling, kite flying, etc. Taking away these recreational
opportunities, if even on unimproved soil, may come with pushback if we determine it to be in the best interest of
the City and its resources.
As such, if we choose to seek a local farmer to productively use the ground during this coming growing
season, I'd like the ability to tell our residents that funds generated from the farming use will be earmarked to fund
future park improvements. As the Council knows, there is a large community park planned on the property and it
will be significantly funded through parks impact fees- fees of which do not exist today in sufficient form to
adequately build even a first phase (beyond perhaps a perimeter walking path).
J:\Administration\00 Community Services Dept Admin\Memos to Council\2.7.23 Miller Park
Farming_Earmarking of funds.docx 1