The Valley County Board of Commissioners approved facts and conclusions for three Idaho Power conditional-use permits and voted to designate Leaf Ranch as an Agricultural Protection Area at its Nov. 10 meeting.

Planning staff presented two sets of findings and conclusions: one covering three Idaho Power switching-station CUPs and a second covering the Leaf Ranch APA designation. Staff said the APA paperwork includes conditions and timelines that will be recorded and that one administrative item met a required 10-day approval timeline.

A commissioner moved to approve findings for Idaho Power CUP25-018 (Cascade Switching Station), CUP25-019 (Scott Valley Switching Station) and CUP25-020 (Stib Knight Substation); the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The board then moved and seconded approval of the facts and conclusions designating Leaf Ranch as an Agricultural Protection Area. Planning staff said the APA tool is similar to a conditional-use permit in that it runs with the land and includes conditions and deadlines; the board discussed signature and recording logistics and staff offered to take documents for recording.

What happens next: planning staff will record the APA instrument and complete the ministerial steps to file the approved CUP and APA documents. The APA conditions, staff said on the record, will run with the land for the term described in the recorded instrument.