Commission approves reptile zoo at 3725 W. Chinden with two‑year surety and modified streetscape

The Garden City Planning & Zoning Commission voted Oct. 15 to approve CUP FY2025-0013, allowing the Idaho Reptile Zoo to operate at 3725 W. Chinden Boulevard with modified streetscape conditions and a time-limited surety for hard improvements.

Applicant Tyler Messina, who identifies himself as director and president of the Idaho Reptile Zoo, asked for flexibility to complete sidewalk and curb-cut restorations on Chinden and said the business needs time to secure funding after an abrupt move. "We're all about education through interaction," Messina said, describing the venue as an educational entertainment use where animals are handled for demonstrations rather than veterinary services.

Planner Jenna Thornborough told the commission that because animals are part of the proposed use the application triggers both "animal care facility" and "commercial entertainment" code categories. She noted several constraints: parking and backing rules where Stockton functions partially as an alley, landscaping and irrigation requirements along Stockton and Chinden, and ITD's (Idaho Transportation Department) longstanding requirement to close two curb cuts/aprons on Chinden. Thornborough said the city can accept a surety (bond, letter of credit or cash) to allow occupancy while the applicant completes improvements, and that one to two years is an administratively typical surety timeframe.

Tyler offered a proposal to use planters and temporary measures to block the curb cuts while working toward permanent restoration, and said the zoo would add bike parking, fencing and landscaping. Commissioners voiced support for a two‑year period for completion and emphasized that planters used as a temporary closure must be irrigated and maintained. Commissioner Brown moved to approve the CUP with modifications: allow planters in lieu of immediate curb‑cut removal, require contractor maintenance/irrigation and a surety mechanism with up to two years to finish curb-cut restoration and sidewalk work, and allow staff final authority to resolve landscaping details. The motion passed by voice vote.

The decision includes conditions aligning with ITD's requirement to close the curb cuts and the city's landscaping code, but permits a time-limited implementation path so the business can open while funding and construction are completed.