Canyon County’s two jail site options raise annexation, sewer and road questions for Caldwell

Haley Hart, Caldwell’s interim public works director, briefed the City Council on two Canyon County sites under consideration for a county jail and related county facilities, saying one site lies inside the city’s urban renewal area while the other is outside it but adjacent to Caldwell Housing Authority.

Hart told the council the Pond Lane site south along Highway 2026 already has water and sewer along its boundary, while the northern site on Highway 44 has water at its western boundary but would require a sewer extension to serve a detention facility. "Water is available at the northern site," she said, "but sewer would need to be extended." She described a proposed sewer main about 18 feet deep that would require a roughly 150-foot bore under irrigation canals and about a 1,500-foot extension to reach the site.

The northern site is outside the city’s urban renewal district, Hart said, and would require either annexation or a municipal services agreement (MSA) to receive city water and sewer. The city’s fee ordinance, she noted, ties off-limits service to an MSA that anticipates eventual annexation; because both parcels are contiguous to the city, she said annexation may already be available but deferred the legal determination to counsel. Hart also reminded the council that a correctional detention facility or a transfer station would require a special-use permit inside city limits, though she said an MSA could include permit-like conditions.

Councilors pressed for specifics. "Since they are contiguous, that whatever we do, it be annexation," Councilor Williams said, arguing annexation would ensure planning and zoning oversight. Councilor Denmer questioned the sewer alignment and whether the sewer should run under the road; Hart said the shown alignment follows Caldwell Housing Authority property so the city could avoid immediate easement or right-of-way procurement and move faster on construction.

Councilors also discussed tax status and growth. Hart confirmed that county-owned correctional property would remain tax-exempt and that annexation would not change tax treatment but could help the city’s future ability to annex surrounding parcels as it grows.

The briefing was presented as an informational workshop item; no formal action or vote was taken. Hart asked councilors for feedback on which location they favored and what conditions the city would want included in an MSA or special-use permit if the county pursues the northern site. The mayor thanked Canyon County representatives for attending and the council moved to the next agenda item.