RUPERT — Everyone is in favor of economic development, but no one wants to see it happen in his neighborhood.

For about 60 residents who live near Mart Produce, two miles east of Rupert, enough questions remained after a six-hour zoning commission meeting Thursday to prevent the board from approving a special use permit for an ethanol plant in the neighborhood.

More than 100 people showed up at Thursday’s meeting, but a handful left by the time John Remsburg’s request for the permit for some of his property at 200 E. 100 N., Rupert, came before the board.

And by the time the board began deliberating, many more had left.

Remsburg has offered an option to a yet-undisclosed ethanol producer to purchase land for an ethanol facility.

Those who live near the proposed site stuck it out, waiting to see what, if anything, the board would decide.

Remsburg had solid support from some of his neighbors. But many residents

complained that the extra traffic, noise from additional trains, odors, contaminant's and the unknowns of who would be building at the site were too much for them to support.

Minidoka County School Board member Greer Copeland endorsed the project, saying the district would smile upon the $773,000 in taxes that would be funneled to the schools each year.

“This area is stressed, we need economy,” Copeland said. “They have money.”

Mini-Cassia developer David Price said the project is bound to step on some toes, but it would spread the tax burden.

“This community is losing one hell of an opportunity to bail itself out of the hole it is in,” Remsburg said.

After more than an hour

of deliberation, the board

concluded that it did not

have enough information

to make an informed decision.

The board will meet again Tuesday, July 25, at 4 p.m. to continue its deliberation on this issue.