Hello, Neighbors! 

Thank you to all that came to the neighborhood meeting last Thursday, May 9. We had a great discussion, as well as learned about past and current neighborhood business. Here is a summary of updates presented and issues discussed, and how neighbors can get involved.

  • Meeting Date: May 09, 2019
  • Meeting Location: Library! at Collister small conference room
  • Collister Neighborhood Association (CNA) Board Members Present: Suzanne Stone, President; Sarah Taylor, Vice-president; Tim Willmorth, Treasurer; Sarah Thueson, Secretary.
  • Meeting began at 7:08 pm, ended at 8:03 pm
  • 29 neighbors in attendance

 

Transportation Update (by Sarah Taylor, VP)

  • Update on ACHD Budget Meeting on March 15. We were happy to learn that 2 of our 3 Collister Neighborhood priorities presented to the City made the list of the city’s priority list presented to ACHD: improvements on Collister Drive and on Low-Stress Bike path through neighborhood (adding signage, etc.). ACHD has not adopted a 5-year budget yet, so we don’t know if our priorities will be on the ACHD list.
  • Walk audit of Collister Drive coming soon. In this walk audit we assess how supportive the street is for walking using a checklist to assess street infrastructure and conditions, documenting barriers, positive features, etc.
  • State Street Working Group is underway. This group is a gathering of Neighborhood Associations along the State Street corridor.
    • Get Involved! Attend the Work Session with ACHD commissioners on May 15.

 

Website and Email Updates (Sarah Thueson, Secretary)

  • We are almost ready to launch our new neighborhood website
  • We are looking for great photos of the neighborhood. Please email them to secretary@collistercna.org
  • Part of the launch will include an update in our mailing system where you can choose what kind of updates you are interested in receiving (whether Planning & Zoning, Transportation, Sycamore Overlay, etc.). Keep your eyes open for website announcement and a chance to update your email preferences.

 

Events Update (Tim Willmorth, Treasurer)

  • June 22 picnic: games, food trucks, looking for live music options, raffle donations

 

History Update (Suzanne Stone, President)

  • History sub-committee has met and is making plans to capture our neighborhood’s history
  • Neighborhood History Survey: The committee is looking for old photos, memorabilia, stories, and more to supplement our neighborhood history archives, displays, and website materials. Take this 1-minute survey and let us know if you can help: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PSKTVXY

 

Planning & Zoning Discussion

Update from Vanishing Boise Group

  • Lori T (from Vanishing Boise) shared the group’s concerns about an aspect of the City of Boise’s plan to ‘Grow Our Housing.’
  • Approximately 50k new residents (20k new households) expected in next 20 years (1k units a year). City’s current push: how do we fit more house in the space that we have.
  • The group approves most of the ‘Grow Our Housing’ plan (housing land trust, federal programs, relaxing ADU standards, etc.) but are concerned with upzoning. Upzoning (among other things) would reduce minimum lot size and increase density from 8 to 10 units/acre in R-1C zoning (most common residential zone in Boise, much of the Collister neighborhood)
  • Concerns include: less home ownership, with more investors, condos, renters; taking negotiation power away from the city when dealing with developers; disturbance of neighbors’ plans being based on current situation, etc.
  • More info about City of Boise Grow Our Housing: https://www.livboise.org/liv-stories/2018/grow-our-housing/
  • More info about Vanishing Boise: https://www.facebook.com/vanishingboise/

 

Neighbors Discussion on Growth

  • Some ideas proposed by neighbors include: Move work-centers outside of downtown Boise, increase public transportation.

 

Update from Northwest Neighborhood Association (NWNA)

  • Neighboring NWNA presented an update on Hill Road re-zoning issues. Specifically, proposed development on Hill Rd Parkway (Prominence Development or PUD19-00012).
  • Some concerns include: decisions about zoning made before area annexed into the City of Boise, growth in the area will lead to widening Hill Road, loss of wildlife, school overcrowding, etc.
  • Last chance to make a comment on PUD19-00012 was Planning and Zoning Hearing on May 13.
  • How this affects Collister Neighborhood: Collister neighborhood is currently outside standard fire coverage (you are paying for it). Fire station planned on Pierce Park but hasn’t happened, and on Boggart they believe is likely not
  • More about Northwest Neighborhood Association: http://www.nwneighborhoodassociation.com/
  • More about Hill Road: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Last-day-to-send-a-message-to-Boise-P-Z-to-Save-Hill-Road-.html?soid=1130968124125&aid=bqR_LEdhjyo

 

Sycamore Neighborhood Plan Presentation by Ed Keener 

  • In 1998, the Sycamore Neighborhood residents submitted a plan to the City of Boise to help preserve this “rural area nestled within the urban environment of Boise.”
  • Sycamore was the first neighborhood to voluntarily join the city based on the Syc Plan
  • View Sycamore Neighborhood Plan (1998): https://energize.cityofboise.org/media/425859/sycamore.pdf

 

Proposed ordinance in Sycamore neighborhood and discussion

  • Content coming soon. Please check back later.

 

Sycamore Stroll

  • Neighbors in the Sycamore Overlay area are looking to keep alive the Sycamore Stroll: a Neighborhood garage sale that has attracted many people for last 40 years or so. It is currently happening in a smaller scale than in the past, but it’s still on. This year the date is Saturday, June 15 from 9am to 4pm (always the Saturday before Father’s Day).
  • Some neighbors concerned of safety/traffic. Suzanne S. suggested they contact city and/or police to help with crowd control.

—end of meeting minutes—