| Here are the results from our recent Eyrie Terraces Foothills Development Proposal survey conducted by the Collister Neighborhood Association in August/September. This survey received the highest response ever of any survey we’ve conducted to date! 96.86 percent of 159 respondents asked that we encourage the City to deny the request to develop the Open Space lot and the proposed subdivision and instead seek to acquire the Foothills parcels to complete the Hillside to Hollow trail system while 3.14 percent support approving it. We submitted a letter to Planning and Zoning asking the City to deny the proposal and summarizing your responses (see graph and word cloud graphics below).
Please plan to attend the Monday, September 16 P & Z commission hearing in the Maryanne Jordan City Council Chambers 3rd floor at City Hall if you wish to testify in person. For those who missed the survey that we emailed to our list, please see background info below. Big thanks to the Central Bench Neighborhood Association for leading the charge on this issue!
Background: A developer has requested to change the status of the Eyrie Subdivision’s “unbuildable” lot currently set aside as “Open Space.” If approved this would allow road access for a new Foothills subdivision. The proposed subdivision would include developing an Open Space lot within Eyrie Canyon subdivision designated by the City of Boise as ‘unbuildable’ during Eyrie Canyon’s approval in 2009. As part of the subdivision approval, Planning & Zoning Commission determined this lot was to remain “Open Space”. The Open Space parcel also contains a trail that was required as a condition of approval. No alternative has been proposed.
• Both parcels are very steep and exceed the City’s thresh hold for development of 25% slope. Nearly the entirety of both parcels is steeper than 25%.
• Because of the steep terrain, significant cut and fill would occur and the topography would be visibly altered. Some areas would require over 80’ of fill dirt taken from the tops of the foothills to create streets and building pads. The developer proposes to take 50 feet of hilltop from the prominent ridge, which can be seen from Hill Road intersection dog bone, Hillside Jr High, Quail Hollow Golf Course, much of the Collister and Sunset neighborhoods and throughout of the Treasure Valley. The City’s Blueprint Boise plan and Hillside Development Ordinance discourages development of prominent ridge lines.
• This area has already experienced threatening fires with limited access out of the area. There is only one road in and out of the proposed subdivision. There is no secondary access if the main access is cut off due to fire. The Boise Fire Department has requested that the permit be denied.
The Central Foothills Neighborhood Association is encouraging the City of Boise and Land Trust of the Treasure Valley to purchase this property to complete the Hillside to Hollow Reserve. This acquisition would guarantee Foothills trail access, wildlife and native plant habitat, and preserve the natural foothills’ beauty in this area for generations to come.
|
