Developer Meetings
Prominence Phase 3 Apartments Hill Rd Parkway / Bogart Lane
Thursday August 18, 2022 6pm at the Magnolia Park Shelter.
This is the usual summer location and time for our Regularly Scheduled Board Meeting, so we will combine these.
Here are some concerns found on social media:
Meeting required for Developer (CBH) Thursday August 18 6 pm Magnolia Park Shelter. This means that CBH intends to submit the application for Phase 3 within six months. We haven't seen similar movement with Phase 2 (townhouses to the west of this area).
For background, recall that the roughly 40 acre Prominence development that included a rezone from R-1A was initially denied by the Planning and Zoning Commission due to i) lack of adequate infrastructure (transportation and fire protection), ii) failure to address Boise's Comp Plan highly specific policy that called to 'work with the residents' of this exact area to determine future land uses, iii) incompatiblity with existing land use of large farmstead lots and residential use.
Corey Barton appealed to City Council, and the Bieter administration agreed with the developer, and overturned the Planning and Zoning Decision. Then City Council member McLean pushed for some significant improvements, including open space around the apartments and a public path along the canal to the south, and along the large irrigation Lateral #34 to the west. These were in the form of a Developer Agreement attached to the Rezone. The developer seems to be ignoring them.
North West Neighborhood Association (NWNA) appealed the City Council's decision to District Court, as outlined in Boise City Code. The decision was delayed as the initial judge retired during the pandemic. The substitute judge ruled for the City and developer.
NWNA found the decision lacking, and appealed to the Idaho Supreme Court, which has agreed to hear the case rather than send it to the Board of Appeals. All written material has been submitted -- oral arguments will be scheduled in November.
Some immediate questions regarding the Site Plan:
i) two roundabouts on Hill Road Parkway are required before construction can begin on Phase 2 or Phase 3. The roundabout on Bogart and the Parkway is shown largely on private property not owned by CBH or its many holding companies. When are the roundabouts scheduled to be completed?
ii) the Site Plan (see photo) differs from the plan approved by City Council (see photo), notably in the removal of open space and the public pathway along the canal where the developer already cut down many trees used by raptors such as a long appreciated nesting pair of Swainson's hawks -- nowhere to be seen now -- and many other birds. Why does the developer think the City will approve of these changes?
iii) the developer attempted to pipe portions of Lateral #34 regardless of the Developer Agreement. How much of Lateral #34 on the developer property will remain open to enhance the required public pathway?
Please come to ask your own questions. It's time to wake up and fight once again for the future of our neighborhood!
