Hundreds of homes in 4 new developments just won this Boise-area city’s approval
The Star City Council has approved four housing developments that would add nearly 600 homes to the city’s eastern edge.
The largest development, the Rosti Farms Subdivision, would add 426 homes at 1460 N. Pollard Lane, west of Idaho 16 and north of Idaho 44.
Toll Brothers, one of the nation’s largest home builders, bought 171 acres of farmland worked by Sam and Keri Rosti for more than four decades.
The developers said they would dedicate nearly 17 acres to commercial development for the project. Originally, 8 acres was set aside for that.
At a hearing in February, Mayor Trevor Chadwick and council members Michael Keyes and David Hershey said they felt 8 acres was too little. They said 15 acres would be more appropriate.
The developers dropped 43 lots from their original proposal, both to add to the commercial space allocated and to add space for access to Highway 16. The Idaho Transportation Department is considering building an overpass over Highway 16, the main route between Boise and Emmett, which has been proposed as an expressway to North Idaho.
The added land would provide space to create a roundabout or another traffic configuration to better serve traffic on the west side of Floating Feather, Becky McKay, chief planner for Engineering Solutions of Meridian, told the council. McKay represented Toll Brothers before the council.
Housing density was lowered, which was also a concern raised at February’s hearing.
“We went from 2.87 dwelling units per acre to 2.75,” McKay said. “Our minimum lot size increased from 5,800 square feet to 6,000. And our average lot size jumped from 8,500 to 8,832 square feet.”
Michael Prenn, who lives in a subdivision just north of the Rosti property, testified that Star’s comprehensive plan encourages a housing density of one or two units per acre next to other developments with lots of one acre or more.
“I think the applicant should go back and fix that,” Prenn told the council.
Council members said they were satisfied with the changes and approved the request for annexation and for a preliminary plat.
The council on Tuesday also approved three other developments:
▪ Moon Valley Estates Subdivision: M3 Cos. obtained approval to annex and rezone 10 acres of agricultural land on West Moon Valley Road, just north of the Boise River. The development is planned for 14 houses.
▪ Moon Valley Commons Subdivision: M3 Cos. also obtained approval for a preliminary plat and development agreement for a 93-house subdivision on 31 acres of farmland just east of Highway 16.
▪ Canopi Estates Subdivision: The council approved an annexation, a development agreement and a preliminary plat for a residential project of 15 residential and three common lots at 10609 W. New Home Road. The property, owned by Mary Jane Marlow, is bare agricultural property. The development would have three dwelling units per acre.
This story was originally published June 18, 2020 at 4:00 AM.
