Nearly 100 homes, mostly duplexes, are proposed for this site in Garden City
A developer seeks to build 95 homes, mostly duplexes but including several townhouses, on the south side of West State Street, a mile west of North Glenwood Street in Garden City.
Plans tentatively call for 44 duplexes (with 88 living units) and seven townhouses to be built on the 6.6-acre parcel at 8875 W. State St. and 6144 N. Arney Lane, between a Maverik store and McCleary’s Pub. They would be divided among 18 three-story residences and 77 two-story ones.
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The number of duplexes and townhouses could change, but the total number of units will remain at 95, Jeff Hatch, principal architect at Boise’s Hatch Design Architecture, who represents the owners, said by phone.
Each home would have a footprint of between 768 square feet and 825 square feet, according to documents submitted to the Garden City Development Services office. Prices have not been set.
The plan for what’s being called State Street Townhomes went before the Garden City Design Review Committee earlier this month. The committee asked Jeff Hatch, principal architect at Boise’s Hatch Design Architecture, who represents the owners, to return at 3 p.m. Monday, June 21, for further discussion before making a decision.
The Arney Lane parcel is owned by Brian Walker, who will continue to reside there, separate from the development. The State Street parcel is owned by KEC Properties, owned by Boise resident Eric Anderson. Animals ‘R’ Us, a veterinary clinic that previously located there, has moved to 3435 N. Cole Road.
Concerns from some neighbors centered on added congestion that the development would bring to that section of State Street. Kathy Gale told the committee at its June 7 meeting that it was already a challenge to get onto State Street from Arney Lane. She said such a large complex would add too much traffic.
Hatch said access to the complex would be placed as far west as possible. A traffic light is anticipated at North Bogart Lane, at the eastern edge of the property, near the Maverik convenience store, he said.
The developer originally wanted to build 116 units on the property. After a series of meetings with neighbors, they agreed to cut back on the number of homes.
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Two couples who live next to the eastern boundary of the property also got them to reduce planned three-story buildings next to their properties to two stories.
“We’d like to reiterate that, while we deeply regret the loss of amenities provided to us by the open space, we are not opposed to this property being developed,” said the letter, signed by Evelyn and George Hadden and Martha and Jerry Walby.
The developers agreed to push the buildings on that side back 20 feet from the property line rather than 5 feet under the original proposal. That, they said in a letter to the Garden City Development Services office, would help maintain the privacy of their back yards.
Committee members expressed concerns about spaces in front of units that Hatch said could be used as semi-patio space for residents or for extra parking.
“What concerns me is there’s just really no distinction for the pathway to the front door,” committee member Maureen Gresham said. “There’s no room for landscaping. You know, it’s basically a paved area in front of all of those houses, completely concrete or asphalt.”
Committee members asked Hatch to add trees, grass, shrubs or other greenery in front of the units and between the rows of duplexes. They also asked for a clearly defined pedestrian path to the front door of units and to provide more open space in common areas.
