Traffic, parking concerns not enough to stop apartments, Boise planning tells neighbors
Bad traffic on Eagle Road might slow down commuters, but it won’t bring a proposed apartment project to a stop.
The Boise Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously voted at its meeting Monday to approve a conditional use permit for 46 multi-family units at 5571 N. Eagle Road despite testimony from homeowners in surrounding neighborhoods worried about what bringing extra units to the area would do.
The new apartments would sit on 3.1 acres. The units, which would be developed by Ethan Helmer, are proposed to be 1,064 square feet of living space, including two bedrooms. The buildings in the development would be two stories tall and would have a back patio and covered porch, according to the proposal, which is subject to a design review by the city.
Neighbors were primarily concerned about what effect 46 units in just 3.1 acres would have on Eagle Road traffic. They also expressed hesitation about what the influx of cars would mean for parking along the public streets in their neighborhoods.
The commission still moved to approve the project. Commissioner Milt Gillespie said that the Idaho Transportation Department requirements for the development, which included a right-in as well as a redesign of the original plan, were conditioned by the city to be necessary.
“I don’t have a reason to deny this just because Eagle Road traffic is bad,” Gillespie told the approximately 30 people who attended the meeting.
He also said that if on-street parking was a concern, those in surrounding neighborhoods could get permits to restrict such parking, but potential increase parking on public streets also wasn’t a good enough reason to deny the permit.
Jennifer Stevens, chair of the commission, said that the commission heard “all the time” of people who didn’t want apartments near their houses. After looking at provided maps, she said she didn’t believe that many people would park in the subdivisions around the neighborhood. Regardless, she pointed out that along with driving, parking is one of uses of a public street.
Stevens wasn’t thrilled with the way the developer handled neighborhood meetings related to the project, however. The developer, who was represented at the meeting by Bob Ungar of ULC Management while Helmer was preparing to move, met the letter of the law in holding public meetings, Stevens said, but she felt meetings went better when developers worked with neighbors near the projects.
She reminded Ungar that when all was done, the homeowners testifying would have new neighbors. It was important to promote neighborliness as soon as possible, she said.
“We don’t have these things in our code as a box for you to check,” Stevens said, addressing Ungar. “We have these things in the code to encourage neighborliness. I would urge you if you continue to develop in this city to do a better job of that.”
This story was originally published July 1, 2019 at 10:48 PM.
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