Patrick letter: Subdivisions

Does Boise need another subdivision like Harris Ranch? The majority of Boise households cannot afford houses priced over $300,000. The average price of South Boise homes is $185,000. What will Syringa Valley Development offer?

Building Harris Ranch was a stop-and-go process over many years. We learned that roads should be built before the subdivisions.

In Idaho 15 percent of households have a child with asthma; air pollution is one of its triggers. The impact of an estimated 44,000 daily car trips from new subdivisions on air quality has not been evaluated.

United Water will supply Syringa from its deep groundwater wells in South Ada County. IDWR corresponded with me in 2014, stating that “It appears that the aquifer is currently in overdraft.” A list of Boards and Commissions reporting to the City Council reveals no liaison with IDWR. Syringa Valley was conceived in 2006 and will take 20 years to build. Its approval process did not address the need for water conservation and clean air.

A science-based forecast of its impact on water use should precede project approval. The City Council should direct the developer to create a new plan for affordable and sustainable growth in Boise.

This story was originally published March 22, 2016 at 11:30 AM with the headline "Patrick letter: Subdivisions."