[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6561174,"mediaKeyId","3291285-c49bfb38f25c597ae8f40fb33c47a05a","parentId",3291285,"title","Council hears staff plan to rework zoning incentives into a menu to spur affordable, sustainable housing","audioSeconds",1874,"startMs",1299000,"endMs",3173000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3291285-c49bfb38f25c597ae8f40fb33c47a05a&start=1299&end=3173","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3291285-c49bfb38f25c597ae8f40fb33c47a05a/thumbnail_1299000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6561174/Idaho/Council-hears-staff-plan-to-rework-zoning-incentives-into-a-menu-to-spur-affordable-sustainable-housing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6561174-ead6dca8e3d8bb1b492b0463202b9c92/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157080&Signature=B67h5UGRo1uMank2TMHQQBiYdNxqexLS0y5JpWYcoxehwXRqXamWMRqKXwDDXGi2Dwq8UwPl2M11BbGHS8amHvygyxTHtgMoPWfmlfwuN3dR7qMEkNEkD6ZtFhG1Vz1epdGOPwnYAnvKM9hLotvTLiJZ6ivIDWvFUhH7qeXu9dKzjFoMxKDGVZsVFMWsVHxSVTjfiQW39DQgfD-hLViwUAW5sViqvx~PbU2JRAttGxp4qJCo3gXHjJonBqq6eXOYkCnSLGyXeQXgbNKjMu2Efo2YV6n2evRDNQEsoE3TRkgAWyxbcjEWf8ZpR8rRJno6LdYfqtLOiLjMHFiZfHH0ig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Boise","date","2025-05-12T17:13:45Z","article","Boise City staff told the City Council that most of the incentives in the city's modern zoning code are not financially feasible and proposed a menu-style approach that would give developers flexible options to earn zoning benefits in exchange for sustainability or affordability commitments.

Kyle Patterson, director of the Department of Organizational Effectiveness, briefed the council on a financial feasibility analysis used to test current incentives and new options. He said the city surveyed and interviewed code users (\"about 70 surveys to date and 16 interviews\") and hired two outside consultants to run pro formas and compare incentive value to the cost of requirements. \"In almost all cases, these incentives are not financially feasible to get used,\" Patterson told the council, while noting one narrow exception: a parking-reduction incentive paired with sustainability requirements on podium-style apartments showed positive value in the consultants' models.

The finding that incentives often do not \"pencil\" led staff to recommend three broad changes: raise the value and simplify the structure of incentives, reduce the variety so the system is easier to market, and offer a menu of stackable options so developers can select the mix that fits a specific project. Key proposals discussed included standardizing the affordability target to 80% of area median income (AMI) for zoning-level incentives, reducing required affordable-unit shares from the current 25'to'50% range down to roughly 10'to'5% to improve feasibility, and extending the required affordability period from 20 years to 50 years for units provided through the zoning incentives. Patterson said extending the affordability term \"doesn't really impact developers' financial calculus\" in the models and therefore would provide longer community benefit at little added developer cost.

Staff emphasized the menu idea would assign points for community benefits (for example, sustainability or an affordability commitment) and let projects spend points on different zoning relaxations such as modest height increases, additional units, minor land divisions or parking reductions. The consultants reported that, except for the prohibited option of city property-tax exemptions, no single incentive is likely to be sufficient on its own; incentives will need to be stackable and calibrated by project type.

Council members pressed staff for more data and clarity. Several asked to expand developer interviews and to publish the underlying survey and interview results; Patterson said staff would continue interviews through the summer and aim for at least 30 in-depth interviews before wider public reporting. Council members also raised specific concerns: whether a 50% parking reduction is too large in many neighborhoods; whether smaller lot-size bonuses might make some affordable outcomes achievable without incentives; and whether incentives for universal design (accessible housing) should be included on the menu. Diana Dupuis of Planning and Development Services described the city's planned process: staff will pursue a focused code change this summer to implement a menu approach, conduct broader public engagement this fall, and fold results into the formal ordinance adoption process.

The council did not take a final ordinance vote on the item at the meeting but generally signaled support for the direction of a menu-based approach and asked staff for additional public outreach, more detailed survey/interview results, and clearer point-level calibrations before bringing ordinance language back for formal readings.

What this means now: staff will draft code-change language over the summer, expand developer outreach and publish a public dashboard this summer and revised performance indicators in FY26. The proposal is limited to zoning changes that carry no direct city subsidy (height, parking, lot-size and similar regulatory relief); deeper affordability at 60% AMI or lower would remain the focus of separate financial subsidy programs such as the housing land trust or gap financing programs.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Boise City Council - Evening Session","oneSentenceSummary","Boise City staff told the City Council that most of the incentives in the city's modern zoning code are not financially feasible for developers and proposed a simplified, points-based \"menu\" of incentives to make affordable and sustainable housing more likely.","taxTitle","Boise City, Boise, Ada County, Idaho","taxId",8706,"location","Idaho","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6561163,"Council approves Harris Ranch town-center amendments to add street sections, prototypes and a linear open space",2798,2200000,4998000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3291285-c49bfb38f25c597ae8f40fb33c47a05a&start=2200&end=4998","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3291285-c49bfb38f25c597ae8f40fb33c47a05a/thumbnail_2200000.jpg","/articles/6561163/Idaho/Council-approves-Harris-Ranch-town-center-amendments-to-add-street-sections-prototypes-and-a-linear-open-space","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6561163-5e89a72aae65f940634eba76bd71c4f9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157080&Signature=id~-bxVDWTYDTAeMcGe7neCAexj0oacuogxcOx8Gpx~aaElnSpHVuJxGSkiryy1RRvnHDTy1rsp4OJlD5NtqnY3tIJ7s1BxdoVmCC0GIuS-4ShVwhqEXWxA9pYoEk~3~cFTL7J9o6wWa0BIg7JFiWydajrijg3-W9JpbYVtuoFOHgDzL-YSlL0WxgaGgNi0SjS2Yy-GYZZzrcgsOguO~7uqp19op~G1eDFVYfnSiMQAk-1vENXPbfeGw776YWCnhSgig9Roy4bhpfTUyKVn1aj4F7ofow85pTx9CSmPrgXtv6QDvbOR2117ddJfgf7mQBUrmpA~bGjxG36~vuSPwoQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Boise City Council voted to approve amendments to the Harris Ranch Specific Plan (SP-01) that add new street sections, three block prototypes and a new village-green block to the town-center area, while preserving a minimum amount of green space and updating streetscape design standards.

The application proposed four new street sections and three new block prototypes to guide future development on roughly 18 acres in the Harris Ranch town-center area. The applicant asked to change the land-use designation for blocks TC-8 and TC-9 from \"village green with restaurant\" to \"mixed-use village center,\" and to add a new TC-10 designation that would be a dedicated village green where no commercial uses could be built. The new prototypes (13, 14 and 15) would allow either a consolidated green space or a distributed linear open-space configuration through the center of the town center; staff said the applicant now proposes a minimum of 5 acres of green space that would be dedicated as open space and not available for commercial building.

Staff briefed the council that the Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended approval subject to edits and conditions detailed in the staff packet. The Barber Valley Neighborhood Association's president, Gary Veasey, told the council BBNA had worked with the applicant and staff for months and that the association supported the SPO-1 amendment; the applicant team said they had negotiated revisions following the commission hearing and worked with Ada County Highway District (ACHD) to address traffic and street-section concerns.

Public commenters raised several issues. Neighbors asked that the consolidated green-space option be preserved and warned about the effects of three- and four-story multifamily buildings on nearby single-family lots; others asked for wider sidewalks where pedestrian traffic could be higher. One caller urged the city to reevaluate wildlife mitigation and animal-vehicle collisions in the area, and another asked that the city protect the neighborhood's pedestrian character. The applicant and staff answered questions on how angled and parallel parking would be handled, how parking overhangs would be managed and how street-improvement costs relate to the Harris Ranch Community Infrastructure District; ACHD staff participated remotely and said the agency could approve the amendment subject to site-specific conditions.

Council discussion generally praised the neighborhood association's engagement and the applicant's revisions since the Planning and Zoning Commission hearing. Council members said the street-section and open-space changes will improve the town center and bicycle and pedestrian connections and that the amended prototypes will preserve or redistribute open space into a linear park while keeping the overall public benefits of the original plan. The council voted to approve the zoning ordinance amendment; staff will proceed with detailed project-level review as individual development proposals are submitted.","Boise City Council approved amendments to the Harris Ranch Specific Plan (SP-01) to add new street sections, three block prototypes and a dedicated village-green block, enabling a linear open space through the town center while retaining a minimum amount of green space.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6561170,"Council unanimously approves interim reallocations to buy boarding bridges and fund phosphorus plan",190,949000,1139000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3291285-c49bfb38f25c597ae8f40fb33c47a05a&start=949&end=1139","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3291285-c49bfb38f25c597ae8f40fb33c47a05a/thumbnail_949000.jpg","/articles/6561170/Idaho/Council-unanimously-approves-interim-reallocations-to-buy-boarding-bridges-and-fund-phosphorus-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6561170-bc6b2642b7bcc39d39b78c6ec14ec80e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157080&Signature=FGzXbdsMMnnEoFh4ToIwAfsqJmDcK5~3ynh2203m1TIQKlLKchT8xJNNQSYmyeeQYXgjBJCsctu3BzM7meH7gCuSBaWpofaKYTzEJqSfSFx9gsqDTgJwCs9iIJ8DXeKFWMYKAMRTjCKQx2eK8tf-93Fmzs6y2HHVr9jHw2RQs8fp0ulX9nBc5GwiM35j~qMcD6awp38qGUl-Jp4vAPRQXH1cUhwgSHtR8Wal~eSzCWMu3Zz9xOjprTApfDMm5xtp5puzzBpgICJv2QEGK3HOHxXLh1jO1yX0Qj5h0D168m0aKe51X8mYjyttr4bSrLvItjNiUuWJ6xHOWpddAFv96A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Boise City Council approved two interim budget changes the staff said are budget-neutral reallocations of existing capital funds: airport capital projects would be reprioritized to purchase passenger boarding bridges, and the water renewal fund would shift money to a phosphorus removal planning study.

Alicia (staff presenter) told the council the airport requested a reallocation of existing capital funds to prioritize the purchase of passenger boarding bridges. Staff said the reallocation would position the airport to pursue a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant of $9,000,000 that closes in July 2025 and would help the airport meet operational needs connected to the planned Concourse A expansion (targeted completion: 2029). Presented line items included $15,500,000 from runway incursion mitigation projects that are temporarily delayed, $4,200,000 from major equipment surpluses, $2,000,000 from airport sustainability projects and $500,000 from completed parking facility projects; staff described the change as a reprioritization rather than a net increase in the capital program.

The council also approved a budget-neutral reallocation of $425,000 within the water renewal fund to support development of a phosphorus removal optimization plan (\"PROP\"). Staff said the plan will analyze phosphorus loads at the city's three Boise River treatment facilities, assess water-quality responses, identify early-action phosphorus reduction projects and recommend small-scale, cost-effective upgrades to meet phosphorus milestones under Boise's integrated plan and the Idaho Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (IPDES) permit on a 10-year compliance schedule. The $425,000 was reported as reallocated from the recycled water facility project, which staff said remains in design and will not need its full construction budget this fiscal year.

Council members voted to approve the two interim budget changes without objection. During discussion, one council member requested a broader briefing from Public Works on the status of water renewal funds and projects. Another council member praised airport staff for using airport-generated revenues rather than property tax dollars to fund airport capital needs.

Votes and next steps: staff said the airport will pursue the FAA grant application; the water renewal funds will be used to complete the phosphorus optimization plan and staff will return with related project details and timelines as work progresses.","Council approved two interim budget changes: the airport will reprioritize capital funds to pursue passenger boarding bridges and access a $9 million FAA grant; Public Works will reallocate $425,000 in the water renewal fund to develop a phosphorus removal optimization plan tied to Idaho DEQ permit obligations.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6561161,"Votes at a glance: council approves appointments, interim budget changes, subdivisions and zoning amendments",4444,751000,5195000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3291285-c49bfb38f25c597ae8f40fb33c47a05a&start=751&end=5195","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3291285-c49bfb38f25c597ae8f40fb33c47a05a/thumbnail_751000.jpg","/articles/6561161/Idaho/Votes-at-a-glance-council-approves-appointments-interim-budget-changes-subdivisions-and-zoning-amendments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6561161-58573804498b993c1f5e785d0fb1486e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157080&Signature=RXzboqFh30u8WBUOTfvJjyRM2105CiaWNXYVvdOL4ve-JqNoYVFNI5Fc5g~81wFTAx0~o9-2rRW49zWbLrbPvVR6DbB8kaFxqmsZ60HTgCzKJ7kyb4w6msNHqxnnbucHsY71VG5OzNWqqF1S5BJPbKvzjC598eEF1NNX8vIkGbvzcZMsvLbd3180xBHk7yFIecwh3tVKQHUEM4WttaPFlfzQMEhVHCxQeXIfXL0IKcmsCB0PE0ZnpQu9HYaI~vbqvK~MJ87ShjjlErH2fHlJDTEFVjHNv9uHcRQX68mhjtBIL8GDLIeuNlxmYSuyfJPpyqoO1pvdYynEMmzyxY~17w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Key formal actions taken by the Boise City Council at the meeting (motions and recorded outcomes):

- Appointments: By unanimous consent the council appointed Matt Gesserich to the Design Review Commission for a four-year term ending 05/13/2029 and Katie Stallings to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a four-year term ending 05/14/2029. (No roll-call objections were recorded.)

- Interim budget changes: The council approved staff's interim budget changes that reprioritized airport capital funds to support passenger boarding bridges (and pursuit of an FAA grant) and reallocated $425,000 within the water renewal fund to complete a phosphorus removal optimization plan. Vote recorded as unanimous.

- Consent agenda: The consent agenda passed unanimously (items included right-of-way and path projects among others).

- Ordinance (third reading/adoption): ORD-17-25 (summary presented as \"amending Title 11 Boise City Code development code\" relating to appeals and conditional use permit review procedures) was taken up under suspension of rules and approved by the council; roll-call votes recorded in the packet indicated all present voted yes.

- Subdivisions: SUV2439 (Collin Subdivision preliminary plat: five buildable lots and one common lot at 5600 N Pierce Park Lane, R-1C) was approved on motion and roll call. SUB24-9 (Tranquility Subdivision preliminary plat: seven buildable lots and three common lots at 7729 W Settlers Avenue, R-1C) was approved on motion and roll call. Both motions passed with recorded yes votes.

- Zoning amendment: ZOA2310 (amendment to Harris Ranch Specific Plan SP-01 to modify town-center block prototypes and street sections) passed by unanimous roll-call vote.

Votes and recordkeeping: The city clerk conducted roll calls on multiple items; the meeting minutes and the official ordinance/resolution numbers in the City Clerk's record provide the formal record and text of the adopted ordinance and subdivision approvals.

If you need a copy of the formal roll-call sheets or the ordinance language, those are the official records filed with the Boise City Clerk and are referenced in the staff packet.","At the meeting the council confirmed two appointments, approved two interim budget reallocations, adopted an ordinance amending Title 11 procedures, and approved two preliminary subdivision plats and the Harris Ranch specific-plan amendment. Most actions passed unanimously by roll call.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council hears staff plan to rework zoning incentives into a menu to spur affordable, sustainable housing

Council approves Harris Ranch town-center amendments to add street sections, prototypes and a linear open space

Council unanimously approves interim reallocations to buy boarding bridges and fund phosphorus plan

Votes at a glance: council approves appointments, interim budget changes, subdivisions and zoning amendments