Kuna council approves Paloma Ridge South annexation after residents raise flood concerns

KUNA, Idaho — The Kuna City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve annexation and a preliminary plat for a 3.31-acre parcel to be added to the Paloma Ridge subdivision, authorizing R-4 zoning and the creation of six single-family lots and one common lot at 8780 South Linder Road.

Planner Marina Lundy, of Kuna Development Services, told the council the project will connect to the existing Paloma Ridge subdivision via West Velvet Leaf Court, would not require significant extensions to municipal sewer or water, and includes a pathway that will integrate into the subdivision’s trail network.

The council’s decision followed extended public comment and questioning about drainage and past water-incursion problems in other subdivisions built by Toll Brothers. Kyle Pruett, land entitlement manager for Toll Brothers’ Idaho division, said the company has sold more than 100 homes in Paloma Ridge without reported crawl-space water intrusion and described measures such as sump pumps and, in some cases, French drains that have been used to address incursion where it occurred. “Sump pumps are a way to help alleviate those water incursion problems,” Pruett said.

Resident Michael Rocco urged the council not to approve the annexation until Toll Brothers could provide detailed information about mitigation and warranty responses to homeowners who experienced flooding in earlier neighborhoods built by the same builder. “There was really never a resolution to it,” Rocco said, saying some homeowners spent more than $30,000 for remediation.

Planning and zoning director Doug Hansen told the council that current city practice requires a geotechnical report with preliminary plat submittals so the city can review core samples and ground composition. “We now require a geotechnical report to be submitted with preliminary plat,” Hansen said. He noted that requirement is a recent code change and would apply to this application.

Council members pressed both the city and the developer for follow-up detail. City Attorney Mark Bybee cautioned the council against using unresolved warranty claims from a separate subdivision as a formal approval standard for the current plat, saying decisions must be grounded in the applicable plat standards and the record before the council.

After deliberation, the council voted in favor of the annexation and preliminary plat. A roll-call recorded Council Member McPherson, Council Member Biggs, Council Member Leroy and Council President Bruce voting yes; the motion carried.

The council asked staff and the developer to provide additional documentation regarding the Sterling Ranch warranty and mitigation actions and for Toll Brothers to provide records of warranty responses and any mitigation work it performed for affected homeowners. City staff also confirmed the application included a geotechnical evaluation.

The developer said it will work with staff on the minor plan edits identified during the hearing, including repositioning trees along the pathway as requested by staff and providing geotechnical documentation if available.

The council approved the annexation and preliminary plat as recommended by staff.