Planning commission approves commercial pad at 2351 S. Apple St., asks applicant to explore more pedestrian access

The Boise City Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday approved CUP 24-50, a conditional use permit allowing construction of a commercial building on 0.66 acres at 2351 South Apple Street in an R-2 zone, and added a direction that the applicant and the design review process explore additional pedestrian access from Apple Street.

Staff told the commission the proposal is the final commercial pad of a previously approved mixed-use project (CU 65-89) and is consistent with the Boise comprehensive plan and activity-center expectations for the site. Planning staff noted the project provides required parking, uses shared access to the north and south, and proposes a detached walkway that reconnects to existing pedestrian crossings on Apple Street. Staff also said overhead utilities and subterranean infrastructure constrained the typical landscape and street-tree placement along Apple Street, and that the applicant plans to preserve two mature on-site trees.

Ryan Hart of Hatch Design Architecture described the site layout, noting the building would be centered on the pad with parking to the north and west, a patio facing Apple Street, short- and long-term bicycle parking, and a trash enclosure at the southeast corner. He said the proposed commercial tenant mix includes a taekwondo studio occupying roughly half the building, and that nearby commercial uses to the west typically close at 6 p.m., which informed the parking analysis.

Commissioners pressed the applicant and staff about building orientation and pedestrian access. Commissioner Danley and others noted the building’s primary retail entrance faces inward toward the parking field while Apple Street-facing elevations include a single entrance and a broad, flat wall in one elevation image in the packet. Commissioners described the orientation as at odds with the goal of an activated streetscape and asked whether additional entrances or design solutions could be required or recommended prior to design review. Applicant representatives said those topics are generally addressed through the design-review process and said they would coordinate with staff and the design-review committee.

Commissioner Moore moved to approve the conditional use permit with the terms and conditions in the staff report. During deliberations the commission amended the motion to add direction that the applicant “explore adding additional pedestrian access on Apple in design review.” The amended motion was seconded and approved by a unanimous roll call vote.

The conditional use permit approval allows the applicant to proceed to the city’s design-review stage, where building entrances, façade treatments and streetscape details will be reviewed. No additional variance or parking reduction was granted as part of this decision.

Action and next steps: the approval is final for the Planning and Zoning Commission stage; decisions may be appealed to the Boise City Council within 10 days per the city’s appeal process. Design-review comments and any required changes to address street activation will be resolved in subsequent administrative review and the design-review hearing process.