Boise approves 212‑unit affordable housing project at Dorado Station after design revisions requested

The Boise City Design Review Commission on Jan. 8 approved a six‑story, 212‑unit affordable housing project called Dorado Station on city‑owned land near Fairview Avenue, with conditions that the developer return to a public work session to refine the building’s massing, color palette and open‑space layout.

City housing official Maureen Brewer told the commission the city purchased the parcel to help meet affordable housing goals and is partnering with Ada County to provide gap financing. “The city bought this site because it’s both an appropriate and desirable place for thoughtfully designed multifamily,” Brewer said, citing proximity to transit and services and the project’s role in the city’s housing production targets.

The project, proposed by developer Jay Fisher and presented by applicant representative Jake Wood, is a six‑story building in the MX‑3 zone with 212 affordable units, a ground‑level parking podium providing 162 parking spaces (a 40% parking reduction allowed under Boise City code incentives for 100% affordable projects), and about 30% usable open space including internal pathways, a ground‑floor common room, a fitness room and an outdoor deck. Wood said the team agreed with most of staff’s recommended conditions and would work with staff on subjective items such as color and façade treatment.

Why it matters: The site is city‑owned and part of a deliberate city strategy to leverage land and county federal funds to expand affordable housing in transit‑served locations. The commission’s approval advances the project toward permitting while asking for additional design work intended to reduce the perceived mass of the building and increase usable, soft open space for residents.

Staff presentation and findings Catherine (planning staff) summarized zoning and design findings, telling the commission the project complies with MX‑3 height, setback and open‑space standards and that the requested 40% parking reduction is permitted under code section 110302 (incentive provisions for all‑affordable projects). She said the project provides a detached sidewalk on street frontages, 304 bicycle parking spaces and that fire and police reviewed access and required no on‑site mitigation beyond conditions included in the report.

Public testimony: traffic, scale and sunlight concerns About two dozen neighbors and property owners spoke at the hearing. Common concerns included vehicle congestion and safety at the nearby Fairview intersection, the number of parking stalls relative to units, the six‑story height and the building’s impact on sunlight, views and neighborhood character. Eric Maggard, a nearby property manager, said: “I sometimes sit there like 4 or 5, 6 minutes, trying to make a left‑hand turn,” describing existing delays onto Fairview. Several residents of the Orchards at Fairview condominium community said the scale and shadowing would be out of character for their one‑story neighborhood and could affect property values.

Developer response and design direction Applicant representative Jake Wood said the developer and design team accepted most staff conditions and were prepared to modify the color palette and façade articulation. Architect Eric Tuttle (remote) described materials as brick at the ground level with stucco above and said the team was open to “adding more contrast” to reduce the perceived mass.

Commission deliberations and conditions Commissioners focused debate on design details within their purview — massing, façade composition, palette and usable open space — while staff and the chair clarified that land use, overall density and street ownership (ACHD) are outside Design Review Commission authority. Commissioners asked the applicant to break up the long north façade, improve façade rhythm and provide more soft (green) open space rather than primarily paved or indoor amenities. The commission approved the staff recommendation with an added condition that the applicant return to a public work session after revising plans to address the commission’s design concerns.

Outcome and next steps The motion to approve DRH24‑00253, with the staff‑recommended findings and conditions and the added requirement of a follow‑up public work session for further design refinement, passed on roll call (ayes recorded; one recusal). The developer will work with staff to revise materials, articulation and open‑space layout and will return to the commission in a work‑session format before final design approval and permitting.

Planning context and funding Maureen Brewer said Ada County is contributing gap financing and that the city is ground‑leasing the parcel to the developer to help produce 100% affordable housing on the site; she noted the project fits city priorities to add units affordable to households earning under 80% of area median income. Specific unit mixes and bedroom counts tied to Ada County funding were not specified in the hearing record.

What remains unresolved Neighbors and several commissioners urged further study or mitigation of traffic and parking impacts with ACHD and other agencies; commissioners emphasized those operational and right‑of‑way issues fall under ACHD and planning‑and‑zoning review rather than design review. The applicant agreed to return with refined architectural drawings and additional detail on open‑space design.