Planning and Zoning Commission backs rezone for 1519 S. Londoner, advancing 189‑unit mixed‑use proposal to City Council

The Boise City Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend approval to City Council of a rezone for 1519 South Londoner Avenue that would allow an approximately 189‑unit, three‑story mixed‑use apartment and retail project on about 5.7 acres.

Planning staff and the applicant told commissioners the proposal replaces underused parcels and two industrial uses with multi‑family housing and ground‑floor retail. Staff recommended the rezone to an R2 (Residential Compact) zone as consistent with Blueprint Boise and the city’s modern zoning code; the commission’s recommendation will go to City Council for final action.

The rezone matters, staff said, because the site is in a “level 2” infill area and adjacent to arterial corridors and transit routes. The applicant, Doug Russell of The Land Group, said the plan responds to prior direction from the commission by consolidating parcels to create a single, cohesive block redevelopment and by increasing density compared with an earlier 2021 single‑family subdivision proposal.

Staff presentation and project details

City planner Matt Dennis told commissioners the site is roughly 5.7 acres and spans the north half of the block bounded by Highland Street, Division Avenue and South Londoner Avenue. The applicant proposes two three‑story multifamily buildings with ground‑floor retail, four “urban flat” two‑story buildings facing the homes to the south, and a combined building footprint of roughly 80,000 square feet. Russell told the commission the project would provide about 189 dwelling units, roughly 232 vehicle parking stalls on site, 250 bicycle stalls (about 230 of which the applicant said would be secured), and about 34% of the site dedicated to parking. The buildings would be limited to three stories but would request a 45‑foot height allowance to permit higher interior floor‑to‑ceiling heights and mechanical screening.

Applicant and neighborhood positions

Russell said the design team reworked the plan after the commission’s 2021 denial of a lower‑density subdivision, acquired additional parcels to consolidate the northern half of the block, and submitted a project that the team says better aligns with Blueprint Boise’s intent to direct infill to activity centers and major corridors.

Eric Berg, representing the Southeast Neighborhood Association (CENA), said the neighborhood board voted to oppose the rezone. “R2 zoning should not be considered compact zoning but rather high density,” Berg told the commission, warning that because R2 has no specific density cap under the modern code, an R2 rezoning can lead to very different outcomes than the illustrative site plan.

Multiple nearby residents told commissioners the neighborhood already experiences speeding and heavy cut‑through traffic, limited sidewalks on some streets, constrained on‑street parking and a loss of privacy for single‑story homes adjacent to the site. Several speakers urged lower heights and a development tied to the submitted site plan; others requested traffic calming, speed bumps or other measures before large‑scale occupancy.

Commission questions and agency involvement

Commissioners pressed staff and the applicant on affordability, water capacity and traffic. Russell said the developer has not committed to any below‑market or regulatory “affordable” units and that the proposed units would be market rate.

Staff explained that utility concerns would be addressed at design review and permitting—Veolia must issue a will‑serve letter for water and the Public Works Department must approve sewer and drainage. On traffic, Ada County Highway District (ACHD) expressed concern about bulb‑out curb extensions on Highland because they might interfere with future bike lanes; staff recommended the applicant coordinate with ACHD to explore alternatives prior to submitting the design‑review application. Commissioners and speakers discussed options including curb extensions that allow bike lanes, other traffic‑calming measures, and an ACHD‑driven citizen request process for studying neighborhood traffic.

Design review, development agreements and next steps

Staff told the commission the modern, form‑based code intentionally leaves density uncapped in some zones while relying on design standards, transition requirements, parking and landscaping rules to limit feasible intensity; staff said that is why a development agreement was not recommended. The applicant will next submit a design‑review application that must meet neighborhood transition standards and other development standards; council makes the final zoning decision.

Decision and vote

After deliberation, the commission voted to recommend approval of the rezone and related findings to City Council. The roll call recorded affirmative votes by commissioners Stanley, Moore, Mooney, Deha, Torres and Doan (motion carried). Staff said the recommendation includes the planning team’s standard conditions and the commission’s expectation that the applicant coordinate with ACHD on traffic‑calming alternatives.

Why it matters and what’s next

If City Council adopts the rezone, the project will move to design review where building massing, landscaping, parking layout, pedestrian frontage and detailed traffic mitigation will be addressed. Opponents may appeal council action under the city’s procedures. The discussion highlights two tensions in Boise’s current land‑use debates: adding infill housing to ease housing shortages while managing localized traffic and preserving neighborhood character.