Kuna commission approves Newberry Place preliminary plat and design review with conditions

The Kuna City Planning and Zoning Commission on Sept. 23 approved preliminary plat and design-review applications for Newberry Place, an 18.6-acre subdivision planned for the South 10 Mile Road and West Lake Hazel area.

Marina Lundy, planner for Kuna Development Services, told the commission the application requests preliminary plat approval for 95 residential lots and 22 common lots in an area already zoned R-8. Lundy noted the site’s prior pre-plat approval for 98 residential lots expired Feb. 17, 2025, and recommended approval with conditions outlined in the staff report.

Elwin Butler of Matrix Engineering, representing the applicant, said the revised plan reflects changes in ownership (RE 1 LLC) and lot configuration: the new plat increases lot widths from about 30 feet to 40 feet and preserves the previously approved street layout. Butler said the Boise Project Board of Control and the Bureau of Reclamation rescinded earlier permission to plant grass in the canal easement; staff and the applicant instead negotiated permission for decorative rock in the easement and to relocate required trees and landscaping into the subdivision.

During public testimony, resident Clark Munson, who lives at 3273 West Devotion Drive adjacent to the project, praised the plan as an improvement over the earlier approval but raised concerns about density, asking that the construction entrance be routed from Butterfly and 10 Mile rather than Donaway, that homes along the canal be limited to single-story, and that developers consider adding a community pool to serve future families.

Butler responded that the construction entrance will be from Butterfly with Donaway used only when necessary for crossing work; he said setbacks from the canal and rear lot depths provide separation from neighboring homes and that the developer prefers architectural variety rather than restricting home heights. Butler also said the applicant will consider usable improvements in open space rather than installing fixtures likely to be vandalized.

Commission discussion focused on traffic and interim access prior to planned intersection upgrades. Commissioners said much of the northbound traffic may use Donaway through adjacent subdivisions until a planned roundabout at 10 Mile and Lake Hazel is constructed (staff noted those intersection improvements are programmed for 2029). Several commissioners also raised the district’s capacity concerns and the absence of a school-district comment in the packet, saying annexation and prior platting were the primary opportunities for the district to weigh in.

After deliberation, a commissioner moved to approve case 25-05-S (preliminary plat) with the conditions in the staff report; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote with no recorded opposition. A separate motion approving case 25-25-DR (design review) likewise passed with conditions.

The commission’s approvals were conditioned as described in the staff report, including right-of-way and sidewalk adjustments, landscaping and screening requirements, and required permits for any canal crossing. The commission did not add a requirement for a community pool or a universal single-story restriction for homes along the canal.

The commission moved on to other agenda items after voting; the Newberry Place approvals are subject to final compliance with the enumerated staff conditions and any permitting by the Bureau of Reclamation and Boise Project Board of Control.