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Nampa staff unveil draft Southwest area plan: 1,600 acres, new Midway‑Lone Star mixed‑use district proposed
Summary
City staff presented a final draft of the Southwest Nampa Area Specific Plan covering about 1,600 acres, proposing a Midway‑Lone Star mixed‑use district, new trails and three mid‑mile collector roads; outreach showed strong public concern about traffic and preserving rural character.
City staff presented a final draft of the Southwest Nampa Area Specific Plan at a joint workshop of the City Council and the Planning & Zoning Commission, proposing new land‑use designations, a concentrated mixed‑use district at Lone Star and Midway, expanded trail connections and three new mid‑mile collectors to address forecasted traffic.
Doug, a city planning staff member who led the presentation, said the plan covers “about 1,600 acres” extending from Karcher Road to Lake Lowell Avenue and follows the city limits on the east and the area‑of‑impact boundary with Caldwell on the west. He described the draft as “our final draft of the plan” and said staff will take it back to the county and Caldwell staff for coordination before returning it to the commission and council for approval.
The presentation summarized public engagement and baseline data: staff reported nine landowner meetings, an open house at Lone Star Middle School with about 108 people attending, a project webpage that received 368 visits and outreach showing that roughly 89% of the highlighted land is being considered for development. Doug said “about 800 acres” of the 1,600 are owned by developers or parties actively interested in development.
On land use, staff proposed concentrating commercial and higher‑intensity mixed uses in a Midway‑Lone Star district to bring services closer to new residential areas; immediately around Midway Park and the schools the plan retains somewhat higher medium density housing and then steps down in density moving outward. Staff outlined code guidance tied to those designations: very low density single‑family detached in the outer areas, medium density tiers (about 2–5 dwelling units per acre and 5–8 dwelling units per acre in closer‑in areas), and a community mixed‑use cap of roughly 12 dwelling units per acre in the central district.
Traffic and timing were recurring concerns. Council members cautioned that higher densities could arrive before needed infrastructure — notably public transit — and asked about coordination with Caldwell, which has planning areas abutting Nampa. Doug said the current boundary west of Lake reflects a 2016 negotiation with Caldwell and the county and that staff are working with county staff to align comprehensive plans. Council members discussed seeking joint‑powers arrangements or impact‑fee sharing (a traffic impact study, or TIS) to help address the cost of regional trips that use Nampa streets.
The draft also emphasizes trails and non‑motorized connections. Staff proposed looped trail segments tying to the canal system and Lake Lowell Park, and reported coordination with the National Wildlife Refuge on trail alignment.
Next steps, as described at the meeting: staff will meet with county and Caldwell staff, return to the Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council for formal consideration and, if approved, draft code amendments to implement the plan’s standards and phasing. The plan’s staff presentation materials will be posted on the city website and shared with meeting participants.
The meeting closed without a formal vote on the plan; staff said the materials will be posted and additional meetings are expected as the plan moves toward formal review and possible adoption.
