Council approves Toll Brothers plan reducing density to 591 homes, preserves school site

The Eagle City Council on Dec. 9 approved a revision to the Trente Seco development proposed by Toll Southwest LLC, accepting the applicant’s changes that lower the project’s maximum buildable units to 591 and preserve an 11-acre elementary school site for West Ada School District.

Becky McKay, an engineer representing Toll Brothers, told the council the revision replaces 130 duet units with 109 detached single-family lots and retains 92 duets in the southwest portion of the site. “We’re here this evening with 591,” McKay said, summarizing the updated unit count and noting the project’s gross density falls to about 2.25 dwelling units per acre and the average lot size is now roughly 10,311 square feet.

Planning staff reviewed the application and described the changes that were brought after council direction at an earlier hearing. Haley Durham, planning staff, said the applicant removed the proposed four‑unit cluster lots entirely, reintroduced some duet products and proposed a mix of lot sizes including a new small‑lot detached product with a 40‑foot minimum width and 5‑foot side setbacks in some areas. The Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval 4–0.

Residents who spoke during the public comment period raised traffic and pedestrian concerns, asking about timing for signal work on Palmer and Highway 44 and the safety of attached sidewalks in winter. Josh (recreation/public-works staff) and applicant representatives said traffic modeling had been performed and that multiple developers were coordinating mitigation with Ada County Highway District and the Idaho Transportation Department; McKay said Toll Brothers agreed to a roughly $200,000 ITD mitigation payment intended to accelerate a Palmer/Highway 44 signal.

Council members stressed design quality for small‑lot products. Councilman Kwame and others asked for additional architectural refinement for single‑story small‑lot homes; Toll Brothers’ development manager, Martin Taylor, and the applicant committed to work with staff on facade and entry details to improve streetscape quality.

Councilmember (Speaker 3) moved to approve the CUP, preliminary development plan and preliminary plat modifications with the applicant’s revisions; the motion passed by voice vote. Staff will correct unit counts in the findings of fact to reflect the 591‑unit total before finalizing the findings.

The approval includes: retention of a conditioned, city‑dedicated elementary school site (to be deeded to West Ada when requested), increased open space (reported at ~29% of the PUD), and requirements that certain lots adjacent to Beacon Light be limited to single‑story homes per the applicant’s restrictions. The council directed staff to work with the applicant on final architectural details and to ensure traffic mitigation coordination continues with ACHD and ITD.

The development will be phased; the applicant indicated phase‑1 infrastructure is complete and later phases are under plan review.