Boise Backing Off Proposed Citywide Zoning Changes

Boise was considering allowing up to four units by-right on any residential parcel in the city, but has since rolled back the scale of the proposed zoning changes.

1 minute read

July 14, 2022, 9:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Treasure Valley

CSNafzger / Shutterstock

“Boise’s new zoning code proposal got a major shake-up after the first two rounds of public input,” reports Margaret Carmel for Boise Dev.

According to Carmel, the current proposal takes citywide rezoning off the table, instead focusing zoning changes along specific corridors, “or when developers agree to build with sustainable materials and reserve some units for low-income Boiseans.”

“One of the significant changes this draft makes is scaling back the number of units allowed by right throughout the city,” reports Carmel. “The first draft allowed up to four units on any residential parcel, which is a higher density than the duplexes allowed by right on every parcel right now. It also consolidated the city’s three residential zoning districts down to two.”

New Boise Planning Director Tim Keane, who previously served as  planning director in Atlanta, presented the latest iteration of Boise’s zoning code rewrite, the latest revisions coming after a second round of public input.

“[Keane] said these changes came after listening to feedback from residents in public input sessions who felt the old proposal was a ‘one size fits all’ solution that didn’t embrace the city’s diversity,” according to the article.

Wednesday, July 13, 2022 in Boise Dev

View down New York City alleyway at nighttime

Red Cities, Blue Cities, and Crime

Homicides rose across the nation in 2020 and 2021. But did they rise equally in all cities, or was the situation worse in some than in others?

March 12, 2023 - Michael Lewyn

babyt Boomer Homeowners

The Shifting Boomer Bulge: More Bad News for America’s Housing Crisis?

In the first of a two-part series, PlaceMakers’ Ben Brown interviews housing guru Arthur C. Nelson on the sweeping demographic changes complicating the housing market.

March 12, 2023 - PlaceShakers and NewsMakers

Yellow on black "Expect Delays" traffic sign

A Serious Critique of Congestion Costs and Induced Vehicle Travel Impacts

Some highway advocates continue to claim that roadway expansions are justified to reduce traffic congestion. That's not what the research shows. It's time to stop obsessing over congestion and instead strive for efficient accessibility.

March 14, 2023 - Todd Litman

Washington D.C. Protest

IPCC Report: The World Is Running Out of Time on Climate Change

The planet is not doing enough to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to a recent report published by the United Nations’ International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

March 20 - International Panel on Climate Change

A view of the Boise skyline, across tress int he foreground. The state capitol is visible amongst other office buildings.

Skyline-Defining High-Rise Potentially Coming to Boise

A rendering making the rounds in Boise depicts a 40-story apartment building that would be taller than all other buildings in one of the fastest growing cities in the United States.

March 20 - Boise Dev

Interior of Tesla car with driver holding hands off wheel in 'full self-driving' mode

Buttigieg: Tesla ‘Autopilot’ Marketing ‘A Concern’

The USDOT secretary says marketing doesn’t fall under his department’s investigative authority, but expressed disapproval of language that implies autonomous operation.

March 20 - Bloomberg

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.