Comments on: Eagle Foothills Under Attack

By: T.J.

T.J. — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 17:33:46 +0000

Thanks, Meglea, for that link. I have bookmarked it and look forward to reading the information.

By: MegLea

MegLea — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 17:13:13 +0000

Lib, you crack me up. You said, “Not a person commenting on this has the resources or the time to fight the beasts of development. (Gee whiz, am I apathetic or what?)”

I’m the mother of 3 busy 10-year olds, work full time, and still had the wherewithal and the energy to be a player in the fight to “downsize” the Crescent Rim project for 2-1/2 years. All it takes to start is a few people to organize and stand up for what is right, and then a lot of staying power. (We also had an awesome leader.)

TJ and the rest of you, my apologies for not being more timely with the following – lost the website and took forever to re-find. This site, ceds.org, is absolutely platinum! It has a detailed handbook you can download on how to win land development issues. Have a look:

http://www.ceds.org/publications.html

Then go for it. Stand up for what you believe in. You may win, but even if you don’t, you will know you put up the good fight and didn’t let the scoundrels steamroller over your rights.

By: Jon C.

Jon C. — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 00:06:44 +0000

I have lived in Boise all of my 50 years. I don’t
have a problem with people that have moved here from any particular place (like California). I just remember what it was like in the early 70’s when we hunted pheasants between Hill rd. & State st. just west of Collister. Nobody worried about houses in the foothills because the only ones there were ranches (real ones) that had been there for decades.

Mile High (a wonderfull picnic area) was still at the top of 8th street road. You could drive or ride from Cartwright rd. over “the hill” to the old Horseshoe Bend-Idaho City road and landowners didn’t mind as long as you closed the gates. I remember drives to Nampa on Hwy. 30 (Franklin rd.) before the freeway was built that offered views of a truly rural and expansive division between small towns and cities.

The sad fact is…there are just too many people…no matter where they came from. I know I’m a “stick in the mud” but this valley was a heck of a lot nicer place to live 30 or 40 years ago. And more fun too.

By: john

john — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 21:06:53 +0000

You guys are all bummed because you didn’t build a beige paint factory here in the valley. What about all those “dollar stores” you could have opened or “check cashing” joints? Dang, I’m bummed too. You could have participated in all the growth and got RICH in the process. Wasn’t it Ronald Reagan that taught us in the 80’s the mantra, “greed is good”? If that’s true then some of us native Idahoans are mighty fine examples of those very qualities.

By: lib.Redneck

lib.Redneck — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 12:56:04 +0000

I’m that guy that lives in the cracker-box house. I’m that guy that is contributing to your commute time. I’m that guy that shops at big box stores. How do you like me now!

Let this growth/development issue go. Trying to stop it is like pissing on a forest fire. Not a person commenting on this has the resources or the time to fight the beasts of development. (Gee whiz, am I apathetic or what?)

What’s the big deal with people wanting horses? “Oh Oh! Look at my equestrian center. It’s so perfect with big white stables. I can’t wait to pay a membership to this place to have other more capable people take care of my horse.” –Just about anyone in Eagle.

Wasn’t it Vasquez out of Nampa that sent that bill to Mexico to cover the costs of the immigrants to Canyon County. Maybe Idaho should do the same to other states who keep sending their people and their (developmental) problems to Idaho. Seems fair.

Everyone wants MOPI.
(My Own Private Idaho)

By: T.J.

T.J. — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 03:12:55 +0000

No, We didn’t buy a new house. I have never lived in a new house…don’t want to either. We have never been into conspicuous consumption and are far from rich. We still own my first little house in Boise and have rented it out for many years. We may very well end up back in that house if our tenants decide to leave. It just amazes me that people just keep coming. Where are they working that they can afford $500,000 houses? I never made that much money and am now on a fixed income. We probably couldn’t afford the house we live in if we had to buy it today. I think Eagle is going to be a snooty, unpleasant place to live in a few years. It would be really nice to be wrong about this. Where did you move to, Tam? We are thinking about a manufactured home in the Hagerman area.

By: osprey

osprey — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 02:30:44 +0000

Mayor Merrill is quoted in that article saying “Acquiring the BLM land will be a really great opportunity to protect some of those sensitive Foothills areas from development and keep the land and trails open to horseback riders.” This is misleading because Eagle does not need to acquire the park to prevent the land from being developed or to keep the land open for equestrian uses.

If people are concerned about Eagle’s plans for the BLM land and potential collusion with the developer I would suggest they contact the local BLM office and demand an EIS on the proposal prior to any land grant to the city of Eagle. Furthermore you should ask that the EIS look at how Eagle intends to manage the lands and whether their proposal will make it easier for the adjacent development to occur and whether public access to the BLM land will be changed. The EIS should also determine whether the adjacent proposed development will negatively impact the BLM lands.

By: tam

tam — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 01:08:06 +0000

I, like TJ bought a home in Eagle a few years ago. It was built in 1923 and remodeled many times by the original family through two generations. This was a timeframe we refer to as Before the Bypass or (bb). I have lived in subdivided neighborhoods and in older homes which predate the growth. I have been attacked, well chastised, on this blog for living on a 1.5 acre lot in the country across the road from the area of impact line. Although I no longer live in Eagle, I feel concern that there be some midground between NO growth, and nature-be-damned-let’s-cover-every-square-inch-with-a-butt-ugly-box. I surely do not have all the answers. I simply believe one of the obvious ones is NO! I don’t care if they’re horse trails or go-kart paths…NO seems like an okay answer. Shame that greed gets in the way.

By: Boisean

Boisean — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 22:05:23 +0000

I would like to know if TJ and family bought a new house when they moved to Eagle “a few years ago”? It is easy to get what you want and then blame your neighbors for getting theirs. No one wants to think that their actions are spurring on the growth.

By: BoiseCitizen

BoiseCitizen — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 18:26:27 +0000

That is just the first incarnation. I remember when Hidden Springs was telling folks “Oh,yeah,we got open space,and an equestrian center,etc.,etc.” The original developer then sells out to Developer B who says forget that, we want to do something else. Buyer A who bought into the original plan and wanted horses now can’t have the horses. Ouch. Then Developer B finds out about local politics and sells out to Developer C and on and on. Meanwhile the plans change and the growth just goes on unchecked. Sterile subdivisions everywhere.