Comments on: Simplot JUMP Project Hits Design Review Snag

By: Sam

Sam — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 04:58:07 +0000

Suffice it to say that this project, as all projects, needs to go through several tweaks and reviews. Just built a house for myself. Had to do the same thing. It’s normal. Don’t make hay where there is none. [Suggestion: If you pick your battles wisely more people will listen and have trust in you. If every last thing people (i.e. current folks in city hall) do is wrong in your eyes, you lose credibility as a solid, critical thinker.] I think Jack would understand the “snag”. In fact, I know he would.

By: Inside City Hall

Inside City Hall — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 16:26:47 +0000

OK – here is what you need to do get a project approved by both planning and zoning as well as design review. And eventually the City Council.

1. Have the City Council and mayor in your pocket.
2. The project must be a block style and brown in color. Again the building must be brown.
3. You must be willing to listen to the commissioners who know less about the market and real market forces than you do. In other words you have to make them look good when you know more than they do.
4. Understand that the only developers that get stuff approved are those that pander to the planning and development department.
5. Be willing to make your project more ugly – the commissioners love ugly – take the Aspen builing – as you look at it from the train depot it is now the ugliest building in the downtown skyline.
6. Be willing to kiss the bottoms of the city council.
7. Lastly – ignore the public and especially the nieghborhoods and the tax payers that testify. Call them stupid and ignorant.

Do these things and your project will fly though!

By: boisecynic

boisecynic — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:32:30 +0000

You guys ought to like this: (LA Times article about urban renewal agencies)

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-redevelopment-20101002,0,6634120.story

Regarding the 3 votes against the JUMP project; what exactly is the problem? Is it parking? Ingress and egress are certainly a concern on busy Front/Myrtle/9th. Is it the large amount of open space? Is it too ugly? Do the finish materials look like painted styrofoam like the Grove Hotel?

By: Rod in SE Boise

Rod in SE Boise — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 02:00:33 +0000

Not enough information.

Is the “Design Review Commission” part of Boise City or part of CCDC?

If the “Design Review Commission” is part of Boise City, is it composed of city employees (like from the planning and zoning department) or elected officials (like the mayor & city council)?

Planning & zoning has a valid function in our society. They keep the peace. Really. If my neighbor was allowed to paint his house purple, or keep a junk car in the yard there would be no peace.

EDITOR NOTE–Design Review is a board of volunteers…perhaps a councilor is also assigned, but not certain. We have no beef w/ the board, but these are the folks who mandate those spreading junipers that catch all the butts and gum wrappers in front of businesses. Simplot people thought they had done what was asked of them.
Daily Paper will follow with details from a paid reporter…the GUARDIAN is source material for the others.

By: Carl

Carl — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 01:38:48 +0000

Does anyone know that details surrounding why there were some nay votes?

By: Gem State Avenger

Gem State Avenger — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 22:06:25 +0000

Oh Dan. I am looking through Idaho Code and can’t find the section in the law that gives the CCDC “all” of the taxes from this project. Now the law does allow the urban renewal district to take a share of the new tax revenues generated from the enhanced property value but that is different than “all”.

EDITOR NOTE–What portion of IMPROVEMENTS (i.e. new structures) does NOT go to CCDC? When M&O for schools went off property tax, I believe that ALL of the “increment” now goes to urban renewal. Glad to clarify if I am wrong.

By: Fact Check

Fact Check — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 21:26:31 +0000

Clancy: Ditto

By: Clancy

Clancy — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 19:57:03 +0000

Cyclops- I could not of said it better.

By: cyclops

cyclops — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 16:31:24 +0000

Damned private enterprise! Haven’t they learned by now that if a structure isn’t built with public money, this city doesn’t want it! Please God, let Jack come back just long enough to beat some sense into these jerks! If he were still here, I bet the first thing we would have seen this morning would be a D-9 Cat scraping that lot and Jack would be standing there telling the Statesman that “the city can go to hell”!!!