ACHD
Most Speakers Oppose Growth At Town Hall
April 11, 2018 
In a respectful “town hall” meeting at Boise Fire Station #4 on Ustick Road Wednesday night, speaker after speaker told the Boise Mayor and Council they were tired of the growth or the rapid pace of growth.
Describing idyllic scenes of the past being blotted out with high density apartments, about 90% of those speaking complained of speeders and traffic on State Street or Hill Road, begged for slower growth, bemoaned the loss of the “character” of Boise, “cringed” at the rank of fastest growing city, complained about the high cost of housing, sought to have some restrictions on developers who are flush with money from California, and the impact of high prices in the downtown area for everything from omelets to parking.
To no one’s surprise Bill Conners of the Chamber of Commerce praised the council for all they have done to stimulate growth and attracting businesses to Boise.
There were a handful of activists outside brandishing signs urging restraint of growth.
To insure more advertising-free Boise Guardian news, please consider financial support.
Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Apr 11, 2018, 9:21 pm
This townhall thing is the Boise City leader’s attempt to tell us they care and are doing what’s best for us. Problem is they ain’t got a clue who we are and what we want. They have also misunderestimated us. I’m betting town hall style meetings stop.
$70 million + for a library to be filled with stinky stoned bums watching porn? No Bieter, NO!
Apr 11, 2018, 9:42 pm
Hi, Dave. Great job getting this out so quickly. I would add that virtually everyone in the room, except for the suck-up Chamber of Commerce shill, fears the demise of a livable Boise…it was palpable. The main issue as you point out, is unbridled growth leading to unmitigated traffic congestion. If you can’t go anywhere, it’s not livable. This is all within the control of Mayor Bieder and the Council, so their “what can we do but allow it to happen?” response is laughable.
Thanks for what you do.
James Jones,
for now a still livable North End resident.
Apr 11, 2018, 10:18 pm
These meetings are nothing but PR and mean nothing – except that they allow the council to say they held the meetings. All for show nothing more.
They certainly do not care what the citizens say. This group never has and they never will.
Apr 12, 2018, 9:09 am
These meetings certainly ARE just for show.
At the same time Boise City Council is pretending they “care”, we learn of the City’s proposed assault on public processes and notification about development – and their scheme to give the person who must rank as one of the most pro-ruination of neighborhoods City Planners even more power.
AND not content with destroying neighborhoods, the City now plans to expand “development” in the Military Reserve natural area -through a Bike Thrill Park for which there was no public process, and not even advance notification of the neighbors.
Their disdain for the public is palpable.
Apr 12, 2018, 11:34 am
I missed the town hall. MY BAD I’ll bet our elected officials thought they were in Meridian! We’re all familiar with the phrase pick your battle? The growth in the whole of the treasure valley is not going to end soon or ever for that matter. Growth is a futile battle. However, it can be controlled! A city council member that LIVED out state street would have looked at spending close to $5 million for studying a downtown streetcar as extremely wasteful. Especially at 5pm on State St. A battle we have a better chance to win is the districting of our elected officials! Cause if you live in Boise you have a pretty good chance of being in an area of taxation without representation. How did that battle turn out?
Apr 12, 2018, 3:45 pm
To save Boise, we need good solutions for getting rid of the political machine at City Hall, along with real alternatives for Good Growth in Boise. The only place I know of that is actually getting to the causes of the problems and the possibility of solutions is a Facebook page that I’ve recently started — an independent resource to preserve the best of our wonderful town and the Treasure Valley. I’m asking Dave at the Guardian and other good citizens to give it a fair read. I’m hoping to attract concerned citizens across various neighborhoods, diverse personal circumstances, and differing national politics for neighborly discussion and beneficial results. Thanks for any consideration. http://www.facebook.com/keepboiseunique
Apr 13, 2018, 10:10 am
Boise City has a $600K budget for promoting growth. Idaho Department of Commerce has a $32M budget to promote growth. Then our politicians say we can’t stop it. Hell, they are causing it.
If truly concerned about the citizens they would lobby the legislature to allow impact fees for schools.
Why should we pay for the schools demanded by newcomers? The builders and realtors lobbied year after year against impact fees. We continue to subsidize their enrichment.
Boomers speak of NIMBYs with disdain. Yet the Idaho Constitution embraces “first in time, first in right” when it comes to allocating water.
Why shouldn’t the same logic apply to community policy. Just as the Constitution says that the welfare of existing water users have priority over subsequent claimants, the welfare of Boise’s citizenry should have priority over those who would move here.
I first moved to Boise 48 years ago. Anyone who thinks this is a better place to live today is crazy.
We didn’t have a Walgreens on every corner, but we did have Hill’s Rexall Drug Stores. We didn’t have a Jamba Juice or Del Taco but we did have many local eateries with decent food.
I would challenge anyone to compare my list of the negative impacts of growth to their list of advantages.
No Contest!!
Apr 13, 2018, 12:39 pm
I like what idaholc has to say. The massive waves of growth about to swamp us in Boise will benefit only a tiny few to the detriment and distress of the vast majority of us — and will devastate our overall landscape, leveling our local character. Yet maybe there’s still time to build some sea walls, if regular residents are willing to pitch in as best they can.
The time for scattered complaints and piecemeal protests must be channeled into a widespread, grassroots movement that includes, but goes beyond, the wealthy and well-connected inner neighborhoods, which may be dominated by establishment elitists in league with the political machine in City Hall.
I live in the North End, but don’t consider the North End Neighborhood Association (NENA) as representing my interests, and perhaps not many of my neighbors.
The registered neighborhood associations, such as NENA, receive neighborhood reinvestment grants from City Hall. There is good evidence that Vanishing Boise recently received $500 from NENA. So I’m wondering if there is truly any real opposition to City Hall.
It seems we have to go beyond the current groups in Boise to reach out to all the city neighborhoods, and indeed all the people of the Treasure Valley. The time is short.
May 11, 2018, 4:16 pm
Mayor Bieter’s last words in his final comment were: “You’ll get used to it.”
No, Mayor Bieter, we won’t get used to it. However, we will do our best to get rid of you. Then you can go someplace else and ruin their lives. Oh, and you’ll get used to living on a whole lot less money too…