City Government
Parks Restriction Garners Signature Quota
January 3, 2023 
A petition drive aimed at restricting Boise politicos from selling park and open space real estate without citizen approval has obtained enough signatures to make the 2023 November ballot.
A group calling itself the “Boise Parks Association” ran the effort. Here is what they say in-part in a press release:
On December 30, 2022, the Boise City Clerk delivered written confirmation that the Parks and Open Space Protection Initiative has collected sufficient signatures to be placed on the ballot for the City’s November 2023 election. The number and validity of the Boise voter’s signatures was confirmed by the Ada County Clerk.
David King, Chairman of Boise Parks Association said, “The Parks Protection Initiative will require voter approval before any city parks or open spaces are developed or sold. This is the only way to protect them from short-sighted decisions by the city. The Boise City Attorney and all other lawyers will confirm that deed restrictions and covenants are vulnerable to future termination. Any statements to the contrary by Boise’s politicians are flatly untrue. We are confident voters will see the truth and vote to protect parks and open space in November.”
The Clerks confirmed that 20% of the qualified electors who voted in the November 2021 Boise general election (34,113 total voters) necessitated 6,823 signatures to perfect the petition. The Ada County Clerk certified that 11,136 signatures were gathered and submitted, and 7,334 signatures were verified as qualified electors, perfecting the initiative for placement on the 2023 City general election ballot.
Katie Fite, Director of Boise Parks Association said, “We gathered over 11,100 signatures from citizens who want to ensure their voices are heard loud and clear in protecting our beautiful public parks and open spaces. This was a lot of work, and thousands more signatures than the previous library and stadium City Initiative efforts. Onward to November!”
The City Council will hold a hearing on the Parks Protection Initiative on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 150 North Capitol Boulevard, Boise Idaho, at 6:00 P.M. Any resident may appear at the public hearing and offer written or oral comments regarding the proposed initiative measure.
To insure more advertising-free Boise Guardian news, please consider financial support.
Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Jan 3, 2023, 10:21 pm
Yeah! Do we need to attend the city council meeting discussion??
Jan 4, 2023, 12:42 am
Finally, a breath of fresh air. I would have gladly signed if I’d known of the petition. Instead, I express, my sincere appreciation to the Boise Parks Association. Now, if we could arrest the stuffing of high-density housing where single-family homes previously existed, you’d have the frosting for the cake.
Jan 4, 2023, 8:46 am
This is great!!! Whatever we can get on the ballot to draw people to the ballot box to elect a new mayor.
Jan 4, 2023, 1:28 pm
At the Jan. 24 meeting, the City Council has the option of moving to adopt the initiative language as a city ordinance. That could obviate the need for placing it on the Nov. 2023 ballot. However, council could monkey with the language; so, it’s important that citizens pay close attention to what they propose at that session.
It’s also important to keep an eye on any changes to park or open-space properties council might try to push through before the initiative language becomes an ordinance.
Jan 4, 2023, 3:20 pm
David King says it will require voter approval before any city parks or open spaces are developed or sold
Developed?
So the city is donated a property by Richey Family and to do ANYTHING to it, will require a vote of the people.
Micromanage much?
EDITOR NOTE–We note the city has a history of LEASING public property to avoid the rules of SELLING. That is the case with the park/apartment complex at Orchard and Franklin.
Jan 4, 2023, 5:56 pm
Read Gary Richardson’s comments closely. Then follow them.
Our City ‘leaders’ will do anything in their power to subvert common sense and their attempt to convert this city into the ‘most woke’ one in west bar San Francisco and Portland.
Feb 2, 2023, 8:18 pm
Knocking it out of the park Guardian.
lol
lol
lol
lol