Growth
City Land Speculation Unabated
City government in Boise is in disarray as mayor and councilors are preoccupied with growth. We don’t know what is going on at City Hall, but neither do most of the city councilors. We do know they are hellbent on getting bigger at all costs and seek to create urban sprawl on a massive scale […]
Trashing Our Desert
Ada Commishes Wednesday trashed a proposed private landfill plan in the desert southeast of Boise along Kuna-Mora Road , subsequently making it more attractive to developers eager to cover our open spaces with houses. Allied Waste Systems, the parent of trash collector BFI, had applied to build a 500 acre landfill facility, but the Ada […]
As Simple As Breathing
Talk about a positive approach and “good news!” Three headlines in the printed paper Thursday demonstrate a certain “dope reporter “ mentality. They detail a problem with vehicle air pollution in one story and even acknowledge growth as a cause. The story below crows about 14% growth in Meridian and describes Boise’s .2% growth as […]
Star Mayor on Growthophobia
A BOISEGUARDIAN EXCLUSIVE Star Mayor Nathan Mitchell poured out his guts on the GUARDIAN over the weekend and while he may not be “growthophobe” positive, he certainly has many of the symptoms. Team Nate and most of the City Councilors are subject of a recall effort that needs only 250 signatures to get on the […]
Developers Spell Canyon Crop Failure
Developers have eaten up much of Ada County’s open spaces, plan to eat more and now have a craving to devour Canyon County. Because Ada County has tougher zoning for “planned communities” than our neighbors to the west, the guys with the big appetites to make big bucks want to build along the Snake River […]
The Down Side on The Foothills
Monday marks 5 years since voters passed the so called “Foothills Levy which created a fund to to keep parts of the Boise Front open to the public. Results have been mixed. The election was conducted in a fraudulent manner using taxpayer funds to promote passage of the levy. About $50,000 in city money was […]
Growthophobia Outbreak In Star
A severe outbreak of growthophobia has been reported in Star where resident growthophobes are uniting to oust the mayor and most of the councilors following a 158% increase in population in the past year. Thanh Tan at KBCI-TV 2 did a nice job on the story of Pamela Leverett’s effort to circulate a recall petition […]
Another Flood Plain Subdivision
Whew! Looks like Eagle dodged the flood bullet! They’ve announced that river flows probably won’t get any higher; in fact they might soon be receding. And, as if in celebration, the Eagle City Council has unanimously approved the new “Laguna Pointe” subdivision, on Eagle Island, near the notorious South Channel. Laguna Pointe sounds pretty sweet […]
Cure For Growthophobia
As a young boy the GUARDIAN editor savored the occasional weekend at Grandpa Norm Alverson’s Farm in Lenawee County, Michigan. “Stay outta the pen with the bull, he’s a mean one,” was the standard warning as the 8-year-old great grandson headed outside to explore the big gray barn and pyramid-roofed garage with a 1941 black […]
Growing Numbers of Growthophobes
We are noticing more and more people coming to their senses and opposing insane growth which manifests itself in flood threats, infill arguments, annexation hassles, inflated housing prices, traffic, and a host of other offensive habits. Latest growthophobe to go public is Sarah Wiltz, president of the Sunset neighborhood association. She sees growth as a […]
Flood Is About More Than Water
A friend of the GUARDIAN discussed flood and growth issues over lunch recently and declared, “I don’t like it here anymore. I think I will move to Idaho!” Idaho is really a state of mind–just like California. “Kalifornikcate” is a state of mind about people and developers ruining a once beautiful spot on earth–regardless of […]
Eagle Residents Balk at Gravity
Reader “Sisyphus” suggested we take a look at a piece by reporter Than Tan of KBCI TV. “Guardian, I bet your readers would be interested in talking about the threatened lawsuit against the federal and state agencies by the homeowners in Eagle Island arguing that government is not doing enough to stop the flooding. Yes, […]
No Sympathy For Riverside Residents
The GUARDIAN has noted some readers and radio listeners seem less than sympathetic toward those whose homes are threatened by recent flood waters in Boise and Eagle. The photos were taken off Park Center Blvd. at Spring Meadow Lane. The original developer was ordered to provide Greenbelt parking and access as a condition of approval […]
Wrapping the Sponge In Plastic
The following is an unscientific GUARDIAN take on the current flood threat in the Boise area. While the threat of flooding and the potential for damage is usually focused on the Boise River, and quite often the Eagle area, the Wednesday breach of Dry Creek and problems in Boise County showed us the small streams […]
Growing By The Numbers
Here are some interesting figures the Chamber of Commerce is circulating to those at the top of their food chain regarding population figures. These figures serve, among other things, to attract more businesses into the area bent on making a buck. Once the population reaches a certain point, we become targets for various retail chains, […]
Eagle Foothills Under Attack
As the leading “growthophobe” on the Idaho blog scene, the GUARDIAN is forced to comment on the latest “planned development” which was announced across the front page of the Statesman Monday. In a journalistic “coup” (we used to call that a scoop) Cynthia Sewell tells of yet another Arizona developer with plans to pave and […]
Build It And They Will Come!
The same folks who promoted the Foothills preservation plan are bent on growing as many houses as possible in the rolling south hills…far away from the cozy North End. Recent “cover stories” in the Statesman about city-owned land and Boise’s plans for growing into the southeast desert should sound alarm bells for growthophobes–like the GUARDIAN. […]
Evolution: Humans to Monkeys, Chimps, Gorillas
In the realm of Southwest Idaho Cities, Boise stands head and shoulders above the rest as the “800 pound gorilla” with the “chimpanzees” of Meridian and Nampa growing up fast. During the past 10 years as Boise City swung through the suburban jungle unchallenged, it intimidated the surrounding areas and annexed thousands of acres of […]
State To Study Detox Panel
Looks like there is hope, however slim, for some sort of detox treatment at the state level after the legislature forms its own interim committee to examine the failed efforts of the Department of Health and Welfare. The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee suggested a joint committee be formed to determine what needs to be done […]
Boise Not Good Enough?
City and County officials from across the Treasure Valley are poised to meet with “Business Leaders” and the Chamber of Commerce for an annual gathering which gives attendees exclusive access to elected officials. This group of cheerleaders strives for economic vitality in the Boise area. They have economic development teams, they push tourism and convention […]
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