Neighborhood Planning

Neighborhood Planning Program

The Neighborhood Planning Program serves community members and organized neighborhood associations by identifying and advancing neighborhood priorities through planning, regular engagement, and the alignment of resources.

The development of Neighborhood Plans is one of the fundamental efforts of Boise’s Energize Our Neighborhoods and Neighborhood Planning programs. A Neighborhood Plan is the result of the collaborative effort between the City Planning and Development Services Department, other city departments, outside agencies, and neighborhood stakeholders to document existing conditions and identify future needs of a neighborhood.

Since 2011, six neighborhoods have adopted or are in the process of developing a neighborhood plan. Another 12 neighborhoods have a plan that was completed within the last 15 years.

Neighborhood Plans

What is a Neighborhood Plan?

A Neighborhood Plan is a long-term vision document that is reviewed and adopted by City Council to supplement Blueprint Boise, the city’s Comprehensive Plan. A neighborhood plan is intended to guide change for 10 to 15 years and includes a vision, a list of goals, and implementation strategies. The neighborhood planning process engages the entire community, including residents, neighborhood association members and leadership, businesses, schools, nonprofits, and many others to develop a shared plan for the future of the neighborhood.

Neighborhood Planning is fundamental to the city’s vision to be a city for everyone. Through the year-long planning process, neighbors and the city will be engaged in:

• Identifying a future vision for the community and then developing strategies and tools for achieving that vision.
• Making detailed recommendations for land use changes and future neighborhood investment to help ensure neighborhoods grow as envisioned by the neighborhood’s residents.
• Providing a level of analysis, detail, and guidance on issues affecting local areas that citywide plans cannot.

A neighborhood plan in and of itself is not a binding ordinance or agreement. It is a set of general principals and recommendations for actions. A good plan will be explicit about the steps necessary to implement its goals and the people who must be involved to make it happen. Neighborhood plans get implemented when neighbors, with assistance from city (and potentially other public agency) staff, work to get the plan’s recommendations acted upon by the appropriate parties.

Neighborhood Plan Framework

Neighborhood Data Almanac

The Neighborhood Data Almanac provides data snapshots about residents, households, and the built and natural environments for the geographic boundaries of each of Boise’s registered neighborhood associations.

VIEW ALMANAC