Guiding Plans

The City of Boise is committed to designing a city for everyone and that means we must evolve how and where we develop to ensure we have the housing, economic opportunity and public investment we need to achieve affordable and sustainable growth.

Blueprint Boise, Boise's comprehensive plan, is our long-range strategy to help integrate various planning efforts across the city. In addition to our comprehensive plan, we also have our zoning code which are our rules and regulations on where and what kinds of buildings can be built in our city. Our comprehensive plan, zoning code, and other guiding plans serve as the framework for the future growth of Boise.

Boise skyline with downtown buildings and clouds above.

Blueprint Boise

Blueprint Boise is the city’s comprehensive guide to managing growth for the next 20 years. It includes a future land use map depicting the expected type and location of development in the city. The future land use map works in conjunction with zoning to direct development to appropriate locations in desirable amounts.

  • Blueprint Boise was prepared over a four-year period with extensive citizen input and review and was adopted by the City Council in November 2011.
  • Blueprint Boise addresses policies in detail. These chapters include a variety of supplemental information, such as design guidelines and maps showing the distribution of schools, parks, fire stations, sewer lines, historic districts, etc.
  • Blueprint Boise policies are implemented through zoning, project review, capital improvement programming, and/or budgeting, and a variety of other means.
  • The city regularly reviews the plan to determine whether conditions in the community or the desires of the citizens have changed enough to warrant revisions.

See More on Blueprint Boise

Master and Neighborhood Plans

In addition to the citywide policies in Blueprint Boise, master plans, and neighborhood plans guide the design and standards for specific parts of the city to address their individual qualities and needs.

Master Plans

Neighborhood Plans

Boise sign in center island with traffic flowing each direction on Vista Avenue.

A Modern Zoning Code

A Modern Zoning Code was adopted by Boise City Council in June of 2023 with an effective date of December 1, 2023. This code was the first large scale modification to Boise's zoning code since it was first adopted in 1966. In conjunction with Blueprint Boise, the zoning code will work to implement the planning goals for the city.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE Journey to a Modern Zoning Code

Cover of adopted zoning code.

CCDC

CCDC (Capital City Development Corp) is a close city partner, working hand in hand to implement public improvements in Urban Renewal Districts.

SEE MORE ON CCDC URBAN RENEWAL DISTRICTS

Message Sent Successfully!

Message Failed To Send.

Send a Message to Planning

Thank you for your interest in the Planning division. Please fill out the form below and a representative will be in touch with you. If you are inquiring about a specific project, please include the record number or project address.