The City of Boise is working to ensure there is a home for everyone in this community. One of the ways it’s doing that is by updating its zoning code, which defines how all property can be built and used in different spots in the city. This will make it easier for everyone to get around, maintain the things we love about Boise, and increase the number and types of homes available.
The next step happens Thursday, January 27. That’s when the city will release the draft of the 2nd part (Module 2) of the Zoning Code Rewrite and the Zoning Conversion Map here at 5:00 p.m. that day. This part will show the possible changes to requirements for properties within the city like building height, building setbacks, housing density, parking, building design, and community benefit incentives.
“Our zoning code is outdated and confusing. It’s holding us back as we work to create affordable housing, which is needed by so many people across our city,” said Boise Mayor Lauren McLean. “There’s no better group of people to help us in this process than Boiseans. Your opinions and ideas can help us make a plan that serves current and future residents best by not only expanding affordable housing, but also making our city look even better than it already does.”
The city wants to know what you think, so staff will host several outreach events– both in-person and virtual- over the next couple of months. You’ll be able to learn about what these potential changes mean, hear real-world examples, and share your opinion. There will be four community-wide conversations, as well as seven neighborhood meetings. It’s at those neighborhood meetings where you can see details and provide input on how these revisions will affect your specific neighborhood.
Below is the full list of outreach events. You can register here tomorrow at 5:00 p.m.
Date Time Audience Location
2/8/2022 5:00-6:30pm Central Bench Neighborhood Library! At Hillcrest
2/12/2022 11:00am-1:00pm Housing + Zoning Code Rewrite Main Library! William Hayes Auditorium
2/16/2022 5:30-7:00pm West Bench Neighborhood Library! At Cole & Ustick
2/23/2022 5:30-7:30pm Housing + Zoning Code Rewrite ZOOM
3/1/2022 5:30-7:00pm Southwest Neighborhood West Junior High Library
3/9/2022 5:30-7:00pm Foothills Neighborhood Hillside Junior High Library
3/12/2022 11:00am-12:30pm Community Conversations ZOOM
3/15/2022 5:30-7:00pm Northwest Neighborhood Riverglen Junior High Library
3/29/2022 11:00am-1:00pm Community Conversations ZOOM
3/31/2022 5:30-7:00pm Southeast/Airport Neighborhood Les Bois Junior High Library
4/6/2022 5:30-7:00pm North End/East End Boise High Library
Masks and physical distancing will be required for all in-person meetings.
The city will also release two surveys in the coming weeks; a technical survey for those who work closely with the zoning code, and a community survey for everyone else (available in Spanish).
The Module 1 draft was released in May of 2021 and outlined the kind of uses that are allowed within certain zones across the city. Boiseans gave their feedback, and the full report can be found on the Zoning Code Rewrite website.
Module 3, which focuses on administration and procedures, is scheduled to be released this Summer. The full draft of the Zoning Code Rewrite should be available this fall.