An extension of Deinhard Lane could help alleviate traffic concerns associated with a large subdivision proposed in southeastern McCall, according to public comments submitted in response to a recent study of the proposal.
The City of McCall released a staff report this week on an environmental assessment completed for Pine Creek Ranch, a proposal for more than 600 homes on 158 acres east of Payette Lakes Middle School.
An overview of the report was presented on Monday night in the Community Room of the McCall Public Library.
The report and the environmental assessment are intended to inform the city’s review of an eventual application for Pine Creek Ranch, McCall City and Sustainability Planner Meredith Todd said.
The environmental assessment was an unusual step that developer Craig Groves of Donnelly was required to complete after the 158 acres were designated an “area of critical concern” in 2021.
“A project of this scale, we don’t see them very often,” McCall Community and Economic Development Director Michelle Groenevelt said. “We see them maybe every 20 years or so.”
Transportation focus
About 80% of the 115 public comments received on the environmental assessment expressed concerns related to plans for Pine Creek Ranch to use existing neighborhood roads for access to the subdivision, according to the city’s staff report.
The traffic would mostly affect Stockton Drive, Sheila Lane, Woodlands Drive, and Fox Ridge Lane, which are existing roads that would link Pine Creek Ranch to South Samson Trail and Spring Mountain Boulevard.
Stockton Drive, Fox Ridge Lane, and Woodlands Drive are each predicted to see more than 1,000 daily vehicle trips once all homes in Pine Creek Ranch are built.
An extension of Deinhard Lane was initially proposed as the primary access to Pine Creek Ranch, but that changed after talks to dedicate land for the road stalled between the city and the McCall-Donnelly School District.
Neighbors: Deinhard extension key
Some neighbors, however, suggested that the proposal should only move forward if the Deinhard extension is built.
“If an extension to Deinhard going directly into PCR is not approved, please do not allow this development to turn our quiet and safe neighborhoods into busy, dangerous conduits for a massive construction undertaking,” said Mariah Keller, a Stockton Drive resident.
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Steve Harkrader, a resident of Knights Road, said the Deinhard extension could resolve neighbors’ animosity and existing traffic problems in the area.
“Of major importance will be approving and building the extension of Deinhard Lane to the east past the schools to the project boundary,” Harkrader said. “This by far seems like the most efficient and logical way to access a subdivision of this size.”
McCall resident Dustin Johnson did not mention the Deinhard extension by name, but said the lack of a main road to the subdivision will “severely and negatively” impact traffic.
Eric Geisler suggested retaining Pine Creek Ranch’s access to the existing neighborhood roads, but only for improved emergency access, which the environmental assessment noted as a benefit of the connections.
“The primary access to this development needs to be via Deinhard Road,” Geisler said.
Local housing benefits ‘unclear’
The city’s staff report notes it is “unclear” how Pine Creek Ranch would “provide much-needed access to local housing,” as claimed in the environmental assessment.
The formal application for Pine Creek Ranch should include an analysis of how many homes are expected to be occupied by year-round residents, the staff report said.
The report also suggested moving higher-density development closer to the western boundary of the 158 acres to make it closer to city amenities.
More than 70 public comments noted concerns related to housing and growth, including several that worried the scale of Pine Creek Ranch would not align with McCall’s small-town character.
“We are blessed to live in a safe and peaceful neighborhood where families are comfortable and safe,” said Lisa Lewis, a resident of The Woodlands. “This proposed development is everything BUT what McCall is.”
Nokes Forest consideration
Much of Pine Creek Ranch would be bordered by the Herald Nokes Experimental Forest, which is protected from future development by a conservation easement.
That should be considered as Pine Creek Ranch is developed, particularly as it relates to wildlife habitat, according to the city staff report.
The Process
A formal application for Pine Creek Ranch has not yet been filed, though Groves told Valley Lookout he expects to do so this year.
“We’re proceeding forward,” he said. “We’re excited about getting something to the city.”
Groves plans to hold at least two community meetings on Pine Creek Ranch before submitting plans to the city.
The proposal will require up to seven different applications involving the annexation of county land into the city, re-zoning land for higher residential density, site design, phasing, and infrastructure improvements necessary to serve the subdivision.
Those applications must include several additional studies, including a traffic study, a wildfire protection plan, and a fiscal impact study that determines the proposal’s impact on public infrastructure like water, sewer, streets, and emergency services.
The McCall Area Planning and Zoning Commission will make a recommendation on the application to the McCall City Council, which will have the final say on whether to approve or deny Pine Creek Ranch.
