An approval of the first phase of a 374-acre subdivision near Donnelly is being reconsidered by the Valley County Commissioners.
On Wednesday the board heard an appeal of a July 14 approval issued for the first 20 lots of Eld Ranch Estates, which at buildout would span 374 acres near Gold Fork Road.
The Valley County Planning and Zoning Commission’s approval relied on inadequate data for traffic, wildlife, water quality, and future phases of development, according to the Simco Estates Homeowners Association, which filed the appeal.
“There was insufficient consideration of the public testimony and written comments that raised significant concerns regarding traffic, safety, noise, and the overall scale of development,” Simco HOA President James Miller said in an appeal letter to the county. “These concerns warrant further investigation and discussion.”
Simco Estates is at the end of Barker Lane and would share its southern boundary with Eld Ranch once phases four, five, and six are built. A new roadway linking the two subdivisions is proposed in future phases of development.
The county commissioners took about 90 minutes of testimony at Wednesday’s public hearing before tabling a decision to Sept. 10 at 4 p.m. Overall, seven people spoke in opposition to Eld Ranch.
“I’ve got a lot to read and study on,” Commissioner Neal Thompson said.
Neighbors: ‘piecemeal’ phasing problematic
At buildout, Eld Ranch is expected to include 60 to 80 lots across the 374 acres, according to developer Mark Young of Eagle. So far, only the first 20 lots have been approved, although Young presented conceptual plans for eight phases to the P&Z. Each subsequent phase would still require public hearings and county approval.
Several neighbors told the county commissioners that the entirety of the project needs to be considered to accurately gauge potential impacts to traffic, wildlife, and neighboring properties.
“That’s kind of the Achilles heel of this whole process,” said Bob Luffel, who lives on Barker Lane. “When this gets approved piecemeal, it seems like we missed the possibility of a bigger picture analysis of whether this makes sense.”
Luffel requested that the county commissioners rescind the phase one approval and put the project on hold until more detailed information is available on Eld Ranch at buildout.
Austin Jones, a Simco Estates property owner, shared Luffel’s concern and suggested that Eld Ranch could end up being a much larger subdivision than currently proposed.
“This is how they’re going to slide everything in the back door,” said Jones, a Boise resident. “I’d really like to stress to the commission here that they really need to think of this application in its entirety.”
Young, Eld Ranch’s developer, seemed surprised by the angst over the phasing plan for the subdivision. He said the phasing will be driven by market conditions and that he has little information beyond that.
“Our intent was truly to be transparent about that,” Young said. “We focused on what we knew we could accomplish, which is the 20 lots we’ve been talking about.”
Eagle’s nest and elk herd at risk?
Much of the concern about future phases of Eld Ranch stems from fears that it could harm wildlife known to live on the property.
Without donors like you, this story would not exist.
Make a donation of any size here
The Simco appeal letter calls it a “major migratory corridor” for elk and a “haven” for eagles. An environmental study of how Eld Ranch could affect wildlife habitat should be required, the letter said.
Rick Avila, who lives in Simco Estates, said displacing an elk herd that lives on the property would likely cause them to spill onto neighboring properties, potentially destroying crops and landscaping.
The Points Family, which operates a nearby ranch that for 40 years has been a winter refuge for wild elk, worried Eld Ranch would disrupt the herd’s migration patterns.
“We urge you to consider the long-term consequences of this development and prioritize the well-being of our community, wildlife and local business,” the family said in a written public comment submitted to the county.
Meanwhile, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game recently located a bald eagle nest that could be affected by Eld Ranch’s future phases.
“You are not doing anything in phase one that would be concerning, in my opinion,” said Brandon Flack, a regional technical assistance manager for Fish and Game’s Nampa office.
However, Flack warned that future phases could disturb the nest and result in a citation under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, even though the nest is actually on a neighboring property.
Violating the federal law can result in a fine of up to $100,000 and one year in prison for a first offense.
Traffic and dust
The Simco appeal included a list of streets and intersections that should be studied and potentially upgraded by Young to accommodate Eld Ranch.
Among them was Barker Lane, which would become a secondary access to Eld Ranch through a new roadway linking the subdivision with Simco Estates. Homeowners along the roadway, particularly between Farm to Market Road and Gold Fork Road, said that would only exacerbate existing problems with dust.
“The last few years, we have spent over $10,000, us three neighbors, on dust control,” said Larry Meredith. “I don’t feel we should have to bear the cost of taking care of that. The road ought to be paved.”
Meredith’s neighbor, Jason St. George, echoed his concerns.
“I moved up here to this beautiful piece of property and there’s nothing but people driving by, flipping us off, creating dust, and it’s just a mess,” St. George said. “We want decent roads. I don’t think that’s too much to ask for.”
The phase one approval requires Young to fund road improvements as determined necessary by the county through a development agreement. Those improvements are not yet known, but the P&Z recommended a contribution to improving Barker Lane.
Valley County does not use a traditional land use zoning system. Instead, land use applications are evaluated through a 13-point compatibility test. Planning and Zoning Director Cynda Herrick gave the application a +24 out of 40 possible points. The lowest score an application can receive is -40.
