BOISE, Idaho — Day one of Boise City Council's hearings on the potential zoning code rewrite wrapped up late Monday night.
City councilmembers will hear arguments for and against the plan almost all week; they're expected to make a decision on Thursday.
Monday's meeting started at 4 p.m., with Tim Keane, Planning and Development Services director, reviewing the current code and why city staff want a new one.
"It’s confusing what we’re trying to become as a city," he said.
The zoning code outlines how buildings and developments are planned and approved. Keane said the current code is more than 50 years old and does not address current affordability and mobility issues within the housing market.
The rewrite focuses on density, which means more apartments, duplexes and triplexes. While city leaders believe this leads to a more "modern" city, some critics think it will only bulldoze old neighborhoods to put up cramped apartments.
Many neighborhood associations are against the rewrite. Nearly 40 associations spoke during Thursday's meeting, including Mark Phillips, Vista Neighborhood Association vice president.
Phillips said they have not had enough time to review the plan. He is also worried because Vista is not represented by a city councilmember.
"I would love for them to defer until after the 2023 redistricting goes into place, when the new city council have been seated and every neighborhood has a voice on the city council," he said.
Other people, like Nina Schaeffer, support the way the draft is written. She is involved with a group called "Neighbors for Boise."
Schaeffer said there just are not many affordable housing options for young people, a problem the rewrite addresses.
"As a millennial who's in the housing market and have had so many of my friends try and maybe fail or have a really hard time buying a house, I really see [the rewrite] as a way to improve the inventory of housing that helps us the most," she said.
Hearings are taking place at Boise City Hall in the Maryanne Jordan Council Chambers. Here is the schedule:
• Monday, June 12: 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Presentation from staff and neighborhood associations
• Tuesday, June 13: 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Public testimony
• Wednesday, June 14: 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Public testimony
• Thursday, June 15: 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Q&A, rebuttal, deliberations and decision
People can also watch live on the City of Boise's YouTube Channel.
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