Developers reveal plan for Garden Valley

473 homes planned for former cattle ranch on South Fork

Idaho Statesman
10/25/2005

Developers want to build a 670-acre planned community along the banks of the South Fork of the Payette River near Garden Valley.

Plans call for building 473 residential units -- on lots costing from $100,000 for cabins to $400,000-plus for luxury homes -- on a former cattle ranch about 40 miles north of Boise.

If approved, the development called Southfork Landing would continue the conversion of farm and ranch land into homesites in the corridor along Idaho 55 between Boise and McCall.

The Garden Valley area's nearness to Boise makes it a popular place for snowmobiling, whitewater rafting, leisurely canoeing, hot springs dipping, camping, hunting and fishing.

It's also an area of critical winter habitat for big game. Deer and elk wander down from 7,000-foot mountains in the winter to find food along the Middle and South forks of the Payette River.

Southfork Landing is the largest planned development (with a mix of residential and commercial uses) submitted in Boise County, and it could attract enough families with school-age children to double the enrollment of the local school district.

Lloyd Mahaffey , a partner in Southfork Landing, said homesites in the planned development will be marketed both as primary homes for people working in the Treasure Valley and as second homes for those who want to enjoy Idaho's outdoor amenities.

Developers hope to add commercial buildings as well, including restaurants, a hotel/conference center, a winery, an outdoor amphitheater and an equestrian center.

Plans were submitted to the Boise County Planning and Zoning Department Thursday. Mahaffey said he hopes construction can begin in April 2006.

Kathie Brady , Planning and Zoning administrator, said the development's size presents a challenge to her staff.

"This is our first time through this large a development," Brady said. "We'll go through their general concepts to make sure what they want to do is compatible with what we want done. Then we'll get down to the actual subdividing of the land."

Southfork Landing is being developed as a joint venture by Oaas Laney LLC of Boise and Dynamis Group LLC of Eagle.

Mahaffey, co-owner of Dynamis Group, said a prime concern of the developers has been the preservation of the river and the natural beauty of the land.

The application designates approximately 65 percent of the development as open space:

• A conservation easement consisting of a 100- to 200-foot-wide greenbelt along the entire length of the South Fork of the Payette River as it runs through the property.
• Approximately 55 acres of wetlands to be saved and protected in their natural state.
• An additional 341 acres designated as community open space and undisturbed forest land.

The developers "are trying to be generous in maintaining an open corridor along the river that I feel is important," Brady said. "They certainly appear to be putting forth a great effort to provide a very nice development."

Mahaffey said the mix of lots will allow for a broad range of home prices and insure a wide demographic mix of residents. He said the homes will have a "farmhouse-ranchhouse" architectural style.

The property is accessible from Charter Ranch Road, a dirt road off Alder Creek Road, just across the one-lane Alder Creek Road bridge that crosses the South Fork of the Payette River. Alder Creek road bisects Idaho 17, about 10 miles east of Idaho 55.

Boise County Commissioner Fred Lawson of Lowman said the developers have agreed to pay the county's 20 percent share of the cost of building a new two-lane bridge. He said the Idaho Department of Transportation estimates a new bridge would cost between $1.2 million and $1.6 million.

Developers are asking the county to pave about a half-mile of Charter Ranch Road that leads from Alder Creek Road to the project.

Persuading the county to spend that money "is the only thing I've seen that might cause a problem" in the approval process, Brady said.

Vic Koshuta , superintendent of the Garden Valley School District, said he's had preliminary discussions with the developers about the impact Southfork Landing could have on school enrollment.

"If 150 of those lots get sold to families, and if each of those families has two kids, we would double the size of our enrollment," Koshuta said.

"The question becomes: Who buys these lots and who builds on them? Are they vacation homes, retirement homes, empty nesters who commute, or families? The nice thing is the developer is willing to talk with us and explore ideas at this time to soften the impact of this development on this district," Koshuta said.

Major developments are proposed or under construction off Idaho 55 both north and south of Garden Valley.

Tamarack Resort's ski hill and golf course are open, and developers are working toward a proposed buildout of about 2,000 homes on 1,500 privately owned acres near Donnelly.

SunCor, an Arizona-based developer wants to build as many as 14,000 homes near Idaho 55 north of Eagle over the next several decades.

SunCor's first phase, Avimor , would have more than 600 homes and miles of hiking trails on more than 800 acres. The Ada County Planning and Zoning Commission is still deciding whether to approve the plans as written.

"Both the Treasure Valley and Valley County (Tamarack resort and McCall) have experienced dramatic growth recently," said Mahaffey. "We believe it's a logical extension that Boise County will experience similar dramatic growth.

"We think Garden Valley offers a terrific community and quality of life that's only 40 miles from downtown Boise. If you're moving from Orange County, that's considered a short commute."

WHAT'S NEXT

• Today: The seven-member Boise County Planning and Zoning Commission will visit the property.
• Dec. 7: P&Z will hold a public hearing on the project at a location to be determined.
• Later: P&Z will submit its recommendation on the project to the Boise County Commission, which will make the final decision.

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