Dear Letter Writer;

Additional text you may find useful in your letter writing efforts is listed below. These are the central issues copied from Mayor Bieter's letter to the Ada County Commissioners. If you feel qualms about supporting the efforts of a Democratic Mayor, it is worth remembering that most of the policies associated with the foothills were either put in place by his Republican predecessor, Mayor Coles, or by popular vote. In other words, protecting the foothills is a bypartisan issue that all reasonable people support.

Thanks again for your support.

SaveThePlateau.org

Hammer Flat is a large area in the eastern foothills just outside the Boise Area of City Impact. It is bordered by the Fish and Game Wildlife Management Area to the north and by the Black Cliffs to the south. The property is used extensively as critical winter range by elk, antelope, and one of Idaho’s largest mule deer herds. The Black Cliffs have known value as a raptor roosting and nesting area, and are closed to climbers each spring to protect nesting birds.

The Foothills Open Space Management Plan for Public Lands, of which Ada County is a signator, identifies the importance of the Boise Foothills Wildlife Management Area and of protecting this resource. The plan has identified Hammer Flats as a crucial wildlife resource area that should be protected from development. High-density residential development of Foothills properties immediately adjacent to the Wildlife Management Area will, on a year-round basis, bring people, pets, motor vehicles, noise, light and general activity that will be harmful to the area’s sensitive habitat resources.

Boise has other concerns regarding development of the Hammer Flat area:

• Development of this area with a package sewer treatment plant directly conflicts with Boise Department of Public Works’ policy. Package plants eventually fail and must be absorbed, with considerable difficulty and cost, by the City sewer system.
• The area currently has no fire protection. Adequate fire protection services to meet minimum standards will require significant resources. Whitney Fire District and the Boise Fire Department operate under a joint powers agreement, so the impact on resources could affect both entities.
• Vehicular access to this site must come through an existing local roadway system and will then impact Warm Springs Avenue, which is already over capacity.

From virtually any environmental, infrastructure or public resource perspective, the Hammer Flat property appears inappropriate for a high-density development. This is especially true if it does little more than accommodate residential home sites that create a disproportionate burden on City infrastructure and public lands in the Boise Foothills.

admn@savetheplateau.org
208.631.4334