EAGLE, Idaho — After hours of public comment Monday night, Eagle's Planning and Zoning Commission sent a proposed fire training and public works facility near the Eagle Bike Park back to city staff for possible changes before making a recommendation.
WATCH: Eagle neighbors say proposed fire training facility is needed, just not near the bike park
The project — identified as CUP 2026-13 — would be a joint training facility and maintenance shop serving both the city of Eagle and the Eagle Fire District. It would be located near the corner of Horseshoe Bend Road and Prairie Road, adjacent to the Eagle Bike Park and BMX area, on more than 7 acres of city-owned land. The property was deeded to the City of Eagle by Ada County in 2014, with deed restrictions specifically allowing first responder use and parks and recreation facilities.
In their rebuttal, city and fire district representatives addressed several concerns raised during public comment. The design team clarified that all proposed future phases of the project are contained within the same seven acres — phase one is just the initial building toward the front of the site. The team also clarified that the landscaping pads on the upper portion of the site are intended for landscaping training — such as teaching city employees how to prune trees — not for cutting up cars. Any fire training activities would be located closer to the building and screened from view.
On traffic, the city said the majority of vehicles coming and going would be city employees arriving and leaving during regular work hours — largely Ford Rangers and pickup trucks towing trailers with lawnmowers. The city owns three larger pieces of equipment: a 10-yard dump truck used for construction projects, a smaller dump truck and a landscaping truck. Those larger vehicles would not be coming and going on a daily basis.
On the trail system, the design team said the facility would occupy approximately two percent of the total park area and that all trail reroutes are designed to maintain connectivity.
Eagle Public Works Director Eric Ziegenfuss said the city's current maintenance facility — a converted barn and hay storage building at the Regional Sports Park off Highway 16 — is slated for demolition as the sports park continues to develop and Highway 16 is widened. He said the city has been operating out of approximately two acres at that location and has outgrown it significantly.
Ziegenfuss said the city explored every piece of property it owns before settling on this site. He said the city looked at the Regional Sports Park — but when fully built out, there would be no open space without giving up a baseball or soccer field. He said Gerber Park and Merrill Park already have parking issues. He said the city also tried to partner with Eagle Sewer District on their Stillwater property, but the sewer district had no property available to sell or give up. He said the city also worked with a local realtor to find available land for sale or donation, but found no viable options without long-term savings or a bond measure.
"We cannot find a piece of property that we can afford within the next — I don't even know how many fiscal years — centrally located in the city," Ziegenfuss said.
He said the total project cost for phase one is approximately $3.2 million — a figure that required the partnership between the city and the fire district to make possible. He said land alone in Eagle runs between $1.3 million and $1.4 million for 7 to 8 acres — if it could even be found. He noted that the concrete plant area, which is the only truly industrial land in Eagle, is valued at approximately $30 million because it is planned for riverfront development when the current use ends.
"It would take us a vast amount of time to save up for 8 acres to build a facility like this," Ziegenfuss said.
Eagle Fire Chief Tyler Lewis said the district has been trying to find a training facility location in Eagle for 26 years. He said the district's contract with Boise allows only 50 hours of use per year at their training facility, and that the Star facility is a long distance from Eagle.
"We continue to ask our professional firefighters to train like professionals without a place to send them," Lewis said.
He said the district approached the concrete plant site but found it was not a viable option. He said the district has looked at approximately 30 sites throughout Eagle and that this location, on land the city already owns, was the only fiscally responsible option available in a reasonable timeframe.
Lewis said the fire district's goal is to be a good neighbor — not to harm the recreational character of the area.
"The last thing the fire district wants to do — it's kind of even in our motto — is no harm. The reality is, is we don't want to be out doing something. We've heard a lot tonight, but we do believe there's a lot of ways to mitigate a lot of the pieces, restrict the use of when it can be used," Lewis said.
He said burn tower operations would be restricted based on smoke lift conditions and that a neighbor notification system would be implemented for burn days.
During public comment, Dusty Perkins of North Eagle Creek Way called on the commission to defer or deny approval until a wildfire risk analysis, a recreational and trail impact assessment and a scenic and visual impact assessment are made available to the public.
Sam Blaine, speaking on behalf of the Southwest Idaho Mountain Biking Association and its approximately 1,100 members, said the facility is needed — but not here.
"Those facilities should be located in areas that do not compromise existing recreational opportunities," Blaine said.
"Once a facility of this size and operational nature is placed within a recreational area, the impacts of the user experience, the character of the area, the future recreational opportunities cannot simply be mitigated away," Blaine said.
Kathy Ellison, who has lived in Eagle for more than 17 years, said she visited both the Boise and Nampa training facilities and found that neither is located near neighborhoods the way this proposal would be.
"Putting it in this spot is wrong. It does not make it right that they own it. Sure, we can do that. They need to wait and look for an appropriate place which is of industrial use," Ellison said.
Liz Volger, who lives adjacent to the south border of the property, said she is a remarried fire widow who fully supports the fire department — but not this location.
"I support our fire department, but this is the wrong location for this facility," Volger said.
"The city of Eagle must not exempt itself from its own zoning laws. Please deny application," Volger said.
Lynn Hightower, a 28-year neighbor and former communications director for the City of Boise Fire Department, said the issue is the obvious incompatibility of an industrial use in a neighborhood that is entirely residential and recreational.
"This is a great facility you've designed. It is just in the wrong location. If this facility goes through, it will degrade and devalue the neighborhoods that this city is supposed to serve and protect," Hightower said.
Michael Blazer, who moved to Eagle's Lexington Hills area three years ago specifically because of the bike park and surrounding open space, said the corner in question is the gateway to the entire park and a lifeline for youth.
"Can we protect the very small amount of nature we still have around us that we can interact with families and friends and individuals," Blazer said.
Tracy Sampona, who lives in the Echo Creek development, asked the commission to consider the daily disruption the facility would bring to residents along Horseshoe Bend Road and Prairie Road.
"Just find another place," Sampona said.
Eagle's Planning and Zoning commissioners remanded the project back to city staff to see if adjustments can be made to the proposal before it returns to the commission for further review. The project would still need final approval from the Eagle City Council after another public hearing.
