BOISE, Idaho — The Treasure Valley is growing rapidly, and Boise leaders have moved to limit how far that growth can extend into the foothills.
Weeks after a City Council vote, the policy is beginning to shape how future development in Boise’s hillside neighborhoods will move forward. The decision restricts new foothills development to land that has already been annexed into the city, effectively drawing a boundary above much of Boise’s existing hillside development.
WATCH | Hear from residents & realtors on the limiting of the foothills development
City leaders say the change is intended to reduce wildfire risk, protect open space, and avoid overextending roads, utilities, and emergency services.
Boise realtor Elliot Hoyte said the limits could have a noticeable impact on housing availability in one of the city’s most in-demand areas.
“Essentially, the city are putting a stop on future development into the foothills,” Hoyte said. “That means there’s going to be a lot less availability to build subdivisions.”
Hoyte said infrastructure and emergency access were among the concerns raised as development pushed farther into the foothills.
“When you start building hundreds and hundreds of homes further up a road that’s already bottlenecked, those are some of the issues,” he said. “It’s great for homeowners because if you own something up here already, your value is more likely going to go up.”
From a housing standpoint, Hoyte said the foothills are already one of Boise’s tightest markets, with many newer homes located farther up hillside corridors.
“The further out you get, the newer the homes tend to be,” Hoyte said. “And now the amount of newer homes that we’re going to see in the foothills is looking like it’s going to be limited.”
With fewer new homes expected, Hoyte said demand could continue to push prices higher in an area where home values regularly reach into the millions.
Some Boise residents say the limits strike a necessary balance between growth and safety.
“I think that we can only expand so far into the foothills,” said John Eli, a Boise resident who works in public lands. “Fire seasons are getting longer. That does worry me a little.”
Eli said building closer to wildfire-prone terrain raises concerns not just for homeowners, but also for firefighters and first responders.
“We live in the West, so fire is a concern,” Eli said. “And I think it’s important that we keep access to our public lands. Having the foothills right here is a really unique thing Boise has.”
Others worry that limiting development could push more buyers farther out of Boise, reshaping growth across the broader Treasure Valley.
“If you can’t build more homes, you don’t get more inventory,” Hoyte said. “If you don’t get more inventory in an already high-demand area, pricing tends to go up.”
