‘Eagle is losing its soul:’ Debate over Avimor annexation, future of Boise-area city begins

There was not a single open parking spot in front of Eagle City Hall nor a seat in City Council Chambers on Tuesday night. A decision that would alter Eagle dramatically was on the agenda.

The Eagle Planning and Zoning Commission began what could turn into a series of meetings to consider an application to annex the 8,761- home Avimor planned community in the Eagle Foothills. At stake is the addition of up to 22,500 residents to the city’s population.

At the outset of the meeting, Planning and Zoning Commission Chair Trent Wright said the commission would meet only until 10 p.m. to ensure that the commissioners were awake and paying close attention to each segment of public testimony. The commission would then leave the public hearing open until the next available commission meeting, he said.

“We will repeat this process until the community felt like it has had its opportunity to be heard, listened to and vetted thoroughly,” Wright said.

Residents opposed to Avimor’s annexation have already accused the city of having a bias toward annexation. During the 2019 mayoral election, Jason Pierce, Eagle’s mayor, and at least two City Council members received campaign donations from the McLeod family, which owns the property, and its developers.

Disagreements about pathway maintenance, rural lifestyle loss

The Avimor development is on 17,522 acres, or more than 27 square miles, off Idaho 55 in Ada, Boise and Gem counties. Avimor has 25 miles of trails— a source of a disagreement between the city and Avimor.

Steve Noyes, trails and pathways superintendent for Eagle, said that the city and Avimor had not yet agreed on which entity would maintain Avimor’s trail and pathway system. Noyes asked that the commissioners require Avimor to turn over trail and pathway maintenance to the city, “to ensure the lowest possible long-term cost, an upgraded safe system, a system that is consistent with Eagle Code.”

After presentations from Deborah Nelson, a land use attorney at Givens Pursley, on behalf of Avimor, and from Morgan Besaw, city planner, the commissioners had only 20 minutes to hear public comments before they adjourned.

Six people testified, all against the project. Many said they were worried about their rural lifestyle changing.

“Eagle is losing its soul, and every new subdivision degrades that soul a little more,” said Sam Woosley, a life-long Eagle resident. “I don’t want the Foothills to be lost like so many special places have been.”

“We are alarmed to hear about this annexation,” said Jamie Stone, who moved to Eagle in April 2022. “Should this annexation be approved we fear Eagle would lose many of the charming qualities that drew us and others to it.”

Nelson argued that annexation would bring jobs to the community, access to a number of Eagle Foothills trails, improvements to Idaho 55 and donated land for school districts.

Other residents asked that the Avimor annexation be put on the ballot to be decided by Eagle voters, rather than the four-member City Council and mayor.

Wright said at least 28 more residents signed up to testify. The commission continued the hearing for two weeks, until 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30 at City Hall.

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After lawsuits and public outcry, this ambitious development could be coming soon to Eagle