Eagle residents fight development over traffic, water concerns. Here’s what happened

After an “arduous” public hearing, as described by one Eagle Planning and Zoning commissioner, construction could soon begin on Spring Valley, the large, long-awaited development planned for the Eagle Foothills near Idaho 16.

The commissioners, who are the recommending body for the Eagle City Council, voted to approve a small piece of Spring Valley’s 7,100-home subdivision. They recommended the council approve the construction of 14 open-space lots, which could include schools and community centers, seven roadways and 25 lots where homes would go in the future.

The recommendation for Spring Valley’s approval came after over half a dozen people testified they were worried about traffic in the area and water. Many said their home wells had gone dry or their pumps had to be lowered. The testimony was respectful, until a man had to be escorted out of the meeting by another individual for an outburst that lasted nearly 10 minutes, forcing the commissioners into a recess.

GWC Capital, a Utah-based development company, eventually plans to develop 6,000 acres, the Idaho Statesman previously reported. The Monday night hearing was one step in the process that included putting in road and water infrastructure for the future development.

The new roads and lots would be on 996.8 acres between Linder Road and Idaho 16. The project would also include 14 regional open spaces, which the application said could include school sites, landscape areas and community centers. The development would also include seven community open spaces, which include public trails, parks and greenways, the application said.

Water, well problems

Jonathan Seel, an Eagle resident who lives off Homer Road near the proposed development, said he is contemplating digging his well deeper because of lack of water.

“I think we all know that this valley has changed substantially,” Seel said during the hearing.

Seel opposed the development, citing his water concern and the need for an updated Idaho Department of Water Resources study on wells in the area.

“I wonder if there was a more recent study done because this is only getting more challenging,” Seel said.

Other residents testified about their water concerns. Two farmers worried about the future of their agricultural land and the water available for cattle.

Linder Road traffic concerns

GCW plans to build two new roads and extend three existing roads through the development.

Aerie Way, one of the new roads, would begin at Idaho 16 and continue east through the Bureau of Land Management land in the foothills to the Spring Valley project. Eventually Arie Way will be extended to Willow Creek Road at the north end of Spring Valley, GWC said.

The developer also plans to extend Linder Road, much to the dismay of people in attendance at the hearing. Linder Road would be extended from Homer Road, through private property and the BLM land, north through Spring Valley, the application said.

Residents worried that the traffic from the Spring Valley homes would put heavy use on Linder Road.

“We have a rural environment up there,” Seel said. “It is one of the last rural areas and if Linder is connected through Homer, it will be high density residential. There is no way it is going to be rural.”

GWC also plans to build a new road from an intersection of the new Linder Road westward through the property and extend Equest Lane, now a gravel road off Idaho 16. The developer said with the road connections to Idaho 16, traffic would go there instead of on Linder Road.

GWC bought the 6,000 acres from a company that previously planned to develop the property in 2007, called M3. Many residents brought up how they fought the same development nearly two decades ago.

‘You destroy more and you destroy more’

The outburst, which occurred about an hour and a half into the meeting, was from a man who said he knew the commissioners would not listen to the people testifying.

“It’s been 15 years and you destroy more and you destroy more,” the man said, when the meeting was paused. “I have five acres and you guys keep destroying it.”

Despite the overwhelming testimony against the proposal, the commissioners voted unanimously to send the project to City Council with a recommendation to approve.

The City Council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27 at City Hall.

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