Hon. Judy Peavey-Derr, Chairman

Hon. Fred Tilman, Commissioner

Hon. Judy Peavey-Derr

Rick Yzaguirre, Commissioner

Ada County Commission

200 West Front Street

Boise, Idaho 83702

Re: Barber Park (03-34-CU/03-39-MSP/03-24-V) and Boise River (03-06-ZOA)

Dear Commissioners:

The Ted Trueblood Chapter of Trout Unlimited (TU) submits the following comments regarding the Conditional Use and Master Site Plan for Barber Park and also on the proposed Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment to narrow the Boise River Greenway Overlay District.

As you are aware from our meetings with Ada County since 2002, our organization is very interested in the long-term watershed health of the Boise River system and the wild trout fishery. This interest translates into a desire to partner with the others on a variety of habitat improvement and research efforts in the Boise River system. We appreciate the county support for a side channel project at Harris Ranch, and we believe we can ensure river stewardship with similar projects and protection of the Boise.

With that in mind our comments first pertain to the Barber Park Master Plan (03-34-CU/03-39-MSP/03-24-V). TU leadership and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) staff met with Parks & Waterways Director Pat Beale in November 2003 to review the concept of a future side channel to the Boise River that would run through Barber Park. Our initial examination of the site and its conditions were favorable and we would like to see the concept drawing for a future side channel continue as part of the Master Plan for Barber Park. We envision a partnership between TU, Ada County, and IDFG on a future project, following completion of the Harris Ranch side channel and some other habitat work along the Boise River.

Regarding the proposed Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment to narrow the Boise River Greenway Overlay District, TU is opposed to the proposal to change the Ordinance that defines the Boise River Greenway Overlay District (03-06-ZOA). We believe that protection of the Boise River and its habitat for cold water species like rainbow trout requires a setback distance necessary for the River to fully function during flood events. This need therefore necessitates protection of the Boise River floodway as defined in the Federal Emergency Management Agency mapping. Changing the definition to restrict the district to a set back from the high water mark instead of the flood way invites certain problems that will occur from the eventual flood events and habitat disturbance from allowing encroachment into the floodway and floodway fringe.

TU also believes that protecting the Boise River from further development is very popular within Ada County. In 2001 a public opinion survey was conducted of Ada county residents concerning the Boise River and Greenbelt. The City of Boise Public Works Department commissioned the survey. Attached are some pages from the survey report conducted by Clearwater Research. In summary, some 82 percent of those surveyed are aware the existing Federal dams upstream of Boise do not prevent risk of future floods, and 77 percent agree that substantial property value is at risk of flooding. Some 65 percent believe that generally flood protection is a problem for the property owner. Accordingly, 81 percent oppose using tax funds to purchase building and homes in high-risk areas. On the other hand there is conceptually support for protecting and restoring a natural flood plain (74 percent approve), and there is very strong support -- 82 percent -- for expanded regulations to limit development. There is also pretty fair support (67 percent) for use of public funds to purchase easements for flood plain protection and maintaining open space.

The concept behind the proposed changes in the ordinance to allow more development near the Boise River does not appear to have general public support. In fact, when asked whether current local government policies should be maintained because development opportunities along the river outweigh potential flood risk, 49 percent of respondents disagreed strongly or somewhat and only 36 percent indicated support for maintaining current policies. In other words, more people already believe we need stronger regulations for development along the Boise River than we currently have. It is a pretty safe bet to conclude that even less than 36 percent of our local residents would support weakening local government policies to encourage more development along the Boise River.

For the above reasons TU believes the proposal contained in 03-06-ZOA is unwise and should be denied by the Ada County Commission.

Encl.