Boise City Council To Consider Boise Foothills Land Exchange

Press release from the City of Boise:

December 4, 2020

The City of Boise is finalizing a proposal to exchange 0.4 acres of property adjacent to North Collister Drive for 3.17 acres of open space property adjacent to Polecat Reserve. This exchange will facilitate improvements to trail access, expand Polecat Reserve and provide a neighborhood access location for pedestrians and bikers closer to the junction of Hill Road and Collister Drive.

“This land exchange will go a long way in facilitating trail access improvements into our highly used Polecat Reserve,” according to Parks and Recreation Director Doug Holloway. “It will also provide improved neighborhood access as well as create another needed public entry point into one of the City’s most popular reserves.”

The exchange was approved as a condition for preliminary approval for the Collister Lofts development. The exchange and future trail access are possible based on the partnership between the City and JLJ, Inc. to improve trail access and expand an existing city open space reserve.

An independent appraisal was conducted showing that the City property to be proposed to be exchanged has a value of $50,000 and the property the City will acquire is worth $345,000. In approving this exchange, Boise Mayor and City Council are recognizing the enhanced public and conservation benefits this proposal provides.

Polecat Gulch Reserve is a 322-acre reserve located in Northwest Boise. The reserve is a dog on-leash only reserve due to the presence of rare and native plant populations.

Map of Area

Boise City Council members will consider the exchange agreement at their regularly scheduled meeting on December 8. The meeting will be streamed live online.

This press release was produced by the City of Boise. The views expressed here are the author’s own.