Association
History
Bench to Valley / River Crossing
Under Construction
Neighborhood Reinvestment
Grants
1997
Streetlights - Camelot
Subdivision (completed) - $40,000
Streetlights - Frontier
Subdivision (completed) - $5,000
1998
Streetlights -
Elgin & Frontier Subdivisions (completed) - $50,000
Streetlights - Harvest
Subdivision (completed) - $3,200
1999
West Valley Community Center
Plan (completed) - $15,000
Streetlights - Combes Park
Subdivision (completed) - $15,000
2001
Streetlights - Country
Squire, South Bryson & Glen Ellyn Court (completed) - $13,000
Streetscape -
Ustick Townsite Mid-block Crossing (active - joint project with ACHD) - $4,100
2002
Playground Improvements -
Jullion Park (completed - joint project with Boise City Parks) - $42,402
2005
Bike Path
Completion - DeMeyer Park (active - joint project with Boise City Parks) -
$22,191
Parks and Open Space
Hyatt Wetland
Paul Walden, Chairman of the
WVNA Wetland Committee, was instrumental in moving the Hyatt Wetland forward during 1999. The WVNA hosted a meeting on September 17th, to allow
Boise City Parks & Recreation and ACHD to explain their plans for the wetland site and for other interested
groups to express concerns/ideas about how to maintain the wildness of the
site.
The Heritage Preservation Committee established a list in 1990 of future acquisitions to be maintained as open land. This site was identified as the highest priority. Boise bought 22 acres and Mr. Hyatt donated an additional 22 acres. The Meridian School District owns a corner of the site. Parks and Recreation will develop a site Master Plan. Funds received from ACHD for the Maple Grove Ext. R/W will be applied to the cost of the Plan.
On November 20th, 1999, the Land Trust of
Treasure Valley honored the WVNA with the presentation of their 1999 Conservation Award. The award has been displayed at our Annual
Meetings.
Jullion Park
The second project is intended to enhance Jullion
Park by adding a playground per the approved Master Plan for the park. The project was
originally scheduled to be completed in late summer of 2003; however the contractor was
held up due to some wrong parts being shipped. Wet
weather came early in the Fall, delaying completion to early Spring of
2004. The playground equipment cost
$35,000, installation of the playground equipment cost $10,000 and the
playground infrastructure work amounted to $46,869.00. Total project cost of $91,869 was funded by
a combination of Neighborhood Reinvestment Funds and Park Impact Fees.
West Valley Community Center Plan Development
Background
The planning area
encompasses two neighborhood gathering places. The first is the original
Ustick Townsite, a historic landmark from the
early days when orchards dotted the surrounding countryside. Many of the residences in the townsite date
back to the early 1900's. Many long
time residents or their descendants still occupy these homes. Three of the original commercial buildings
remain along the south side of Ustick. These include the First Bank of Ustick, built in 1908; the Ustick Merc,
built in 1903 and the former cheese factory building, formerly owned by the
Boise Co-op Creamery Company. The
building later saw service as a blacksmith shop and finally as a garage.
The area was originally
served by the Boise and Interurban Railway. The system of railway street cars powered by electricity began in Boise
in 1891. By 1907 the Interurban Loop was in operation. It consisted of a loop
from downtown Boise, across the valley, to Middleton via Meridian and
Caldwell. The southern loop went down
what is now Ustick Road. Kids would
ride the street cars to schools, including the newly built Boise High School
downtown. Farmers would bring their produce to the markets. Little towns like Ustick developed along the route. The
railway company even maintained parks along the tracks and riding the
Interurban Loop for a picnic became a favorite Sunday pass-time. Of course, one of the stops was in front of
the Ustick bank building
The second neighborhood gathering place is the contemporary shopping area at the intersection of Five Mile and Ustick. This shopping area boasts 24 retail businesses and five professional offices with more businesses in the planning and construction stage.
The Ustick residents embrace the gentle way of life made possible by a stable, pedestrian friendly community. Ustick has always had short blocks, alley loading for vehicles, front porches, short fences and friendly, caring neighbors. They like the eclectic mix of architectural styles and support home occupations.
The West Valley Neighborhood Association, Inc. set out in the fall of 1998 to create a site specific plan to revitalize the old town site of Ustick and the adjacent retail area. A vision of a multi-faceted community center with convenient neighborhood shopping, pleasant surroundings, a place to walk, play, and visit with our neighbors emerged in the minds of the neighborhood. The Plan contains the vision, hard work, hopes and dreams of the more than two hundred individuals who actively participated in the process together with the four hundred nine neighbors within one half mile of the planning area that took the time to fill out a comprehensive survey and return it.
Neighborhood participation was critical to the development of the Plan. The following formal meetings guided the planning process:
1998
A Neighborhood Reinvestment Program grant of $15,000 was awarded by the City of Boise to help underwrite the cost to develop the Ustick Plan. In August, the WVNA was notified that the project had also been selected to receive FHWA funds through a grant project called the Treasure Valley Futures: Alternative Choices for the American West. The Treasure Valley Futures project team was working on ways to build better communities and neighborhoods throughout the Treasure Valley, such that we impact the environment and the transportation system less with our travel. Being able to walk and bicycle to neighborhood shopping and schools, will result in less congestion and disruption to our neighborhoods.
1999
The Year 1999 was spent
getting organized and working with the Treasure
Valley Futures program to develop the framework for the Plan.
11 May 1999 First Committee Meeting Scheduled
The First Meeting of the committee organized to direct the planning process for the Neighborhood Center at Five Mile & Ustick was held on May 11th. A status report on preliminary activities was presented, including potential sources of funding for the planning effort and the interest of the University of Idaho School of Architecture in participating in the planning process. The development of neighborhood needs and design guidelines were also discussed.
8 June 1999 - Core Committee Planning Meeting
In June, a Steering Committee was formed with Don Alloway and Stephen
Loop serving as co-chairmen. Activities
included 1) a look at what other areas around the nation had done in similar
circumstances, 2) discussion of the mission statement for the planning effort,
3) a review and completion of the Action
Plan for the effort and 4) an initial look at possible land uses in the
planning area. Meetings with city staff
established the guidelines under which the planning process would proceed.
8 September 1999 - Old Fashioned Pot Luck Welcomes Architectural
Students To Historic Ustick Townsite
The University of
Idaho School of Architecture, Boise Design Center student body, all twelve of them and their wives
and families, were the guests of West Valley Neighborhood Association at an old
fashioned pot luck to get acquainted and to inaugurate the Ustick Plan planning
effort. These fifth year students will
be participating in the design phase of the Ustick Plan, thanks to a grant
received by the Association from Boise City for the planning process.
5-19 October 1999 - Goals & Objectives Developed
Beginning on October 5th, representatives
of the neighborhood met weekly with the Idaho
Urban Research Design Center (IURDC)
teams to develop Goals and Objectives
to guide the planning effort. The goals
were prioritized and the top six were further defined at meetings held the
following two weeks.
28-30 October 1999 - Design Charrettes Developed
On the 28th, a concentrated Design Charrette was kicked off with a presentation by local planner John Bertram about the idea of "neighborhood" and how we've made neighborhoods in Idaho. The teams spent the 29th and 30th developing three development concepts for the Old Townsite of Ustick and the Five Mile and Ustick Area. These were presented at a public meeting on the evening of October 30th.
Fall 1999 - Neighborhood Survey Conducted by Boise State University
A Neighborhood Center Questionnaire was developed in November by the WVNA in conjunction with the Department of Public Policy and Administration at BSU. It was sent to all property owners and households within 1/2 mile of the intersection of Five-Mile and Ustick. A remarkable 17+ percent were returned. Over 85 percent of respondents indicated they would like to see the Five-Mile and Ustick Area become more of a community center. Respondents showed a strong preference for a community with outdoor cafes, a farmers market, pedestrian and bike-friendly designs and neighborhood-friendly shops.
17 November 1999 - Presentation of Draft Five Mile & Ustick
Neighborhood Center Plan
A presentation and review of the Draft Neighborhood Plan was held on November 17th. The Plan combined the ideas included in the three development concepts. The results of the students' efforts contributed towards the preparation of an amendment to Boise's Comprehensive Plan by the WVNA.
2000
The Year 2000 saw the effort shift to the development
of the draft Amendment to the Boise Comprehensive Plan.
25 January 2000 - Five Mile & Ustick Streetscape Subcommittee
Meeting
The Streetscape Subcommittee's task was to help develop input on how we wanted Five Mile Road and Ustick Road to look within the Neighborhood Center area. Ideas developed by the IURDC students were further refined in preparation for the adoption by the City of Boise of a Special Design District. These have been developed in such areas as Capital Boulevard, Front-Myrtle Couplet and the River Street area. Staff from ACHD participated actively in the formulation of design concepts. Key features were reduced speed limits and narrowed cross sections to control traffic through the pedestrian sensitive areas.
27 January 2000 - Five Mile & Ustick Land Use Subcommittee Meeting
The Land Use Subcommittee's task was to help develop input on land use elements we wanted to see within the Neighborhood Center area.Ideas developed by the IURDC students were again further refined in preparation for the adoption by the City of Boise of an amendment to the Land Use Element of the city's Comprehensive Plan. This document will guide future decisions on zoning issues and conditional use proposals.
8 February 2000 - Joint Meeting of Five Mile & Ustick Streetscape
and Land Use Subcommittees Scheduled
A Status Report was provided by each of the Subcommittee Chairs. Public Works Dept. representative Bill Colson will discuss the requirements and process for establishing a Historic Street Lighting District. Parks Dept. representative Dave Selvage discussed issues relating to streetscape, greenbelts and neighborhood parks.
23 March 2000 - General Membership Meeting Scheduled
Among
the agenda items was a Status Report on the Five
Mile & Ustick Community Center Plan
7 December 2000 - General Membership Meeting Scheduled
Again, a Report on the Five Mile & Ustick Community Center Plan was presented. The report will covered the land use and transportation portions of the proposed amendment to Boise's Comprehensive Plan.
2001
18 January 2001 - Annual Meeting Scheduled
At the Annual Meeting, a progress report on the Five Mile & Ustick Community Center Plan was again presented.Presentations were also made by the by Boise Public Library staff on plans for development of the four branch libraries including one in West Boise and the Boise Urban Stages Staff on plans for expanding transit service in West Boise and Beyond.
May 17th - Draft Plan Presentation to Neighborhood
A Public Meeting to see, review, and discuss the proposed Five Mile & Ustick Amendment to the
City of Boise's Comprehensive Plan was
held on May 17th. The proposal addressed three key issues
vital to the livability of the neighborhood:
H
Proposed
changes in land use
H
Proposed
architectural design standards
H
Proposed
roadway design standards
Displays depicting the history of the Old Townsite of Ustick were available
for viewing at the meeting.
13 June 2001 - Referral to City, ACHD and Quasi-Public Agencies for
Review
2002
7 March 2002 - Annual Meeting Scheduled
Update on Five Mile & Ustick Street Plan
13 June 2002 - Board of Directors Meeting Scheduled
The implementation of Five Mile and Ustick Plan Elements was discussed. A Neighborhood Enhancement Grant was receive
from the City of Boise to construct the first "Element" of the Five Mile
& Ustick Community Center Plan. A discussion was held to
prioritize potential projects. This
project will set the tone for the further implementation of the Plan. The preferred element was the pedestrian crossing between the Old Ustick
Townsite and the contemporary shopping area at Five Mile and Ustick.
Conclusion
The result of these meetings is a neighborhood plan with numerous innovative and trend setting concepts that will make the West Valley Neighborhood stand out as an example of a livable community for years to come. By providing adequate community shopping and encouraging local employment opportunities, the West Valley Community Center Plan will have a desirable effect of reducing the number of trips and distance of travel on the overcrowded road networks while providing an enhanced quality of life for the entire West Valley Neighborhood.