We, the undersigned, respectfully urge the Eagle City Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission to delay approval of the proposed Wellspring Subdivision development to rezone land on a Boise River floodplain for higher density and build a residential development. While we recognize the need for thoughtful growth, this proposal has raised significant concerns within the community, including increased density, the loss of what is currently a largely undisturbed natural area, potential traffic impacts, and public safety risks associated with building residences on a floodplain. Additionally, this development carries serious downstream implications for nearby residents, including the risk of displacement tied to planned infrastructure expansions.

The Wellspring Subdivision development is a plan by developer Rob N. Nash to annex, rezone, and develop two parcels off of South Linder Road into a higher density housing development. The land being developed is currently a natural area used for cattle grazing. It is on a floodplain off of the Boise River, and is home to suspected wetlands that have not yet been formally delineated. The property would need to be annexed into the City of Eagle and would need to be connected to Eagle water and sewers for the development to move forward. A similar proposal from the same developer was considered and rejected by the Eagle City Council in 2025 due to concerns over density, safety, and environmental impact.

The new proposal makes adjustments on the old, including reducing the total number of lots, and measures to mitigate flooding risks. However, the major issues that community members have with this project remain largely unaddressed. The density is still higher than what many in the community want in this area, there are still considerable concerns regarding flood safety and environmental impacts, and there are direct consequences for community members in the vicinity of the development.

Developing on a floodplain raises serious safety concerns, and regulations must be followed to mitigate the impacts of flooding on the property and in the surrounding area. According to an Eagle City Planning Department report obtained by request from Eagle City Hall: "insufficient information has been provided to confirm whether the proposed design will fully comply with applicable floodplain regulations". This includes regulations ensuring that the development compensates for lost flood storage. According to the report, there is also insufficient information on the delineation of wetlands in the property, and how the developer will comply with regulations to mitigate impact on them.

In public meetings, including at a public hearing in the City Council on August 12, 2025, members of the community have expressed disapproval of zoning this property for higher density. Approval of this development brings risk of losing beautiful, largely untouched land, increasing traffic along roads some residents feel are already strained, and causing chaotic, uncontrolled growth by incentivizing developers to ask Eagle City Council for changes to the zoning code to build more developments like this one.

In addition to the concerns listed above, current residents in the surrounding area risk disruption and displacement due to the introduction of Eagle sewer infrastructure being added to the property and surrounding residences. The Wellspring application proposes bringing new sewer and water utilities to the property and surrounding properties,possibly including two manufactured housing communities south of the proposed development. This will likely require extensive development on residential properties adjacent to Wellspring Subdivision which brings the risk of disrupting the lives of residents of those properties, or worse, displacing them. The approval of the Wellsprings Subdivision must be conditioned on approval of the residents affected by infrastructure improvements related to the project.

For these reasons, we respectfully urge the City Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission to delay approval of the application to rezone and develop this property as proposed until the full environmental and social impacts of the development are realized and mitigated. Growth must be pursued responsibly and without placing existing residents at risk. We ask the Council to prioritize the protection of current residents, the careful stewardship of sensitive land, and the long-term well-being of the community by rejecting this application unless and until these issues are meaningfully addressed.