June 2024

Valley County Commissioners postponed a vote on the 341-lot MacGregor Townsite development following a public hearing on Monday.Commissioners tabled the application until July 1 at 1:30 at the Valley County Courthouse in Cascade.“We need to do a lot more research and a little more reading before we can really sit down and make a final decision on this,” said Commission Chair Elt Hasbrouck following a presentation on the proposal and public testimony on Monday.Hasbrouck, however, noted some complaints about the application.“Even though we have some other subdivisions in here with the same density, or even more density, two wrongs don’t make a right,” Hasbrouck said.“To me, this is a great application, but I think it’s in the wrong spot,” he said.If approved, the subdivision would be built on 159 acres about two miles south of Donnelly on property bordering Loomis Lane and Old State Road.Developer Craig Groves of Donnelly has proposed that water and sewer services would be provided by the North Lake Recreational Sewer and Water District.Construction would take place in six phases over 15 years.Lots range from 0.19 to 0.26 acres with a density of about 2.2 units per acre.Proposed neighborhood amenities include recreational courts, a commercial plaza, an outdoor ice rink, playground, pathways and about 99 acres of open space.Commissioners questioned how the application can claim 99 acres of open space, as private backyards are also included in the total acreage.Some properties would have an easement that allows public use of a community pathway.Homeowners would not have exclusive rights to that portion of their lot, said Bonnie Layton of Meridian, representing the applicant Groves Family LLC.“To tell somebody that they’re paying taxes on this backyard, but it’s being used for open space, I have a problem with that,” said Commissioner Sherry Maupin.Maupin also took issue with the application’s snow storage plan, which utilized people’s front yards and the affect the development could have on wildlife.Public testimony at the hearing was opposed with 16 people speaking against the application.

A public bus route linking New Meadows to McCall, Donnelly, and Cascade is now operating five days a week until at least October.Mountain Community Transit’s Gold Line route was expanded last week to offer eight daily trips between New Meadows and McCall on Monday through Friday.“This service is for everyone,” said Terri Lindenberg, who serves as the executive director of Treasure Valley Transit, which operates Mountain Community Transit.“From seniors looking to be independent to youth programs, employment, and recreational and social activities, we want to take you where you want to go across the region,” Lindenberg said.The route had been offered on Mondays and Wednesdays since last June, during which 901 people rode the bus.The Gold Line route includes three stops in New Meadows and five stops in McCall, including at St.