Variance · Planning application
Couple wins approval to keep 1,857-square-foot home as secondary dwelling for father
Ada County commissioners approved a variance letting James and Sheri Russell keep their existing 1,857-square-foot house as a secondary dwelling for a family member while they build a roughly 3,000-square-foot main home on the 15-acre rural property. Conditions include a deed restriction barring separate sale of the…
From the filing
The application's description as it appears in Ada County's record. See the official record
James and Sheri Russell asked Ada County to keep an existing 1,857-square-foot home at 8945 S. Ten Mile Road, on a 15.04-acre rural residential site, as a secondary dwelling for their 96-year-old father. They plan to build a new main house of about 3,000 square feet on the property. The Board of County Commissioners approved the variance and secondary dwelling request, subject to conditions.
Application for approval for an accessory use and variance to allow for the existing single family dwelling to remain in tact as an 1857 square foot secondary dwelling so that the family can build a larger dwelling to stay onsite for care of a family member.
Timeline
Feb. 11, 2026
Ada County staff recommended approval
Feb. 11, 2026
Approved
Ada County Board of County Commissioners: Approved.
Feb. 11, 2026
Public hearing: Ada County Board of County Commissioners
Feb. 4, 2026
Document added: Staff report (Board of County Commissioners, Feb 11, 2026)
Feb. 4, 2026
Document added: Findings (Board of County Commissioners, Feb 11, 2026)
Dec. 10, 2025
Application filed
Documents
Staff reports
- Download Staff report for variance and secondary dwelling accessory use
County planning staff report to the Board of Ada County Commissioners on a variance request to keep an existing dwelling as a secondary residence for a family member's care, for the Feb. 11 hearing.
Feb. 4, 2026 · 70 pages · 8.9 MB · Staff Report
Decisions
- Download Board of County Commissioners findings of fact, conclusions of law and order
Board's written findings, conclusions and order on a variance application for a detached secondary dwelling, following the Feb. 11, 2026 public hearing.
Feb. 4, 2026 · 15 pages · 317 KB · Findings