Skip to content

Zoning certificate · Planning application

Approved: 285-square-foot accessory unit for family in converted garage-side space

The city approved a studio accessory dwelling unit made from an existing storage area behind the garage of a single-family home, with no added floor area. Conditions require a five-foot paved path to the unit's entrance and compliance with building and zoning standards; the decision was issued Oct. 28.

ApprovedCZC25-00195Filed Sept. 5, 2025Centennial · 12400 W Freedom Dr+1 related filing
Site plan for Approved: 285-square-foot accessory unit for family in converted garage-side space
Site plan from the application documents.
Pin at the reported location; the shaded outline is the primary parcel (Ada County).

From the filing

The application's description as it appears in City of Boise's record. See the official record

The owner of 12400 W Freedom Drive in Boise asked to convert an existing storage space behind the garage of a single-family home into a small studio accessory dwelling unit. The 285-square-foot unit would have its own entrance on the east side, and the city approved it administratively on October 28, 2025.

ADU from converted space

Project name on file: 12400 W FREEDOM DR

Timeline

  1. Nov. 8, 2025

    Appeal Period: Completed

  2. Oct. 28, 2025

    Review Complete: Completed

  3. Oct. 28, 2025

    Current Planning: Complete

  4. Sept. 29, 2025

    Current Planning: In Review

  5. Sept. 29, 2025

    Assign Reviewers: Completed

  6. Sept. 21, 2025

    Fee Payment: Payment Received

  7. Sept. 16, 2025

    Prescreen Review: Passed

  8. Sept. 15, 2025

    Prescreen Review: In Progress

  9. Sept. 8, 2025

    Prescreen Review: Corrections Required

  10. Sept. 5, 2025

    Prescreen Review: In Progress

  11. Sept. 5, 2025

    Application Submittal: ePlanReview

  12. Sept. 5, 2025

    Application filed

Documents

Site plans

  • Site plan sketch showing a backyard, garage, driveway and a parking spot for an RDU, with dimension notes; much of the text is illegible.

    Oct. 27, 2025 · 1 page · 184 KB · PDS-Maps and Drawings

    Download Parking site plan
  • Detailed site plan for a mother-in-law suite, noting the three-car driveway, parking and walking access, and a home of about 2,060 sq ft with a planned 290 sq ft suite.

    Oct. 21, 2025 · 1 page · 758 KB · PDS-Maps and Drawings

    Download Site plan showing property view

Plans

  • Floor plan drawing of the current layout, labeled as a current floorplan, with the applicant's project details noted at the top; the text is largely illegible from scanning.

    Oct. 21, 2025 · 1 page · 223 KB · PDS-Maps and Drawings

    Download Current floor plan
  • Plan view of a mother-in-law suite addition showing a bathroom with vanity and shower, a washer and dryer, a patio, and a window, prepared by the applicant.

    Oct. 21, 2025 · 1 page · 311 KB · PDS-Maps and Drawings

    Download Final floor plan, mother-in-law suite
  • Hand-marked landscape sketch for the backyard showing an ADU, garage and planned removal of ivy and some trees, with a note that no other landscaping changes are planned.

    Oct. 21, 2025 · 1 page · 177 KB · PDS-Maps and Drawings

    Download Backyard landscape plan
  • Exhibit B plan showing the proposed layout of a backyard mother-in-law suite, with notes on a window, a walkway and the front yard.

    Oct. 21, 2025 · 1 page · 249 KB · PDS-Maps and Drawings

    Download Proposed floorplan for backyard mother-in-law suite

Project narrative

  • Applicant's letter describing converting a room and two storage closets behind the garage into a studio ADU for a family member, with no added square footage and a possible carport.

    Oct. 21, 2025 · 1 page · 19 KB · PDS-Letter of Intent

    Download Letter of explanation for accessory dwelling unit

Decisions

Notices

  • City notice that a zoning certificate was approved for an internal conversion of existing space into an accessory dwelling unit in an R-1B zone, with a November 7, 2025 appeal deadline.

    Oct. 24, 2025 · 2 pages · 1.3 MB · PDS-Legal Notice

    Download Notice of approval for accessory dwelling unit conversion

Application

Photos

  • Three pages of site photos for the proposed ADU behind the garage, with captions on the planned location, parking, power upgrades and tree removal.

    Oct. 21, 2025 · 3 pages · 2.3 MB · PDS-Photos

    Download Site photos with applicant captions

Correspondence

  • Building Division notes that converting a garage to living space requires upgrades to current building code, including insulation, attic ventilation, and hard-wired smoke detection.

    Oct. 27, 2025 · 1 page · 66 KB · PDS-Agency Comments

    Download Building Division comments
  • Parks Planning, with Community Forestry, has no comments and recommends retaining existing juniper trees, pruning them as needed for access or clearance.

    Oct. 27, 2025 · 1 page · 60 KB · PDS-Agency Comments

    Download Boise Parks and Recreation comments
  • Public Works says the project must connect to the central sanitary sewer, which is available, and sewer capacity fees may be due at building permit issuance.

    Oct. 27, 2025 · 1 page · 41 KB · PDS-Agency Comments

    Download Public Works sewer comments
  • Public Works street light supervisor reports no comments on the zoning certificate application.

    Oct. 27, 2025 · 1 page · 125 KB · PDS-Agency Comments

    Download Street light trades comments
  • Veolia Water Idaho reports water pressure and flow available for fire sprinkler design, to be attached to fire-reviewed and construction-approved plan sets.

    Oct. 21, 2025 · 1 page · 132 KB · PDS-Other Small Docs

    Download Veolia water fire flow letter

Other documents

  • Noticing radius map

    Oct. 24, 2025 · 545 KB · PDS-Maps and Drawings

  • Transmittal sheet

    Oct. 22, 2025 · 99 KB · PDS-Transmittal Agencies

  • Statement of legal interest

    Oct. 21, 2025 · 255 KB · PDS-Statement of Legal Interest

  • Receipt

    Sept. 21, 2025 · 132 KB · PDS-Receipts

Nearby

The Boise Builds daily briefing

Every new planning application in the Treasure Valley, and every filing that changed, in one email each morning. See a sample

Free. One email a day, only when something is new. Unsubscribe anytime.