Planning project · Planning application
Single-family home on foothills lot approved by city staff
City staff approved a new single-family home with an attached garage on a 0.15-acre lot. Because of steep slopes and unstable soils, it needs a hillside review, with a geotechnical report and a subgrade inspection during construction.

From the filing
The application's description as it appears in City of Boise's record. See the official record
Single-family home in Hillside
Project name on file: 5445 N POLECAT LOFT
Timeline
Oct. 2, 2026
Planning Applications: Project Entitled
Aug. 11, 2026
Planning Applications: Project Entitled
March 17, 2026
Pending Application Submittal: Planning Applications in Review
March 16, 2026
Concept Review Complete: CR Complete - Type 2
March 12, 2026
Concept Review Complete: Engineering Preview
March 12, 2026
Concept Review Complete: Engineering Preview Complete
A determination has been made that this project will be a Category II Hillside project due to slope, erosion-prone soils, unstable soils, earth movement, and other geologic and hydrologic hazards. In addition to the already submitted documents, additional documents may be required during the CFH Review process.Additional documents that you can expect to provide will be a site-specific geotechnical report with the possibility of a global slope stability analysis (please see the Agency Comment for Hillside Retaining Wall Permitting within this PLN); structural calculations for any retaining wall that is greater than four feet of height, more than one retaining wall when the horizontal interior distance between the retaining walls is less than 10 feet and the total of all retaining walls exceeds four feet in height, a retaining wall having a surcharge, having a backslope greater than three feet horizontal to one foot vertical, or that has structural components (these requirements will be assessed again at the time of occupancy); and civil plans.A subgrade inspection by a geotechnical firm will be required at the time of construction once the subgrade is exposed and prior to placement of foundation materials or forms/rebar. A report of the inspection will need to be submitted and accepted by PW Hillside before scheduling your inspection with the Building Department and receiving final occupancy.NOTE: The hazards of developing and building on property, especially in the Boise foothills, is well known. It is the responsibility of the applicant/owner’s design, geological, and engineering professionals, not the City, to identify, address, and mitigate any hazards to the site. Satisfying these Conditions of Approval is for limited [City purpose] only and should not be relied on for design, geological or engineering purposes. Developer will comply with all requirements of Boise City Hillside Development Code Sections or submit evidence satisfactory to the Boise City Engineer that the proposed development is exempt from the requirements therein stated due to location, topography and/or the absence of adverse conditions associated with slope stability, ground water, erosion and sedimentation.If you would like to discuss this determination, please contact us at HillsideDrainage@cityofboise.org or we can set up a meeting if you prefer.
March 4, 2026
Concept Review Complete: Corrections Required
Please upload the following items to PLN26-00217:1) A brief project description 2) A conceptual site plan/grading plan.
March 2, 2026
Application Submittal: Online
March 2, 2026
Application filed
Documents
Plans
- Download Grading and drainage plan notes
Sheet of general notes on grading, roof downspout and foundation drain connections, utility locating, and construction standards for a site plan, prepared by Focus Engineering.
March 10, 2026 · 1 page · 1.0 MB · PDS-Other Small Docs
Project narrative
- Download Concept review summary report
Advisory concept review summary for a Category II hillside single-family home, listing required geotechnical, retaining wall and civil plan documents.
March 16, 2026 · 3 pages · 470 KB · PDS-Concept Review Summary Report
Application
- Download Planning project application form
Application form for a single-family detached home on an R-1A zoned lot, with applicant, owner, and zoning details and a Hillside Questionnaire requirement.
March 2, 2026 · 2 pages · 158 KB · PDS-Application
- Download Public Works hillside project questionnaire
Checklist asking whether the project involves new parcels, additions, dwellings, access roads, grading over 12 inches, or retaining walls over 4 feet.
March 2, 2026 · 1 page · 66 KB · PDS-Other Small Docs
Correspondence
- Download Hillside retaining wall permitting guidance
Public Works guidance on when retaining walls in the hillside zone need a determination, slope stability analysis, and planning-code height and setback limits.
March 12, 2026 · 5 pages · 804 KB · PDS-Agency Comments


