M3 Eagle recalibrates project to fit new Eagle comp plan

EAGLE, Idaho – M3 Eagle unveiled a number of new elements to its proposed master-planned community before the Eagle City Council Tuesday night, reducing housing density by about 1,000 units, adding 1,200 acres of potential vineyards, reserving more open space in critical wildlife habitat areas and creating a fund from the sale of new M3 Eagle homes for the upkeep of open space.

The new elements of the M3 Eagle project were presented by M3 Partner Bill Brownlee to the Eagle City Council to comply with a new comprehensive plan passed by the council last week. The new comprehensive plan further restricts the amount of density allowed in the foothills, and it sets open space goals for specific areas. M3 Eagle recalibrated proposed housing densities in various areas of the project to comply with the new plan, Brownlee said.

The new M3 Eagle plan shrank housing density from 8,160 homes to 5,463 units, but the actual density will depend on how the City Council views M3 Eagle’s proposals to get density bonuses for open space and funding for open space upkeep, Brownlee said. M3 Eagle proposed a bonus system which would allow up to 7,153 units based upon city-approved mitigation.

“Whether we can actually get to 7,153 units depends on the credits we receive for mitigation,” he said.

Adding vineyards to the master plan will add value to the community and help bolster the growing viticulture business in the Eagle area, he said. “Right now, the way we envision it, four wineries could be placed on the property, encompassing 1,200 acres.”

“The Idaho wine industry is at a critical turning point,” added Eric McLaughlin, a food and wine expert in Boise, during public testimony. “There is a lot of exploration going on in the North Eagle Foothills to examine the potential for vineyards. With more players in the wine industry, it could create more opportunity and synergy for the viticulture industry in Eagle.”

About M3 Eagle: M3 Eagle is a master-planned community for 6,005 acres in the Eagle Foothills. The proposal has been under evaluation by the Eagle City Council for more than 18 months and 33 public hearings. A final decision on a proposed development agreement, annexation and rezone agreement is expected by the City Council next week.

For more information, please contact Steve Stuebner, es drake, 484-0295 or sstuebner@esdrake.com. Mr. Brownlee’s Nov. 27, 2007, Powerpoint presentation can be viewed on the front page, right column, of M3 Eagle web site, www.m3eagle.com.