How Garden City Officials are Failing the Greenbelt Test

In the controversy over an area of 'greenbelt' in Garden City that is off limits to bikes, I think Garden City officials are failing an important test.  For those of you not aware of the story, back in 1980, Riverside Village developers agreed with the State to build a greenbelt by the Boise River.  It never happened.  Instead, there are dirt paths by the river and more recently signs declaring the area a 'bike dismount zone.'  With the greenbelt growing, bicyclists want the ability to ride through the area as originally intended.

So how are Garden City officials dealing with this controversy failing the greenbelt test?  To find out, why don't you take it for yourself?  Sort of a 'Greenbelt SAT.'

Q:  Which of the following is the most accurate reason Garden City officials object to paving parts of the greenbelt?

1. They feel the path is too narrow for bikes and pedestrians.
2. The area is a nature trail not conducive to a paved path.
3. That pavement is desperately needed for more strip malls!

Q:  Complete this sentence.  "The Garden City Council dislikes bicyclists on the greenbelt because ..."

1. Bicycles do not have carbon emissions critical to maintaining Garden City's air quality.
2. Garden City Officials distrust any form of transportation that also qualifies as 'exercise.'
3. Garden City Officials don't see the economic benefit to promoting any form of transportation that cannot also be used to haul a trailer.

Q:  What is the most substantial reason Garden City officials believe it is appropriate to go back on a written pledge to create a greenbelt?

1. The pledge was nullified by a 'quick claim deed.'
2. Those involved never realized the state of Idaho meant a paved section of bike path.
3. It was signed with 'fingers crossed.'

Q:  When it comes to public officials and greenbelt development, which of the following statements most accurately represents the term 'oxymoron.'

1. Boise visionaries
2. Eagle visionaries
3. Garden City visionaries

Q:  Two tourists on bicycles decide to meet up at Garden City's greenbelt dismount zone.  Tourist A will ride from Ann Morrison Park and travel at an average speed of 5 miles per hour.  Tourist B will ride from Warm Springs Golf Course at a speed of 10 miles per hour.  Which of the following is most true?

1. Tourist A will arrive ahead of tourist B.
2. Tourist B will arrive ahead of tourist A.
3. Both tourists will arrive together.
4. What tourist in their right mind visits Garden City?

Q:  Which of the following place names best fits the definition of a 'misnomer?'

1. Greenland
2. The Garden State
3. Garden City, Idaho

I can understand how some Garden City residents would take offense to my 'tongue-in-cheek' test.  They shouldn't, because they are victims too of a long history of Garden City leadership that had forsaken longer-term planning and development in favor of short term deals.  What has resulted is a hodgepodge mess that leaves many shaking their heads.  If I had substituted 'Boise' or 'Eagle' for 'Garden City' above, the jokes would have fallen flat.

And evidence suggests this greenbelt debate is just one more example of what has made Garden City a punch line.  I wasn't here in 1980 when Riverside Village was developed, but here's what I suspect happened.  The developer needed a sign off from the State of Idaho to complete the project.  He gets it but only if he agrees to build a greenbelt.  But wait!  Building a greenbelt would take up lots of valuable land and might not make riverside lots as attractive to some, so he puts in dirt paths instead and calls it good.

Whatever the circumstances, it is pretty clear the promise was broken.  Now is the time to make it right.  That's because Garden City leaders can only move their city in a better direction if they are willing to abandon the short-sighted practices of the past, embrace better urban planning, make decisions that serve the greater good and leave those they deal with confident they will keep their word.

But there is an even bigger issue here.  Every time I have to recruit an employee to the Boise area, I tout its progressive greenbelt.  It is truly a remarkable gem that sets the Boise area apart and even though I live in Nampa and don't own a bike, I applaud efforts to extend it from Boise to Eagle and beyond.  An extended bike pathway down the Boise River would be a tremendous asset for every city it touched, potentially accessible by hundreds of thousands of people.  That's especially true of Garden City, which is blessed with miles of potentially valuable riverfront property. 

Look at what Boise's greenbelt vision has done for the city so far.  Its riverfront is blessed with several beautiful parks, riverside restaurants and other attractions, a college campus and attractive residential and commercial development.  Garden City's riverfront is ... well ... in Garden City.  No wonder Boise's greenbelt is touted over and over again as a model for other cities nationwide.  Wonder what they would say about Garden City?

A bike path through the area isn't just the right thing to do to make good on a promise.  It would also show the kind of political courage and vision that could slowly but surely transform Garden City into the kind of place people want to stop and visit ... rather than just commute through.

I'm posting this on a Friday before a rally tomorrow at the 'anti-bike' path, a sure sign I suspect that this is one issue that's not going to just ride away.

Comments

[Andrew Birdwell]

BRAVO, I live in Garden City and enjoy the greenbelt. I can only ride my bike to the east.

[Rick Gibson]

Bravo Channel 6. Pleeeez keep paying attention to this issue. I believe that the GC leadership just wishes this would all just fade away, kinda like they thought no one would remember the deals made by the developer all those years ago.
There is no better time than now, especially in light of the rocketing energy prices, to promote alternate means of transportation and recreation.
Let's hope the leadership of Garden City can support such an enlightened perspective.

[Gary]

Couldn't been said better. It seems that every week the Garden City Council and Mayor's story changes about why they refuse to abide by the State mandate. "We're honoring historic agreements" was an early excuse - of course that was a myth as Citizens for an Open Greenbelt discovered. Then "the pathway is only 6 feet wide and unsafe" which is not true. Over 70 people discovered that yesterday when they held a lawful protest. The pathway is typically 8 to 10 feet wide with room to expand.

Then these elected officials announced that the "old legal documents" are no longer valid. Do they think that these documents that go with the land have a shelf life? So they cited an 1996 Agreement claiming this invalidated the bike path requirement. Apparently they collectively decided to really read the 1996 Agreement and discovered something - that it did refer to the enforcement of a bike path. And it was proven by hearing the recording of the City Council meeting where they approved signing the Agreement.

"Uh oh, so that didn't work for us" they muse. "So lets try this one out and see if it's got legs"- "The 1998 quitclaim deed of the greenbelt property from the State to us nullified the requirement for a bike path. Yes, we got it now! Hopefully no one will notice that when the City Attorney requested the quitclaim deed from the State, his March 13, 1998 letter referred to that pesky "old legal document" - the 1980 Agreement!!"

The Mayor and Council are now into serious damage control. What will be the next story foisted on the public? My hunch is that they will now simply say "Hey - we like it that way - media and citizens of the Treasure Valley, get off of our case!!".

Wouldn't it be ironic if next the Council decides that dogs, children and joggers are a nuisance and pass a new ordinance banning all the public from the Garden City Greenbelt except over 40 female walkers? With this Council anything is possible.

Keep up the great journalistic work!

[Jacki]

Hooray for you, News Editor. It is so gratifying to have input from individuals outside the core group who believe that this is a cause worth standing up for. Compared to world peace, this may be a small thing, but it really is about politicians keeping their word, their agreemennts, and their promises to their citizens. Might does not make right and we are glad that you, too, believe this is a case of our rights being abused by politicians who think they are above the law!