‘This project could have died’: Boise gives its blessing to planned Catholic Diocese office

Boise’s City Council has at last given its blessing to the Catholic Diocese’s plans for a new office building near the North End.

The unanimous decision came Tuesday after months of contentious public hearings, conflict between Boise’s Catholic Diocese and the local neighborhood association, revised building plans, and threats of a lawsuit against the city.

The diocese had submitted an updated project proposal for a shorter building — about 45 feet tall instead of its previously proposed height of about 62 feet at its tallest point — that includes 1,000 square feet of commercial space on its ground floor. Plans for that commercial space are still in the works, but the diocese is considering a child care center, a Christian bookstore or a coffee shop, said attorney Deborah Nelson, the diocese’s representative.

The City Council’s decision resurrected a project that “could have died” after a public hearing in April , Council Member Luci Willits said Tuesday.

At the April meeting, council members denied one of the church’s key requests: to modify an existing development agreement at the same site that would allow the church to use the building just for office space, rather than a combination of office, commercial and residential space. Without those other uses, they said the changes to the original agreement would be too significant to align with its original intent.

That decision came as a “complete surprise” to the church, as it was a departure from previous concerns the church had fielded over the project, Christian Welp, the church’s director of special projects, told the Idaho Statesman at that meeting.

In April, Mayor Lauren McLean expressed her disappointment that a “key spot” in the neighborhood would likely remain an empty lot.

At that meeting, Willits pushed back on other council members’ requests for housing and retail in the space.

“The reality is, the Catholic Diocese (is) not going to put retail in the bottom of their facility,” Willits said. “They’re not going to put an ice cream shop. That’s not what it’s for.”

Diocese, neighborhood group compromise on building’s height

The North End Neighborhood Association, which had opposed several aspects of the project’s proposed appearance, also expressed its concern in April about the council’s approval of a separate request from the church: a conditional-use permit to increase the building’s height beyond what zoning allows.

Before Tuesday’s meeting for the church to appeal the council’s denial, the diocese worked to secure the neighborhood association’s buy-in by lowering the building’s proposed height, even though it wasn’t a requirement to win the City Council’s approval.

“It’s a real show, a true show, of goodwill when you compromise when it’s not required,” Willits said.

Though some council members expressed regret that there would be no housing in the space, they said they were pleased that the proposal incorporated commercial space on its ground floor — and that the church and neighborhood had mended fences.

“This modified proposal is an improvement to what was originally brought before us, but I think the biggest improvement is the relationship” between the diocese and the neighborhood association, added Council Member Jordan Morales.

The neighborhood association expressed its gratitude to the diocese for its willingness to meet and compromise.

“The board deeply appreciates the diocese representatives and the architects for their flexibility and willingness to finally consider and address our concerns,” Erik Hagen, the association’s president, told the Statesman in an email. “Their decision to make these changes, even though not required at this point, was a significant factor in our decision to support them.”

Diocese threatened lawsuit for ‘government burden’ on religion

In early August, the diocese published a news release sharing its efforts to adjust its proposal to incorporate neighbors’ and council members’ concerns about the building’s height and use. But it also shared that it had come to view the council’s demand for the building to include housing as a “government burden” on its exercise of religion.

The church accused the city of violating federal and state laws. It implicitly threatened a lawsuit if the city did not approve the church’s appeal, and modified application, at the upcoming hearing. The diocese separately sent a letter to McLean and the City Council outlining the legal limits to the city’s authority to deny the diocese’s application, the statement said.

“City regulations that require the diocese to include housing substantially burden the diocese’s religious exercise according to state and federal law,” the statement reads. “Put simply, the offices for the administration of the Catholic Church in Idaho should not have to include apartments or condos for the city at large. Requiring the diocesan offices to build city housing and be a landlord violates these federal and state statutes.”

In the statement, the diocese avoided outright confrontation with the city, writing that it “remains committed” to compromises “to try to find common ground for approval.”

And on Tuesday, Nelson sought to smooth things over and reassure council members that they and the diocese were on the same side.

“I hope you can appreciate how the diocese is not insensitive to city desires and your plans for the city,” she said. “They have their own plans, and they really do envision a partnership with the city going forward with those plans (that) align in so many ways.”

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