Harris Ranch is in the final stages of developing its multi-year plan, but highly anticipated amenities such as restaurants, parks, and retail have been delayed because of interference by a private interest group. For Harris Ranch residents who want these facilities and services in the neighborhood, a recent ruling by an Ada County judge may finally clear the path for their long-awaited amenities to take shape.
Construction of these final amenities, including the Village Center, which was in the preliminary design process in 2021, has stalled due to the recent legal challenges to the Harris Ranch Community Infrastructure District (HRCID). The ongoing delay is a direct result of litigation brought by the Harris Ranch Community Infrastructure District Taxpayers Association (HRCIDTA), a private interest group taking issue with the operations of the HRCID.
In 2022, HRICDTA sued the Harris Ranch CID Board, made up of three Boise City Council members that oversee HRCID operations. The Harris Family Limited Partnership (HFLP) intervened in the lawsuit. HRCIDTA brought many claims against the CID Board, including allegations that repayments for built projects were not within bounds of the law and even challenging the formation of the CID, which took place more than a decade ago.
On April 25, 2023, an Ada County judge ruled against all 16 HRCIDTA claims, affirming that the CID Board operated within the bounds of the law, without exception. The judge found no violation of the CID statute, no violation of the Idaho Constitution, and no violation of the United States Constitution.
Despite having been determined to be without merit, the delays caused by the legal action have added years to the original timeline for the Village Center, green spaces, and other planned amenities.
Residents in the neighborhood may be forced to wait even longer. On April 14, 2023, Bill Doyle, Larry Crowley, and the HRCIDTA filed a new appeal (judicial review) of the CID Board’s decisions on February 21, 2023. This is a separate legal filing from the case recently adjudicated; however, 16 of the 18 claims that were just denied are repeated in this new filing. Additionally, Bill Doyle, Larry Crowley and the HRCIDTA may appeal the Judge’s decisions in the original lawsuit, extending the legal battle even longer and further hindering progress in Harris Ranch. Until a final resolution is reached, residents will continue to wait for the restaurants, retail, and green spaces they expected to be closer to reality by 2023.
In the end, the misguided actions of the HRCIDTA are poised to achieve nothing but slowing progress in the very community they call home.
