Foothills Shooting Range FAQ

What is going on?

Seven Gates Investments has applied for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP #202501185-CU) to build a commercial outdoor shooting range on a 1,363-acre property in the Boise foothills, accessed from Cartwright Road.

County planning staff reviewed the proposal and found that it does not comply with the Ada County Comprehensive Plan or several sections of County Code. According to the official findings, the site:

• lies within a formally mapped sensitive wildlife habitat area, intentionally protected under the Ada County Comprehensive Plan
• falls inside the Wildland-Urban Fire Interface, where wildfire danger is high and there is “no continuous water supply for fire suppression in the vicinity”
• would create “undue adverse impacts” on nearby properties through noise, traffic, and safety concerns
• is incompatible with the surrounding rural character and nearby neighborhoods¹

What has already happened?

• June 2025: the application was submitted and scheduled for public hearing
• September 11, 2025: the Ada County Planning and Zoning Commission held its first hearing
  • county staff recommended denial based on conflicts with Comprehensive Plan Goals 1.1, 2.2, and 3.4
  • the commission deadlocked 3–3 (one member absent) and tabled the vote
• Ada County Parks and Waterways Advisory Board formally opposed the project, citing major concerns about compatibility, fire mitigation, and noise impacts on public lands and trails

Why are the official findings significant?

1. The site is within an area intentionally set aside for wildlife protection

The Ada County Comprehensive Plan explicitly maps this part of the foothills as a sensitive wildlife and ecological area. Goal 1.1 directs the county to “protect, conserve, and enhance natural resources including wildlife habitat,” and Policy 1.1.2 calls for “limiting development in sensitive wildlife and ecological areas.” Staff concluded the proposal does not comply with these provisions and therefore conflicts with the county’s adopted land-use policy.²

That makes the 3–3 commission vote surprising: several commissioners voted to advance a project located in a place that the county’s own Comprehensive Plan was designed to safeguard.

2. Noise impacts would harm public enjoyment of the foothills

Planning staff and the Parks and Waterways Advisory Board agreed that sustained gunfire noise would disrupt nearby recreation and conservation areas. The Parks and Waterways letter emphasized that the site is “immediately adjacent to multiple conservation easements, recreation areas, and public trails,” including the Red Hawk Conservation Area and the Hidden Springs conservation lands. It stated that the noise and activity of a shooting range are “incompatible with passive recreation, wildlife preservation, and the public’s expectation of a tranquil open-space experience.” County staff similarly found that the range would create “undue adverse impacts on surrounding properties,” including the foothills trail network and nearby conservation easements.³

What happens next?

The project returns to the Ada County Planning and Zoning Commission on November 13, 2025, when all seven members are expected to vote.

At that meeting, the commission may:

1. deny the application (consistent with staff and Parks and Waterways recommendations)
2. approve it with conditions
3. forward it to the Board of County Commissioners for final consideration

Public comments submitted before the hearing become part of the official record.

What can I do?

Residents can participate by:

• signing up for updates from the Foothills Action Network
• reviewing the staff report and Parks and Waterways letter to understand the county’s own findings
• submitting written comments to Ada County Development Services or speaking at the November 13 hearing
• sharing verified information drawn from county documents so neighbors can make informed contributions

These actions help ensure that future land-use decisions in the Boise foothills uphold the Comprehensive Plan and protect the area’s wildlife, recreation, and peace.

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