Historical Documents - Public Record

Historical Documents --- Scroll DOWN

(To see the RECENT DOCUMENTS, from 2007 - 2011, including the Garden City Ordinance that precipitated this controversy and copies of the legal documents that our attorneys have filed for us with the State, click HERE )

In 2007, COG discovered via Public Information Requests, over 300 pages of historical documents, spanning almost 20 years,  that clearly show the claims by Garden City that 1- the Greenbelt in Riverside Village was originally privately-owned and 2- the claims that this area had always been "pedestrian only" were absolutely false!    In fact, these documents clearly designate the path there, as the "Riverside Village Bicycle Path" and when the city formally approved acceptance of the path and agreed to maintain it, it was called the "Bicycle Path Contract!"The BICYCLE PATH was required by the State of Idaho in exchange for rights to build the subdivision on some of the land that was originally STATE-owned.  That means this land once belonged to every Idaho citizen, not just the residents of Riverside Village!  Those documents are below...

HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS - Public Record - 1980 - 1998

Apologies for the condition of some of these pdf files.  The documents are old, the quantity is huge, the scanning process was cumbersome, and the quality is not always the best... but they ARE readable and we want you to see for yourself what has transpired.

1980 Agreement
State of Idaho Department of Lands agreed to provide public trust lands adjacent to the Boise River for Riverside Village developer to construct a "bicycle path" and other amenities required by Garden City for approval of the subdivision.  Upon completion, the bicycle path is to be conveyed to Garden City. 

1983 Citizen Response to Bike Path Diversion away from the river.
6 phone calls, 22 letters, and 175 signatures on petitions were sent to Dept of Lands protesting this diversion.  Keep in mind that this was twenty-five years ago - before the Boise River Greenbelt was even very well-developed!

1992 Garden City Terms for acceptance of Riverside Village/BikePath
Letter from Garden City to Dept of Lands claiming that the path was originally intended for  private use by the residents of Riverside Village and demanding upgrades to the "Bike Path"  before Garden City will accept it. 

1992.Garden City Proposed Restrictions on Public Uses of RVGB
OK - read these three pages just for the fun of it.  These are the restrictions Garden City suggests for the Bike Path...  No bicycles, no dogs, no throwing of balls or anything else AND do NOT offer tobacco, alcohol, or narcotic drugs to any animal, reptile, fish or bird!

1992 State of Idaho Lands Letter to Evans - fix or we sue
We told you before that we hold you responsible.  If bike path is not complete by June 30, 1993, the state will take legal action.

1994 Lawsuit_- State of Idaho sues Evans Bros & IFI for failure to keep the path open to the public
...for Specific Performance, Damages for Breach of Contract, and Injunctive Relief

1995 Agreement between IFI & Garden City re RV Bike Path
Negotiated by Evans between IFI & GC.  IFI agrees to provide legal description of pathway area that they will convey to GC which will contain minimum corridor of 15 feet width,  to replace asphalt surface with angular chips along entire length of path, and to  convey to City by Quit Claim and easement the pathway areas owned by IFI per the 1980 Agreement.  NOTE:  We have made a Public Info Request for this legal description from GC, but, so far, they claim they do not have it.  

1995 RVHOA to Lands - Request for land & TERMS
Although RVHOA was not a party to the imminent settlement, this letter communicates their approved terms and specifications, including "pedestrian traffic only and a width of no more than 8 feet."  They say they assume that their association will have a say in the exact location of the path and they request any excess area be conveyed to them.  (The State strongly disagrees and actually puts stronger language in the subsequent quitclaim to assure that Garden City does not eventually convey any of the former state lands to RVHOA.)

1996 Land Board Approval of Settlement
VERY GOOD SUMMARY of the entire history and mentions the bike path extensively.  If you only have time to read one document, make it this one!

1996 Minutes of Garden City Council Meeting - Agenda Item is "Riverside Village BIKE PATH CONTRACT."  We also have an audio recording of this meeting.  The significance of the approval of the Bike Path Contract was extensively discussed.  "Councilmember Pigg moved to direct the mayor to enter into contract for settlement with the state of Idaho and Idaho Forest Industries." 

1997 Garden City Greenbelt Master Plan aka "The River Master Plan"

This is actually a really good plan...  if Garden City would only follow it!
   Part 1 - Intro, Goals, Criteria & Site Characteristics
   Part 2 - Design Guidelines
   Part 3 - Development Patterns, Geographic Descriptions
   Maps - attached to the plan

1998 Land Board Approval of Quitclaim
Refers to Garden City participation into settlement as eventual owner, pursuant to the terms of the 1980 Agreement.  

1998 Quitclaim to Garden City by Idaho Dept of Lands
Approximately 20.1 acres of State land are delivered to Garden City.  At this time, IFI also grants the portion of the greenbelt properties that IFI owns to Garden City. 

In hindsight, there were discrepancies in the deeding of these properties that were in violation of the Agreement.  Those discrepancies THAT ARE IN DIRECT VIOLATION of the terms of the Settlement Agreement regarding ownership of various parcels were corrected by property transfers dictated by the Attorney General decision in 2010.