With as many as 20,000 more homes planned for the Eagle foothills, the Meridian School District is projecting a need for 10-17 new schools to serve those new residents.
Eagle's 35-year plan, now under review by the Eagle Planning & Zoning Commission, envisions as many as 20,000 new homes on 49,000 acres lying north of downtown Eagle, and between Hwy 55 and Hwy 16.
The projected cost of the new schools ranges from $190.7 million to $317.8 million.
The cost of those schools would be born by taxpayers, if they approved the bonds necessary for construction of the schools.
Idaho school bonds require a two-thirds super majority in order to pass, and it is unknown how Meridian School District voters would react to increasing their property taxes to fund the new schools.
The estimated need for the new schools was derived by using a school district formula that includes census data, estimated students per household, and school capacity.
One possible solution to the problem of growth outrunning infrastructure would be for the City of Eagle to pass an ordinance requiring that adequate essential infrastructure be built before, or concurrent with, new development.
Sounds like a pretty good idea to me 
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