Detached ADU · near the Boise River Greenbelt, Garden City, ID
A 491 sq ft Kingfisher one-bedroom built two blocks off the Boise River Greenbelt in Garden City — permitted under Garden City's own code, finished to a Premium spec to match brewery-corridor rents, and set up as a live-work unit that doubles as a long-term rental.
Sited a detached Kingfisher in the rear yard of a lot near the Greenbelt and the 36th Street brewery corridor
Permitted through Garden City Planning & Zoning — its own code and setback table, not Boise's
Confirmed Greenbelt easement and FEMA flood status with a parcel lookup before fixing the build envelope
Premium finish package — quartz counters, tile shower surround, upgraded cabinetry and lighting — to match live-work-corridor rents
Walled-off bedroom, full kitchen with pantry, and a separate living room for long-term tenant retention
Wired and plumbed as a true dwelling so the owner can flex between live-work studio use and a long-term lease
The challenge
The lot sits near the Boise River Greenbelt in Garden City, which means two things most Boise projects never deal with. First, the permit runs through Garden City Planning & Zoning under the Garden City Development Code — a separate setback table, separate review, separate intake. Owners routinely assume a Boise rule applies and get surprised. Second, lots this close to the river carry a Greenbelt easement measured from the high-water line plus a possible FEMA flood overlay, either of which can shrink the buildable envelope before you draw a single wall. The owner wanted a real one-bedroom — not a studio — which on a tighter urban lot leaves no room to guess at the envelope.
Our approach
We pulled the parcel survey and ran the flood and Greenbelt-easement check before committing to a plan, so the 491 sq ft Kingfisher footprint cleared the rear-yard setbacks with margin instead of fighting them. The Kingfisher's walled bedroom, full kitchen, and separate living room are what hold a long-term tenant — and on a lot walkable to the Greenbelt and the 36th Street breweries, that location supports a Premium finish that pays for itself in rent. Garden City's creative districts also tolerate a modern facade, so the exterior didn't get forced into beige stucco. Because the parcel reads live-work-friendly under Garden City's mixed-use posture, the unit was built to flex between studio/live-work use and a straight residential lease.
The outcome
The build landed on a roughly six-to-seven-month contract-to-keys timeline. The separate bedroom and Premium finish put the unit at the top of the Garden City one-bedroom range rather than the bottom, and Greenbelt proximity does the rest of the leasing work — tenants pay up to bike to downtown Boise on a paved path that runs past the backyard. Because it was built as a true dwelling under Garden City's permissive accessory-unit posture, the owner can run it as a long-term rental or pivot it to live-work studio use without a renovation.
"We kept assuming Boise's rules applied — they don't, it's Garden City's code. Once they confirmed the Greenbelt setback and flood status up front, the Kingfisher fit the back yard with room to spare. Being two blocks from the path is what gets it leased."
Nathan & Erin H.
near the Greenbelt, Garden City
City
Zoning, plans, and local fit for Garden City ADU builds.
Cost
Real 2026 pricing by plan and finish for this market.
Plan
Boise's pre-approved 491 sq ft one-bedroom — separate bedroom, full kitchen, full living room, ready to permit.
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