Garden City Mayor Proposes 2027 Safety Levy, Announces Kissler Park

Garden City Mayor Bill Jacobs proposed a public safety levy for a May 2027 ballot during his first State of the City address Tuesday night. The levy would fund two items: converting the full length of the Garden City Greenbelt to concrete and hiring three additional police officers. Those officers would run bike patrols on the Greenbelt during peak months, and work community policing, scheduling, and overtime reduction the rest of the year. A recent evaluation placed about 65% of the city's Greenbelt in poor or very poor condition. Jacobs said there is a gap in police service along the Greenbelt as use grows.

There'll be a great deal of community discussion between now and May, Jacobs said, adding that residents will have clear information about the proposal before the vote.

Jacobs also announced Kissler Park, planned for a site near North Glenwood Street and Riverside Drive. The Kissler family gave about 1.2 acres for the project. Once completed, Kissler Park will be the largest park in Garden City and will provide [a] community gathering place for residents [to] enjoy for generations, Jacobs said. It'll be a true legacy project. The city will update an existing concept for the property, construction is set to begin in 2028, and a fundraising campaign is planned.

The city is pursuing FEMA adoption of an updated floodplain map. Jacobs said the change could take sizable areas of Garden City out of the floodplain, lowering costs for property owners and reducing development costs. Garden City also received a $2 million grant toward a new municipal well, which Jacobs said will cut what ratepayers must cover and help the city grow. Other work he cited includes water and sewer projects, a pedestrian crossing at 43rd Street and Chinden Boulevard, glass recycling, and new rules for e-bikes and e-scooters on the Greenbelt.

On redevelopment, Jacobs pointed to the nearly 20-acre former Ada County Highway District property near Adams and 37th streets. The city is writing an area plan for the site, which sits inside a federal Opportunity Zone taking effect Jan. 1, 2027 and running through December 2036. That zone covers about 55% of Garden City.

Garden City Chamber of Commerce Director Leslie Yoest said about 35 businesses joined the Chamber last year, its largest growth year since it started. It's been truly a year of growth, Yoest said. We don't want it to be a pass-through community, she said. We want people to come and do business here and be part of our community.