The State Board of Education Wednesday approved Boise State University’s 10-year master plan, which took a different approach than previous development plans guiding growth at the land-constrained urban campus.
Annie Hightower, Boise State’s chief operating officer, told the State Board that past master plans were “too prescriptive,” locking in building sites and forgoing funding opportunities that arose later. And deviations led to “costly and time-consuming” plan updates, required by city planners.
“Instead of prescribing specific buildings, it defines zones of activity across campus — academic research, housing, student life — and allows flexibility within those zones to determine what’s built, when and how,” Hightower said. “This is similar to how a city uses zoning to guide development without dictating exact outcomes.”…