Fewer homes to be built in foothills

EAGLE -- M-3 has been the subject of over 30 public hearings and there's word today that the proposal for thousands of homes in the Eagle foothills is being revised.

M-3 is a planned community that if approved, would cover more than 6,000 acres.

M-3 has been up for debate for the last 18 months and now there are some major changes in the works as developers try to win the city of Eagle's approval.

The two biggest changes include a reduction in the number of homes in the development from over 8,000 to 5,463. Developers also propose including four wineries in the development that would cover 1,200 acres.

The changes came after last week's council meeting when the city decided on a comprehensive plan to control growth in the area.

M-3 developers are revising their proposed community to stay in line with the city of Eagle's comprehensive plan for growth.

"Probably the biggest change that came about last week at the city council was they decided they want fewer homes in the foothills, and what that meant for M-3 was that they would reduce their homes by about 1,000," said Joann Butler, attorney for M-3 companies.

Reducing the number of homes and adding four wineries accomplishes several goals according to the developer -- more open space for wildlife and bringing an opportunity for economic growth with the winery business.

City leaders have not made any decisions about this plan - it's still in the proposal process.

The next step is to finish the development agreement at Wednesday’s Eagle City Council meeting, the day after the city holds its runoff election for mayor.